Christy Savell, PhD, RN, AGPCNP-BC, FNP-BC, CNE
Dr. Christy Savell has been a registered nurse for the past 35+ years. She has worked in several clinical areas, including medical-surgical nursing, home health, cardiac critical care, and cardiovascular recovery. She served as charge nurse in the cardiac critical care unit for several years. She began her teaching career 22+ years ago with the LPN program at Meridian Community College and has since taught in associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and PhD programs throughout Mississippi. She has taught online and in person.
Dr. Savell has been involved in research related to nursing education, breast cancer, and job satisfaction of nurses and nursing faculty. She presented at the K.I.N.G. International Conference in 2017 about her dissertation research on Group Empowerment Capacity and Capability in Associate Degree Schools of Nursing in the United States. She also presented updates on breast cancer and asthma at MNA and MANP conferences. She also assisted with research related to metabolic syndrome risk in teens in the Deep South and co-authored an article on this research. She presented on breast cancer at community events throughout East Central MS and was interviewed about her own experience with breast cancer during a recent radio segment about breast cancer.
Dr. Savell found her love for teaching while working in the cardiac critical care unit. She worked with and mentored nursing students and new hires as they came into her unit. She said one of her favorite things about teaching was seeing the “lightbulb” come on in their eyes when they finally understood a difficult concept. She says she loves seeing her former students in the community or hospital setting and getting updates on their lives and careers. Many students over the years have contacted her through social media, in person, or email to thank her for helping them achieve their dreams of becoming nurses.
Dr. Savell’s philosophy for teaching is to find out where students are in their learning process and help them develop their strengths to become great nurses. She believes it is important to use multiple learning modalities to help each student reach their potential and truly uses student evaluations to improve how material is presented. She says she always tells students to take care of their patients as if it was their loved one, they were caring for and to treat everybody with kindness and respect, regardless of their personal attributes.
Rule to live by: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Matthew 7:12).
Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Leadership
The University of Southern Mississippi
Master of Science in Adult Health Nursing
The University of Southern Mississippi
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
The University of Southern Mississippi
Associate of Arts
Meridian Community College
Post-Master’s Certificate
Family Nurse Practitioner
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Post-Master’s Certificate
Adult Geriatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
University of Mississippi Medical Center