Kirsten M. Hermstad, RN, MNA, CRNA

Patient Safety Consultant

A Major in the United States Army Reserve, prior active duty and part-time civilian has taken her passion for patient safety to the far corners of the globe through her nursing and anesthesia background. Kirsten was recognized by the International Federation of Nurse Anesthetists (IFNA) as the first CRNA from a developed country to do collaborative research with her colleagues from a developing country. She was an invited guest speaker to present their research findings from Belize at the 2006 IFNA World Congress in Lausanne, Switzerland, at the 2003 American Association of Nurse Anesthetists Annual Conference. Kirsten has also lived and worked internationally in Bangladesh and South Korea. Her time in the United States has been split between military and civilian roles ranging from solo practice in free standing clinics, serving as the quality improvement coordinator in community hospitals and as adjutant anesthesia faculty in military and civilian medical centers. Kirsten received her BSN from Pacific Lutheran University and graduated from the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine for her Masters of Nurse Anesthesia. Kirsten’s hobbies include kayaking and traveling- she is currently pursuing traveling the seven wonders of the world.