Nursing
UK King's Daughters provides many opportunities for nursing careers, and here, our nurses are agents of change. Nurses grow in their profession as we adopt new technologies, research new ways of delivering care, and measure, test and trial new processes. Over the last several years there has been unprecedented change in the practice of nursing. At King's Daughters, we work diligently to understand the challenges and rewards of nursing and to implement changes that enhance nursing practice. Our nurses have the opportunity to stretch and learn, and to put their passion for healing into practice every day. Continue scrolling to learn more about the many areas of nursing King's Daughters offers.
Bev Coleman Nursing Excellence Award
The Bev Coleman Nursing Excellence Award was created in 2016 in memory of Bev Coleman, who passed away in March 2015 from pancreatic cancer. Coleman was a nurse at King’s Daughters for more than 32 years. his award honors other nurses who, like Coleman, have exhibited the highest levels of nursing excellence and has positively influenced the nursing culture at King's Daughters.
The 2023 recipient of the Bev Coleman Nursing Excellence Award is Leslie Wright, RN, Labor & Delivery. Leslie was one of six finalists for the annual Nurses Week recognition. This year, more than 80 nurses were nominated by their peers. Other 2023 nominees were Cassie Dillow, LPN, 4J Nursing Unit; Meredith Sargent, RN, 4K Nursing Unit; Amanda Hill, RN, Nursing Office; Levi Runyon, RN, BSN, I.V. Therapy; and Beth Adkins, RN, Vascular Lab.
Previous Winners include:
- 2017 - Vicki Cossett, RN
- 2018 - Frankie Groves, RN
- 2019 - Deena Stewart, RN, CGRN, BSN
- 2020 - Sue Gilliam, RN BSN
- 2021 - Amelia Evans, RN
- 2022 – Gretchen Dillon, RNC, BSN
Nursing Leadership
Curtis Metzler
Vice President, Chief Nursing Officer
Curtis began his journey at King's Daughters as an RN at Kingsbrook Lifecare Center in 2011. He furthered his career with Kingsbrook, moving into roles in quality assurance, staff development, and infection control, until his experience lead him to become the Executive Administrator of the facility in 2017. He continued to expand his career when he began his position as Executive Administrator at both Kingsbrook and King's Daughters Ohio in Portsmouth in 2018. With a rich background in many facets of healthcare, Curtis began his current role as Vice President, Chief Nursing Officer at KDMC Ashland in 2020.
Shelly Baier
Director, KDIP Clinical Services
In 1998, Shelly started her career at King's Daughters as an RN on the Cardiac Stepdown Unit. She moved into a supervisor position in 2004 in family care and in 2008 advanced again as a nurse manager of Heart and Vascular, Chest Pain Unit, moving to Respiratory Stepdown and Cardiac Stepdown Unit over the next 9 years. Shelly loved her role as a leader and mentor and in 2017 she transitioned to a quality position in ambulatory care, leading to promotion to her current position in 2018 as Clinical Director for Integrated Practices. Shelly's role is a challenging blend of clinical skills, quality care and nursing education and she enjoys the ever-changing, day to day role of leadership and mentoring new team members and leaders.
Jason Blevins
Senior Director, Clinical Services (RN)
Jason began in the King's Daughters Emergency Department as a nurse extern in 2008. His career grew as he became an RN, completed the RN Fellowship in 2010, and worked as a staff nurse in the Emergency Department until 2013. At that time, he transitioned to an Administrative Coordinator in the Nursing office after obtaining his BSN. In 2015, Jason became the Director of Emergency Services. Since this time, he has also completed his MSN (2016) and an MBA in Healthcare Administration (2021).
Jane Ann Caldwell
Senior Director, Clinical Services (RN)
After Jane Ann completed her BSN, she began her career at King's Daughters in Surgical Services. She was promoted to a clinical coordinator in 2006 and a nurse manager role in 2010 with the Center for Healthy Living. In 2018, she moved back into Surgical Services in Outpatient Surgery and also earned her MSN from Walden University. In 2021, Jane Ann became Senior Director of Women's Health, which includes Mother Baby, Labor and Delivery, Newborn Nursery, NICU, Women's and Children's Unit, Obstetrics Emergency Department, and Maternal Fetal Medicine.
