Katie
East
September 2025
Katie
East
,
RN
Baptist Memorial Hospital - North Mississippi
Oxford
,
MS
United States
Her work has not only strengthened our workforce but has also elevated the standard of care we provide.
BMH-North Mississippi is excited to recognize Katie East, BSN, for her exceptional contributions as a Nurse Educator. As the educator responsible for collaborating with and coordinating incoming nursing students, nurse externs, and Clinical Nurse Residents, she serves as an ambassador and often acts as the first “face” of our hospital.
Katie has developed strong, effective relationships with nursing faculty across multiple programs (BSN, ADN, and LPN) in our area. They consistently sing her praises, sharing how her friendly support and dedication to detail enable their students to have outstanding learning and clinical experiences here. We frequently hear from extern and intern candidates that they chose to apply to our hospital because they met and spoke with Katie during recruiting events. She has a remarkable ability to articulate the engaged culture and commitment to excellence we have at BMH-North Mississippi, inspiring others to want to be a part of it.
As a result, this past spring we had over 120 applicants for just 30 extern positions. Even more impressively, we have maintained a 98% retention rate for nurse externs who have transitioned to RNs over the past three years. One recent extern shared:
“I knew this externship was going to be something special, but I am beyond blown away by how much I have enjoyed every second. My expectations were exceeded, and I am so thankful. You can see the encouragement within the program, and I feel like I have great support from everyone involved.”
Katie is deeply committed to rounding on externs, interns, and new graduates often, serving as both a safe harbor and an informal mentor. She has a gift for making them feel comfortable enough to be open and transparent, allowing her to best support them in their learning journey.
Katie exemplifies the qualities of an exceptional nurse educator. Her work has not only strengthened our workforce but has also elevated the standard of care we provide. She is a true asset to our hospital and a role model for nurse educators everywhere.
Katie has developed strong, effective relationships with nursing faculty across multiple programs (BSN, ADN, and LPN) in our area. They consistently sing her praises, sharing how her friendly support and dedication to detail enable their students to have outstanding learning and clinical experiences here. We frequently hear from extern and intern candidates that they chose to apply to our hospital because they met and spoke with Katie during recruiting events. She has a remarkable ability to articulate the engaged culture and commitment to excellence we have at BMH-North Mississippi, inspiring others to want to be a part of it.
As a result, this past spring we had over 120 applicants for just 30 extern positions. Even more impressively, we have maintained a 98% retention rate for nurse externs who have transitioned to RNs over the past three years. One recent extern shared:
“I knew this externship was going to be something special, but I am beyond blown away by how much I have enjoyed every second. My expectations were exceeded, and I am so thankful. You can see the encouragement within the program, and I feel like I have great support from everyone involved.”
Katie is deeply committed to rounding on externs, interns, and new graduates often, serving as both a safe harbor and an informal mentor. She has a gift for making them feel comfortable enough to be open and transparent, allowing her to best support them in their learning journey.
Katie exemplifies the qualities of an exceptional nurse educator. Her work has not only strengthened our workforce but has also elevated the standard of care we provide. She is a true asset to our hospital and a role model for nurse educators everywhere.