Board of Directors Spotlight: Kristi Campoe
Welcome to the Board of Directors Spotlight Series. Meet Kristi Campoe, Ph.D., RN, CMSRN, CPHQ, sMBA. Campoe is U.S. director of clinical and client services for Israel-based TillaCare, Ltd. She has 30 years of experience as a medical-surgical nurse and has held numerous volunteer positions for the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN). Get to know Kristi here.
What is the value of volunteer leadership?
The value of volunteer leadership in medical-surgical nursing begins with profound dedication to enhancing patient care and professional nursing practice as well as a commitment to growth and advocacy.
What’s on your mind this month?
This month, I've been particularly focused on three big topics that can empower medical-surgical nurses:
- the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion integrated into every aspect of our life, work, and communities;
- the vital nature of safe, appropriate staffing combined with healthy work environments for all medical-surgical units; and
- the cumulative value of all nursing's contributions to healthy communities where each of us live and serve.
How did you get started with AMSN?
I discovered AMSN well into my career. Around 2009, I was working my hospital job and teaching undergraduate nursing. I was looking for others with a background like mine — years at the bedside and passion to improve safety and patient outcomes. I joined, and I immediately knew I had made the right choice. I felt at home because the nurses I met were dedicated to medical-surgical nursing and promoted excellence in patient care, and the resources were tailored to my needs as a medical-surgical nurse.
What was your journey to the AMSN Board of Directors, and why did you decide to join the board?
My journey to the AMSN Board of Directors began long before I applied for an open director position. Over the years, I actively engaged with AMSN, volunteering in various committees and projects. Before considering a position on the board, I had dedicated years to my time at AMSN and learned about AMSN in many roles. Here are some highlights:
- I have been an at-large member since 2009. In 2015, I was founding chapter vice president and later served as president for AMSN Florida Gulf Coast #223. This is a unique challenge!
- In 2015, I applied for a volunteer position on the AMSN Research Committee. Soon after, I became a peer reviewer for the MEDSURG Nursing journal, and in 2019, I was appointed to the editorial board. Serving in these roles provided invaluable insights into the medical-surgical research pipeline, and I honed my skills as a reviewer and as researcher. I also honed my skills as a speaker, as I was able to host two podcast episodes!
- I have enjoyed attending and presenting my research at multiple conventions. The best aspect of the convention is the opportunity to network with medical-surgical nurses and leadership!
- Applying for a Board of Directors position felt like a natural progression of my commitment to advancing medical-surgical nursing as a specialty and ensuring that our voice is heard at every level.
What are your goals as a member of the AMSN Board of Directors?
As a member of the AMSN Board of Directors, my primary goal is to champion the needs and aspirations of medical-surgical nurses globally. I am dedicated to fostering a culture of innovation and creativity, collaboration, and excellence within our specialty. Through our strategic plan, advocacy efforts, and professional development opportunities, I want to empower medical-surgical nurses to thrive in their practice and make a meaningful impact on patient outcomes.
What are you most excited about at AMSN and in the field of medical-surgical nursing?
There is so much to be excited about! In the specialty of medical-surgical nursing, I am most excited about the dynamic and evolving landscape research and opportunities with technology to advance practice and outcomes. As the U.S. healthcare system continues to undergo transformational changes, medical-surgical nurses can define our own role/scope and shape the future of our profession through policy, advocacy, and professional development.
At AMSN, our strategic planning will prepare us in the years to come to grow as a professional association, serve all members at each stage of their career, from student to retiree, and improve medical-surgical nursing practice for our respective patient populations.
At AMSN, I am thrilled to be part of an organization that is at the forefront of excellence in medical-surgical nursing practice. Together, we are driving positive change and advancing the science of patient care.
What is one contribution you’ve made to medical-surgical nursing, big or small, that you are most proud of?
As a medical-surgical nurse and as an academic faculty, I have witnessed many instances of nurses being distracted and interrupted during medication administration. As a patient safety consultant, I had been on the receiving end of navigating the root cause analysis (RCA) and corrective and preventive action (CAPA).
We have all experienced distraction and interruption during our work. However, distractions and interruptions during medication administration are particularly dangerous; during PCA programming, they are highly lethal. So, the contribution I am particularly proud of is dissertation research focused on medical-surgical nurses, entitled “Impact of Frequent Interruption on Nurses’ Patient-Controlled Analgesia Programming Performance.” This research has informed safety-focused, systemwide policies/procedures and contributed to medical device design including user interface.
What is something you’d like members to know about you that they might not already know?
I have (so far) had a non-traditional nursing career. With 30 years at the bedside plus many unique roles from staffing/recruitment to pharma/biologics and medical devices, I believe the unique path creates rewarding challenges and opportunities!
Beyond my professional endeavors, I am deeply passionate about fostering a culture of authenticity and balance in life and work. As an advocate for work-life balance and self-care, I believe that prioritizing our own health and happiness is essential to delivering high-quality care to our patients in the workplace. I am committed to supporting nurses in finding joy and fulfillment both in their careers and in their lives outside of work. In my spare time, you can often find me out on my kayak or bike, practicing yoga, indulging in a book, or enjoying a good meal with my family.