Stephanie Copley
Senior Director, Clinical Services (RN)
Starting her career at King's Daughters as an RN on the Heart and Vascular Recovery Unit in 2011, Stephanie has grown and developed throughout her many areas of service at the hospital. She completed her BSN in 2015 and later moved to Critical Care, launching her promotion to Senior Nurse Leader in 2019, and, in 2021, to Director of the Critical Care Units. Stephanie currently serves as the Senior Director of Clinical Services ensuring the effectiveness and quality of King's Daughters patient care.
Kevin Fields
Senior Director, Clinical Services (RN)
Kevin began his nursing career as a staff nurse on the cardiac unit at King's Daughters in 2005 and quickly transitioned to a nurse leader on various nursing units over the next 8 years. In 2015, he had the opportunity to expand his knowledge of the outpatient setting and became a Senior Practice Manager for our Medical Specialty offices. Returning to inpatient nursing in 2018, he is now a Senior Director of Clinical Services. His areas of responsibility include Internal Medicine Unit, Advanced Illness Management Services, Clinical Decision Units, Telemetry, the Nursing Office and Transfer Office, as well as the Float Pool.
Trish Lewis
Director, Behavioral Health
For Trish, nursing was a call to serve others. She started at King's Daughters on March 8, 1982 as an LPN in the Float Pool. In 1988 she became an RN and furthered her eduation in 2004 with a BSN. Trish's personal experience at King's Daughters has helped her make a difference in many people’s lives. For the past 40 years, she has had opportunities to gain experience in various roles and departments across the organization. Her current role as Director of Occupational Medicine/Team Health and Behavioral Health Services includes Inpatient and Outpatient Behavioral Medicine and Outpatient Wellness and Recovery MAT.
Arlene Massie
Director of Nursing, Kingsbrook Lifecare Center
Arlene's career at Kingsbrook Lifecare Center started in 2003 as a resident care manager of the Skilled Rehab Unit. Two years later she moved to the MDS coordinator role overseeing the assessment process, care plans, and resident care. In 2007 she became the Assistant Director of Nursing and has served the facility as Director of Nursing for the last 14 years.
Kelly McKenzie
Senior Director, Clinical Services (RN)
Nursing was a second career choice for Kelly. After spending 14 years in the legal field, she graduated nursing school in 2011. Starting as a staff nurse on the Surgical Care Unit, she quickly worked her way through the ranks exhibiting leadership and organization skills. In 2015 she transitioned to the administrative coordinator role and quickly advanced to a nurse leader role of Internal Medicine Unit and later Surgical Care Unit. Continuing to prove her leadership abilities, she is currently a Senior Director of Clinical Services. Kelly oversees the majority of units within Parkview Patient Tower 2.
Deana Milum
Executive Director, Surgical Services
Deana's career with King's Daughters began as a staff nurse in the operating room in 1992. She later moved into a position in service line development in 2003 and served in multiple leadership roles within the organization over the next seven years. Deana later returned to the operating room as the Director of Surgery and has continued to lead the department for the last twelve years.
James Neal
Chief Nursing Officer, Associate Administrator, King's Daughters Ohio
Prior to starting his career at King's Daughters, James worked as a correctional officer for the State of Ohio, Southern Ohio Correctional Facility, for 14 years. James then joined the Kings Daughters Emergency Dept. in 2007 as an RN. After five years, he transferred to King’s Daughters Ohio (KDOH), taking on the role of Patient Care Manager at KDOH and opening the new Urgent Care/ED 2014. After his successes at KDOH, he returned to the Ashland campus to serve as the Senior Nurse Leader for the ED. James’ knowledge and experience at both KDMC and KDOH operations found him moving to his current role as Chief Nursing Officer of KDOH in the fall of 2021.
Jamie Ward
Director, Home Health
Jamie is a Registered Nurse graduate from Ashland Community and Technical College where she began her nursing career at King's Daughters in 2006. Jamie was later the recipient of the King's Daughters Nursing Scholarship and attended Kentucky Christian University, earning her BSN. In 2012, she completed the RN Critical Care Fellowship program. She was later promoted to the Administrative Coordinator Lead for the Nursing Office. In 2016, she was named Director of Clinical Services serving multiple departments, including, ICU, CVICU, Nursing Office, Float Pool, Cath/Vas Lab, and Heart Vascular Recovery. She later earned her MSN at Western Governors University. In her current role, she provides clinical oversight for KDMC Policy and Procedure Management and is the Director for Home Health.
