Kristen Nelson is the chair of the Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Leadership Committee and director of the APPs for Critical Care at MedStar Washington. Kristen received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Delaware, her Master of Science in Nursing with an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner focus from Georgetown University, and her Master in Business Administration from the Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School.
Before joining One Team, Kristen was a nurse in a labor and delivery and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and a nurse practitioner in Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at Inova Alexandria Hospital. Since onboarding in 2003, Kristen has held lead, chief, and director positions in the Department of Critical Care. In her current role as director, she provides operational support and strategic direction for nurse practitioners and physician assistants who practice in Trauma, Neurosurgery, Heart and Vascular Surgery, and General Surgery intensive care units.
In addition to her clinical role in the ICU, Kristen is responsible for optimizing scheduling and staffing plans, implementing quality improvement projects, developing onboarding and education programs, improving documentation and billing, and ensuring the maintenance of regulatory requirements for the critical care APP team.
In 2019, Kristen was named chair of the Advanced Practice Provider Leadership Committee by MedStar Washington president Gregory A. Argyros, MD. As chair, she collaborates with other APP leaders to promote an environment of interdisciplinary collegiality and support between APPs and other healthcare disciplines. Her role also includes active participation on several hospital committees including the Compliance Committee, Clinical Quality Improvement and Safety Council, Credentialling and Peer Review Committee, and the Bylaws Committee. Additionally, Kristen serves as a co-lead for the MRSA Reduction Committee and is a member of the Sepsis, Hand Hygiene, Multidisciplinary Peer Review, VTE Prevention, Wellness Champions, Policy and Procedure Steering, and Critical Care Governance Committees. She has been a community member of the MedStar Washington Board of Directors since 2020.
Kristen is a member of the Society of Critical Care Medicine, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and the American College of Healthcare Executives.