Kathleen Oare Lindell, PhD, RN, ATSF, FAAN
Associate Professor | Mary Swain Endowed Chair in Palliative Care Health
Interim Department Chair
College of Nursing
Medical University of South Carolina
99 Jonathan Lucas St., MSC 160
Charleston, SC 29425-1600
Associate Editor
Heart & Lung: The Journal of Acute and Critical Care
1. Three statements about you – two true, one false.
I used to twirl fire batons in high school.
I met my husband in the Emergency Department – city medic / ER nurse…. Just like the show E.R.
I love to camp.
2. Give us your ‘elevator pitch’ biography.
I’ve been a nurse for 47 years (started when I was 10 😊) – actually graduated at 19 from St Francis Professional School of Nursing and worked in the MICU and that’s where I gained my appreciation for patients for respiratory illness. Since that time, I’ve completed my BSN, MSN, and PhD in Nursing from the University of Pittsburgh (#HailtoPitt), and worked as a staff nurse, nurse manager, educator, and nurse scientist. I’ve traversed Pennsylvania from the University of Pittsburgh to the University of Pennsylvania and back to PITT, and five years ago, moved to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC to be the Mary Swain Endowed Chair in Palliative Care Health.
3. What would you tell yourself as an Early Career Professional?
“Show up!” – When you want to learn more about something, get involved, or someone invites you to participate on a committee, say yes and show up. Don’t be afraid of what you don’t know. By showing up, you increase your knowledge, make new relationships, and can participate in important activities. I view that as critical in my ATS experience. At one of my first Nursing Assembly meetings, I was invited to be on the Long Range Planning committee and met ATS members from other assemblies at the planning meeting. This led to participating in many other assembly and committee activities over time, and the rest is history.
And! It’s good to diversify. Make friends outside of your comfort zone as these relationships build over time and can be mutually beneficial. I am so fortunate to have made good friends around the world.
4. If you weren’t in medicine, and were in a different industry altogether, what would you be?
I would be a kindergarten teacher – I love kids.
5. What is your favorite way to spend a day off?
With my family – while we live in different areas, I especially love when we’re all together. And new this year, we are grandparents to a sweet baby girl – so any time that I can spend with her is wonderful!!
6. What areas of medicine are you most excited to see develop?
I love seeing the blending of the interprofessional or interdisciplinary team because each person brings a special gift to contribute to the overall team. When I think back to being a MICU nurse, we worked with interdisciplinary teams, but later, not so with every position I held.
I’m especially excited to see the advancement of palliative care in the pulmonary space. Our patients with serious respiratory illness and their caregivers deserve access to the benefits the specialty palliative care team affords. In addition to more time (a problem fraught within the health system), the specialty palliative care team includes a full team of physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains, child life experts, etc. well versed in symptom management and advanced communication skills to help the patient and their family have their best care experience. This in addition to the care from the patient’s pulmonologist allows holistic care for the patient and their family. As an example, when a patient has a serious respiratory illness and is hospitalized in the ICU, their family has many worries. Our focus is always on the patient, but patient centered care involves providing the family with resources, too. One example is if they have children at home, the social worker and child life expert from the specialty palliative care team are trained on best ways to help these children and reduce their suffering, too. To me, it's a win-win situation for the patient and their family.
7. What is one advancement in your field you’d like to see in your career?
Is this a trick question! I’m good. 😊 I’ve had a very rich career history and been very fortunate to meet many people who I’m happy to call friends.
8. Which statement (in question #1) was false?
3. I love to camp. Absolutely not true. I love nature, but I also like a nice hotel and good food.