Kimberly Kennel, PhD, RN-BC, CCRN-K, CNE
Assistant Professor
874 Union Ave., Room 306
Memphis, TN, 38163
901.448.9447
kkennel1@uthsc.edu
Dr. Kimberly Kennel is an assistant professor for the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC). Before joining the UTHSC faculty in August 2022, she was an associate professor at Baptist Health Sciences University for 13 years in the role of medical surgical coordinator. She received her diploma of nursing from Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in 1991 and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from Union University in 2003. She completed her Master of Science in Nursing Degree focusing on Nursing Education from Union University in 2009. She completed her PhD in Nursing in 2018 from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Her dissertation was titled “The Effects of Career Commitment, Distress, and Persistence on Academic Success among Undergraduate Baccalaureate Nursing Students.”
Dr. Kennel’s teaching responsibilities at UTHSC include didactic and clinical instruction in the BSN program. Her teaching experience includes undergraduate Adult Health Medical Surgical courses including classroom/clinical/simulation instruction along with Pharmacology. Dr. Kennel’s clinical experience as a bedside nurse includes acute and critical care with the Baptist Memorial Health Care. She was the 2021 Faculty Daisy Award Recipient from Baptist Health Sciences University for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty.
Dr. Kennel maintains certification in medical surgical nursing, and critical care nursing, and is a certified nurse educator. Dr. Kennel’s research interests and publications include student success/persistence and barriers students encounter within a nursing program. She is treasurer of the Tennessee Nurses Association (TNA) District One and president of the Greater Memphis Chapter of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses. She is a member of the American Nurses Association, TNA, American Association of Critical Care Nurses, Sigma Theta Tau International-Beta-Theta at large Chapter, National League of Nursing, Greater Memphis Area Advanced Practice Nurses, and the Mid-South Association for Nursing Professional Development.