In August 2016, King's Daughters opened the AIMS (Advanced Illness Management Services) Unit to provide enhanced and streamlined care for patients who have life-limiting illnesses. Through AIMS, patients and their families have access to a multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, case managers and chaplains dedicated not only to treating/managing each patient's physical symptoms, but also meeting emotional, social and spiritual needs.
King's Daughter's 27 bed inpatient unit for general adult Behavioral Health provides care to indiciduals in acute crisis with a range of diagnoses including, but not limited to: Bepolar Disorder, major despression, psychotic disorders, anxiety disorders and comorbid personalisty disorders. Our care team consists of RN's, LPN's, Patient Care Tech's, Nurse Externs, REcrational Therapists, Social Workers, Intake Nurses, UR/Case Managers, Physicians, and Nurse Practitioners.
The Cardiac Stepdown Unit cares for patients with chest pain, patients requiring intrvenous cardiac medications, and preoperative screening of Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) patients
The Cardiac Surgery Unit manages care for patients with cardiac issues, post cardiac surgery such as Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) and lung procedures such as Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS)
The Clinical Decision Unit (CDU) is a new 24-bed inpatient unit that allows our providers to monitor and evaluate the medical condition of patients. While in the CDU patients will be regularly assessed by a multidisciplinary care team of physicians, nurse practitioners, and other clinical professionals providing all necessary diagnostic tests, medications, and therapies for a wide variety patient population. For RN's, this unit offers opportunities to improve their skills with IV insertion, foley insertion and care, telemetry monitoring, and wound care, as well as, other important nursing skills.
KDMC's Emergency Dept. has 54 total treatment spaces and averages approximately 62K visits annually. The team cares for all patients, in all generations with any presentation complaints, from pediatric care to geriatric. Our nursing staff are trained to assess and stabilize any presenting condition. The ED includes a Stat Lab for ED-only labs as well as dedicated ED pharmacists, Physicians, PA’s and APRN’s. Our team includes ancillary department assistance and works as one to ensure safety of our patients and coordination of care with EMT’s, Paramedics, Nurse Externs, Pharmacy, Lab, Phlebotomy, Respiratory, Environmental Services, Case management, Social Work, and many more, to function as one large multi-disciplinary team to care for all walks of life.
KDMC's Heart and Vascular Recovery Unit prepare patients for and provide recovery care following cardiac catheterization and other interventional procedures such as Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG). Specially trained nurses, respiratory therapists, physicians and other dedicated healthcare professionals will closely monitor the patients’ 24-hour care during their time on the unit.
King's Daughters Home Health is an essential part of the nursing system that offers a diverse patient population in a flexible, customized work day in which nurses drive from appointment to appointment, helping educate patients and caregivers about treatments, providing counseling and care, and assessing the patient's progress. Nursing in the patient's home allows you to be better equiped to learn their day-to-day lifestyle and potential dangers and conditions that may affect the patients potential to recover. As a nurse in Home Health you can truly see the impact you have on the patient and the patient's family.
KDMC's Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is a 24-bed unit staffed by an experienced critical care team and equipped with technologies to provide lifesaving care for patients requiring specialized care after surgery or a serious injury. The 8-bed Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) specializes in providing care for patiens with cardiac, thoracic and vascular surgical issues.
This 25 bed unit cares for patients with a multitude of health conditions from chest pain, cellulitis, wounds, COPD, pneumonia, CHF, kidney injury, sepsis, abdominal pain, mental health concerns requiring medical attention, patients requiring cardiac drips. The Internal Medicine unit is a great path to solidify a nurses foundation out of school and lay a path to critical care.
With 7 Labor, Delivery and Recovery Suites (LDR), the Labot and Delivery Unit (L&D) is well-equipped to support and care for mothers during their delivery. The unit has 2 operating rooms (OR) and 2 peri-anesthesia beds (PACU) on Labor and Delivery if complications arise and a c-section is indicated. Our L&D specialty nurses continue to care for our patients throughout their phases of labor and delivery. The Newborn Nursery Nurse meets the new bundle of joy immediately upon delivery and supports the mother in initial bonding, and breastfeeding, and completes the newborn assessments.
The Neuroscience Care Center is an inpatient unit caring for patiends with acute neurological issues such as stroke, TIA, and new onset confusion. The Neuroscience Care Center is Joint Commission certified in stroke care.
Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU) is a Level-III thirteen-bed unit that provides care to the smallest patients needing advanced healthcare. The NICU nurses attend all c-sections and high-risk deliveries to ensure immediate intensive medical care is provided. They also provide extensive education to parents on how to care for their precious babies at home.
The Mother Baby Unit is an 18-bed unit adjacent to Labor and Delivery where couplet care is provided. As the mother and baby room together during their stay, the mother baby nurse is there to give comfort, support, and education on how to care for herself and the newborn baby. The nurse provides post-delivery care to the mother and assesses the baby to ensure they are recovering from their journey into the world and making healthy strides in their first couple of days of life.
As an inpatient department, the Oncology Speciality unit focuses on managing symptoms, chemotherapy administration and new diagnosis for patients.
Respiratory Stepdown administers intermediate levels of care for patients with respiratory issues, both chronic and acute, including patients receiving complex medications that may require titration based on the vital signs, stable vented patients and cardiac patients.
The Surgical Care Unit manages post-surgical care to patients having undergone joint replacemet, urology and general surgery. The unit also administers care for bariatric surgery patients and is certified in Bariatric Care.
At King’s Daughters, we perform thousands of procedures every year across a wide range of disciplines. Our surgical teams specialize within their fields, staying on top of the latest developments, techniques and innovations so they can bring the most advanced care to you.KDMC Surgical Services consists of three departments: Main OR, Cardiovascular OR, and the Outpatient Surgery Center. The Main OR includes 12 operating suites, one lithotripsy room and one cystoscopy room. Our Cardiovascular Operating Rooms, located on the fourth floor, include four suites dedicated to heart and vascular procedures. The Hybrid OR allows specialists from different disciplines to work together to care for thcomplex, high-risk patients. The Outpatient Surgery Center specializes in caring for patients whose procedures will allow them to return home the same day. It includes 5 OR rooms, as well as, a special procedures suite.
Located in Portsmouth, OH, King's Daughters Ohio specializes in providing personal, one-on-one care and provides convenient, quality care for illnesses and injuries that cannot wait till your doctor's office opens. KDOH Urgent Care Center is open 24/7/365.
Nurses in the 10-bed hospital at King's Daughter Ohio have a very low patient ratio which allows them to provide specialized care of post-operative orthopedic patients and medical stabilization of detoxing patients.
King's Daughters Ohio Surgery specialties include: ENT, Gastroenterology, General Surgery, Gynecological care, Optometry, Orthopedics, Plastic & Reconstruction Surgery, Podiatry, and Urology care. KDOH Surgery has four operating suites, three endoscopy suites, and one cystoscopy suite. We also have 23 rooms in surgery pre-op and recovery. KDOH surgery specializes in caring for patients whose procedure allows them to return home the same day most of the time. We can also provide total patient care in our 10 bed inpatient area for those patients who need to be monitored before they can return home.
Kingsbrook Lifecare Center offers nursing opportunities in short-term rehabilitation, cardiac care, and long-term care. Kingsbrook provides high-level services to patients who do not meet criteria for inpatient acute care services and the rehab program is tailored to provide continuing care as our patients transition from the hospital, to Kingsbrook, then back home. Kingsbrook also offers a beautiful home that can bring comfort and security to those needing long-term care.
Team Member Spotlight
"Being able to work alongside such incredible team members makes working for King's Daughters so refreshing! I am grateful to always know if one of patients or I need anything at all, that one of my coworkers are willing to jump in and help. That’s why I enjoy working here. I really love the amount of teamwork that we have."
Jen Bullion, RN
Team Member Spotlight
"I love being a nurse in the ER at King's Daughters because I get to work with the best team and make a difference. We get to help patients in their most vulnerable and unexpected moments."
Hannah Napier, RN, BSN
Team Member Spotlight
"I became a nurse to help give back to my community. My goal is to treat my patients like they are my own family and to be a shoulder to lean on, cry on, and just be there during some of the most trying times in their life. I’m blessed to call the Oncology team and King’s Daughters home."
Morgan Harris, LPN
Team Member Spotlight
"Working on the Behavioral Medicine Unit at King's Daughters gives me the opportunity to work with individuals in the community that are often overlooked and misunderstood. Patients that are admitted to our unit are sometimes at the lowest point in their lives. Giving them the tools necessary to begin to build a solid foundation and realize their self-worth and value is why I love what I do!"
Rachel Morris, RN, BSN
