96 | www. Char l es tonPhys i c i ans . com | www.Hea l thL i nksChar l es ton . com T H E P U L S E O N CHARLESTON NURSES JONAH BURRELL, BSN, RN Jonah Burrell’s journey to his current role as a psychiatric-mental health registered nurse II and a member of the Shared Governance Council of the Medical University of South Carolina began in the early 1980s. He was 2 years old. “For Christmas that year, Santa brought me a Fisher Price doctor’s kit,” Burrell said. “That doctor’s kit became like a security blanket to me. Where I went, it went. I especially loved taking it to visit my grandparents.” Burrell never outgrew his love for medicine, “but sometimes life doesn’t always go exactly as planned,” he said. His path to graduating summa cum laude with a BSN from the MUSC College of Nursing was far from linear. Along the way, Burrell earned a bachelor’s in journalism and mass communications from the University of South Carolina and worked as senior director/account management for Vevo, a global digital music video platform. He also embraced his identity as a gay man, discovered his passion for advocating for the LGBTQ+ community, joined the board of directors for Upstate Pride SC and, most recently, the Alliance for Full Acceptance. Each day, Burrell finds inspiration from his colleagues and his family: “I am inspired by my team of nurses and therapeutic assistants at the Institute of Psychiatry on 3-North, who provide compassionate care to our patients every day and every night. I am inspired by our nurse manager, who supports us and lifts us up during the good times and the not so good times. I am most inspired by my family, who have been by my side during my life’s journey. Without them – all of them – I would not be where I am today.” “Stay focused, follow your passion, be kind and do good things,” Burrell says to other nurses who seek advice about thriving in the health care field. As a newlywed, he would also recommend finding time for family and friends. “I love finding the special moments to make memories together with my husband, Ray,” Burrell said. “With our two dogs (Barnaby and Larry), a macaw (George), and a cat (Cat), spending quality time at the house is never a boring experience.” Burrell may have discovered his love for health care when he was 2 years old, but now he is adamant about what he is going to do with his education and professional experience. He is going “to serve and provide, both competently and compassionately, the care that our community needs and deserves.” KRISTEN M. POSTON, DNP, APRN, NP-C Dr. Kristen Poston’s favorite memory as a professor and mentor for future nurses was when her daughter was born two months early last year and had to be hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit for a month. The nurses she taught took care of her daughter. “It was a full circle moment, seeing the amazing impact our graduates have on patients and their families,” Dr. Poston said. “The competence and compassion that our graduates demonstrated during that time to my family and other families alike further solidified my commitment to developing stellar practice-ready nurses. I already knew they were doing incredible things, but to experience it firsthand was remarkable.” Dr. Poston is an assistant professor in the College of Nursing Accelerated BSN program. She received her bachelor of science in exercise science from the University of South Carolina and her bachelor of science in nursing, her master of science in nursing and her doctor of nursing practice from the Medical University of South Carolina. She is a first-generation health care provider in her family and was drawn to her profession through her father’s dedication to military service across the world. “My dad and grandfather both served long careers in the Air Force, so, from a very young age, I knew that service to others in some capacity was what I wanted to do,” Dr. Poston said. “Nursing, and the multitude of opportunities for lifelong service and advocacy that it provides, was a natural fit.” Dr. Poston spent her time as a registered nurse working in neurology and neurosurgery. Her doctoral work focused on reduction of re-admissions in ischemic stroke patients. She is an AANP certified family nurse practitioner, has extensive experience in urgent care and is passionate about antibiotic stewardship and equitable access to care. Dr. Poston joined MUSC as an adjunct faculty member in 2014 and transitioned to a full-time faculty role in 2017. “I am passionate about developing high-quality nurses that are ready for certification and practice, primarily via focusing on guiding certification preparation and through the use of focused simulation experiences,” Dr. Poston said. “I also work with a mobile health unit as an FNP, reaching our underserved and rural communities in South Carolina. Both of these things, educating new nurses and serving our communities in need, are incredibly rewarding.” When Dr. Poston is not working, she savors family time with her husband and her two children. She also loves to golf. For future nurses and nurse educators, Dr. Poston offers this advice: “Get comfortable being uncomfortable. Nursing is dynamic and challenging. Meet those challenges with excitement and confidence; celebrate when they go well and reflect and grow when they don’t.” HealthLinks CHARLESTON has partnered with the MUSC College of Nursing to highlight some of the Lowcountry's top nurses. Expand your career! nursing.musc.edu
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