Special to Iredell Free News
Iredell Health System announced Tuesday that Kristel Hurst (MSN, RN, CCRN) has been hired as the new director of Iredell Memorial Hospital’s 5 North Nursing Unit.
Hurst has 25 years of nursing experience, working in both bedside and leadership roles. She has held positions as a critical care bedside nurse, assistant nurse manager, nurse manager, and director of nursing for the Progressive Care Unit, In-patient Dialysis, and Telemetry.
Even as a child, Hurst has always wanted to help and care for others. Helping care for her grandfather as a teenager helped solidify her desire to work in healthcare.
In her new role, Hurst will oversee the 5 North Unit, encouraging and mentoring staff so that patients receive the best possible care.
“My responsibilities in this role are to mentor staff and help them along the way in their nursing journey. But above all else, my role is to give our patients the experience they deserve and need when they are in need of medical attention. My goal is to lead others, help them grow, and share my knowledge and experience with my new team members at Iredell,” she said.
Hurst received her associate’s degree in nursing from Surry Community College and earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Winston-Salem State University. She later earned her Master
of Science in Nursing from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She has plans to go back to school to get her doctorate.
Hurst is a member of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses and the American Nurses Association. She is a certified critical care nurse and has taught advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) for 14 years.
In her free time, Hurst enjoys spending time with her husband and being outside – especially in the fall when the leaves are changing. She also likes to go on walks and complete projects around the house.
About Iredell Health System
Iredell Health System includes Iredell Memorial Hospital; Iredell Mooresville; two urgent care centers; Iredell Home Health; Iredell Wound Care & Hyperbaric Center; Community and Corporate Wellness; Occupational Medicine; the Iredell Physician Network and more. Iredell Memorial Hospital is the largest and only nonprofit hospital in Iredell County. The comprehensive healthcare facility has 247 beds; more than 1,800 employees; and has 260 physicians representing various specialties. Centers of excellence include Women’s and Children’s; Cardiovascular; Cancer; Surgical Services and Wellness & Prevention. The Health System’s second campus, Iredell Mooresville, is home to the area’s only 24-hour urgent care facility, as well as an ambulatory surgery center, imaging center, rehabilitation services, and physician practices. The mission of Iredell Health System is to inspire wellbeing. For a comprehensive list of services and programs, visit www.iredellhealth.org.