Keary Dryden
My interest in nursing as a career began in high school when I volunteered as a candy striper, assisting children with cerebral palsy. My high school guidance counselor encouraged me to pursue nursing school, which led me to Vanderbilt University where I received my B.S.N. My favorite nursing instructor worked in Neurology/Neurosurgery and I became fascinated in that area. My first job out of school was on the Neuro unit.
Since that time, my career path has taken me many places -- teaching in a diploma nursing program, pursuing an M.S.N. at the University of Alabama-Birmingham and working in staff development and as a clinical specialist in Neurology/Neurosurgery. The love for teaching and working with students has been constant. I began teaching part-time at Belmont in 1993. I am now a full-time clinical instructor working with new nursing students. It is a great blessing, pleasure and challenge to guide students through their first clinical experience.
Outside of work, I love spending time with my family (my oldest son currently attends Belmont!), reading, gardening, and cooking. Our family has also been involved in working with Sudanese refugees.
