Kelsey Tainsh, CSP, will deliver the opening keynote, “I’m Not Limping. That’s Swagger!,” at the 2025 AMSN Convention, which takes place Sept. 11–13 in Austin, Texas. Get to know Kelsey and preview some key takeaways from her keynote here.

Tell us a little about yourself and your area of expertise.

I'm a two-time pediatric brain tumor survivor, a stroke survivor, motivational speaker, and para snowboarder. I have the pleasure of speaking all around the world to everyone from doctors and nurses to associations and corporations. My main area of expertise is gratitude and perspective, and particularly the patient experience.

Why is it important for 2025 AMSN Convention participants to attend your keynote? Without giving too much away, could you provide a few takeaways for attendees?

With what I've been through, again, two brain tumors and a stroke by the time I was 15, and now I'm about to have my fifth knee surgery, I’ve found that nurses are amazing. I have had the pleasure of speaking to some wonderful nurses, and I'm really looking forward to speaking to the medical-surgical nursing community. What nurses do is just amazing, and I don't think they always get the thanks and credit that they deserve.

I hope to be a reminder that with every patient they serve and help, they're making an incredible difference in their lives every day. I believe that life is about two things — being happy and helping others — and nurses do that every day. It's important to realize that life can be difficult sometimes, but when we focus on helping other people and the difference we make, that's what really matters, and I think that's why we're all here.

What about your keynote has you most excited?

I love my job as a speaker, but I especially love speaking to nurses. I wouldn't be anywhere without the nurses I had. When my brain tumor came back at 15, and I went to have surgery, I had a stroke and woke up paralyzed. I went from being a world champion wakeboarder to being completely paralyzed on the right side of my body.

When I woke up paralyzed, my nurses did everything for me. They dressed me, bathed me, fed me. And with the surgery, they held my hand as I was being put to sleep and made sure that I was OK. It was like it wasn't even their job; they were happy to do it. So, to have the opportunity to be a reminder to them that they're making an incredible difference and what they do really matters is something I look forward to every time I get to speak to nurses.

What are some guiding principles that have influenced your life and work, and how can medical-surgical nurses apply those to their own careers?

Again, first and foremost, I believe life is about being happy and helping others, and it's important that we remember that, especially in the hardest moments of our lives. I also think gratitude and perspective are really important, and when we're having those hard days, when we're struggling, it's important to remember why we do what we do and that the work we do matters, even when we are having a bad day. Another important concept is adapting and learning to do things differently.

Is there anything else you’d like our readers to know about you?

I left my corporate job to be a full-time professional speaker, and I've never looked back. I get to travel and speak all over the world and work with some amazing people who are making an incredible difference. To have that opportunity has been life changing for me, certainly, and I hope it has been for the people I've spoken to as well. I absolutely love what I do. My job is not a job; it's a passion.

Speaking to nursing organizations has given me the opportunity to give back and say thank you. I think the patient experience and the patient perspective are really important, but it's also important to remember that I wouldn't have those experiences and be able to share that story without these nurses. Frankly, I wouldn't be speaking here today without the nurses I had. Yes, I had great doctors and family and others supporting me, but I wouldn't be anywhere without my nurses.

Visit the AMSN website to register for the 2025 AMSN Convention. Secure the best rates when you register by June 30. Learn more about Kelsey on her website.