Kristen Johnston has loved Samford University since she was a student in the '90s. She now has the opportunity to teach the thread of caring that she learned as a student. Being a Moffett nurse involves loving others the way Jesus loves people. Kristen has always loved vulnerable populations that include premature babies, pregnant teens, people experiencing homelessness, and people with dementia. She now has the opportunity to teach students how to love and care for these populations through clinical practice. Jeremiah 29:11 is a verse she often thinks of when talking with patients and students. God has a plan for each life. She finds joy in helping students walk along the journey in which God has called them.  Kristen enjoys leading Bible studies, singing, running, reading, and teaching newly married couples with her husband.  She is married to Latta who works as the ninth-grade assistant principal at Homewood High school. They have 2 children that she adores. 

Degrees and Certifications

• DNP, Troy University
• MSN, family nurse practitioner, Samford University
• BSN, Samford University
• ASN, Samford University
• FNP-BC, American Nurses Credentialing Center
• COI (Certified Online Instructor), LERN
• AE-C, The National board of respiratory care

Expertise

• Asthma
• Developmental pediatrics
• Pediatric cardiology
• Women’s health
• Local missions

Awards and Honors

• Don Craft Award
• Sigma Theta Tau
• Mann Fellow, 2018-19

Involvement

• Alabama League for Nursing, past board member
• Nurse Practitioner Alliance of Alabama
• Sigma Theta Tau
• Alabama Maternal Mortality Review Committee, member
• National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, sexual health SIG member
• Alabama Board of Respiratory Therapy, Board member- governor appointed

Recent Publications

• Buckner, E.B., Thurston, L., Keith, A., Marshall, L., Johnson, K., Worthington, M., Pike, F., Diamond, J., Cameron, A., Jackson, A., Fletcher, A., Polcari, M. & Soong, W.  (2024). Virtual Young Teen Asthma & Wellness Camp: An online, interprofessional curriculum for teens with asthma (curricular resource). Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice. (preprint online) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xjep.2024.100695
• Johnston, K. & Shanahan, T. (2023). Uncontrolled asthma and laryngeal candidiasis in primary care. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 19(9), 1-4. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2023.104755
• Johnston, K. (2023). Human trafficking- Nurse Practitioners look for the signs! Women’s healthcare, 11(5), 27-29. doi:10.51256/WHC102327
• Johnston, K.  & Tinsley, C.(2022). AANP CE 0.8 hours. Sexually Transmitted Infections. Retrieved from https://rise.articulate.com/share/HfONipA_ST8O-CHdDsngHH9TryhkJ1f5
• Johnston, K. & Tinsley, C. (2020, 2021). AANP CE 0.75 hours. Contraception. Retrieved from https://rise.articulate.com/share/esdCsCa6erLmeQsWnGy43hNb2OWznfeA#/
• Johnston, K.  & Tinsley, C.(2020). AANP CE 0.8 hours. Sexually Transmitted Infections. Retrieved from https://samfordce.instructure.com/courses/221
• Bigham, A., Cunningham, J., & Johnston, K. (2017). Respite care for families of children with  disabilities: A university/faith community model. Journal of Christian Nursing, 34(1), 52-58.     doi: 10.1097/CNJ.0000000000000337
• Johnston, K., Cunningham, J., & Buckner, E. (2017). Respite care camps: Helping parents & children with special health care needs. CompassPoint, 27(3), 10-13.
• Johnston, K. (2019). Demonstrating love at crisis pregnancy centers. Journal of Christian  Nursing, 36(2), 74. doi: 10.1097/CNJ.0000000000000586

Recent Presentations

• Johnston, K. (2024). Faith- Based Community Health Clinical Sites: Viewing the Community as a Local Mission Field. Podium presentation for Faith & Learning Conference, Homewood, Alabama May 10, 2024.
• Callighan, H. & Johnston, K. (2024).  Faith- Based Community Health Clinical Sites: Viewing the Community as a Local Mission Field. Podium presentation for Scholars’ Day, Homewood, Alabama March 11, 2024.
• Johnston, K., Kaal, M. & Shanahan, T. (2023). Dietetic intern and nurse practitioner student virtual IPE. Podium presentation for CHS Connections, Homewood, Alabama October 20, 2023.
• Johnston, K. & Chatman, S. (2023). From the classroom to the clinic: An innovation to impacting health equities. Poster presentation to American Psychiatric Nurses Association Annual Conference, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, October 5-6, 2023.
• Buckner, E.B. Johnston, K., Keith, A., & Diamond, J. (2023). Virtual Young Teen Asthma &  Wellness Camp Provided by Multidisciplinary School-Based Teams. Podium presentation to the MEGA conference, Mobile, Alabama. July 2023.  
• Johnston, K. (March 2023) Anatomy classes & Senior presentations. Homewood High School. Sexually Transmitted Infections.
• Johnston, K. (March 2023) Anatomy classes & Senior presentations. Homewood High School. Sexually Transmitted Infections.
• Chatman, S. & Johnston, K. (September 2022). NLN Education Summit. From the Classroom to the Clinic: An Innovation to Impacting Health Inequities (poster presentation).
• Buckner, E.B. Johnston, K., Worthington, M., Pike, F., Keith, A., & Dowling, A. (2022). The Virtual Young Teen Asthma & Wellness Camp Provided by an Interprofessional Asthma Team. Poster presentation to the Association of Asthma Educators Annual Conference, Chattanooga, Tennessee, August 5 -7, 2022.  
• Johnston, K. (June 2022). Samford NPR weekly didactic. Asthma.
• Chatman, S. & Johnston, K. (April 2022). Alabama State Nurses Association FACES virtual conference. From the Classroom to the Clinic: An Innovation to Impacting Health Inequities
• Buckner, E., Johnston, K., Keith, A., Marshall, L. & Worthington, M. (June 2021). Alabama Association of School Nurses. Virtual Young Teen Asthma & Wellness Camp.
• Buckner, E., Johnston, K. & Thurston, L. (March 2021). National Academies of Practice.  Virtual Young Teen Asthma & Wellness Camp.
• Buckner, E.  & Johnston, K.  (March 2021). Sigma Gamma Eta Chapter & Faculty Development Virtual Young Teen Asthma & Wellness Camp.
• Jarnigan, K. & Johnston, K. (August 2021). Tap into Your Podcast Potential. Samford University mini conference.
• Buckner, E., Barnes, A., Cameron, A., Carpenter, L., Diamond, J., Dowling, A., Foster, A., Johnston, K., Keith, A., Marshall, L., Pike, F., Polcari, M., Thurston, L., Soong, W. & Worthington, M. (October 2020). Alabama asthma coalition. Virtual Young Teen Asthma & Wellness Camp. 
• Johnston, K. (2014).  Sigma Theta Tau International Conference: An examination of stress in  parents of children with special health care needs: CampUs
• Johnston, K. (2016).  National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners: An examination of  stress in parents of children with special health care needs:  CampUs
• Bigham, A. & Johnston, K. (2017).  American Academy of Nurse Practitioners: Beyond the punch: Best practices and pearls for biopsy of the pigmented lesion in primary care
• Samford University Interprofessional convocation: Celebration and Appreciation for Dr. Frances Oldham Kelsey (multiple faculty from the College of Health Sciences)
• Cunningham, J., Johnston, K. & Worthington, M. (2019). Samford University Interprofessional  convocation:  Folic Acid, Birth Defects, and Faith
• Cunningham, J. & Johnston, K. (2019). National Academies of Practice: Respite Care: An Interprofessional University/Faith Community Model

Research Areas

• Asthma
• Dementia
• Faith and learning