Sharon Lea Kurtz, PhD, MPH, RN
Outside of the comfort zone is where the magic happens! –Trista Perot
If it is important to you, you will find a way. If not, you’ll find an excuse. –Ryan Blair, 22 Wallpapers
Do or do not. There is no try. –Master Yoda
Background:
There has always been two opposing forces at work in Dr. Kurtz’s life: science and creative arts. Science won out the first part of her life but following graduation, she began a project with three of her colleagues, the writing of their life journeys to their PhDs and the difficulties overcome.
Dr. Sharon Kurtz began her career as a registered nurse and eventually worked for The Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas caring for post cardiovascular surgery patients, including thoracic abdominal aortic aneurysm repairs and heart and lung transplant patients. During an eighteen-month stent to Midland, Texas, she accepted a job as an infection preventionist and discovered her passion. Returning to Dallas, she became Manager of Infection Control at Methodist Charlton Methodist Hospital in Dallas, Texas for seven years. From there she was recruited into the corporate world by Covidien, LLC. as an Infection Control Specialist. There, she coordinated with the infection control preventionists in hospitals to determine urinary tract and surgical site infection rates before and after the initiation of the Dover Silver Catheter and the antimicrobial dressings produced by Covidien. Five years later, she returned to the hospital environment when she became Director of Infection Control at Arlington Medical Center in Arlington, Texas.
Needing more time to concentrate on doctoral studies, Dr. Kurtz left Arlington Medical Center and began her dissertation shell. Following graduation, she began a project with three of her colleagues, the writing of their life journeys to their PhDs and the difficulties overcome. Currently pursuing publication of The Fab Four, she is also working on a second book about the year her husband was in Viet Nam.
Education:
- PhD in Public Health with a concentration in epidemiology, Walden University
- MPH, epidemiology, Capella University
- RN, State of Texas
- BSN, Baylor University School of Nursing, Dallas, Texas
- BA, Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, Kansas
Areas of Expertise
- Infection control
- Hand hygiene
Dissertation Information
2017 – Demographic factors associated with consistent hand hygiene adherence among ICU nurses. Read it here.
Professional publications – see full list here
Professional Affiliations:
- Writers League of Texas, Austin, Texas
- Golden Key International Honour Society
- Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc.
Professional Recognition:
- Silver Star from Methodist Charlton Medical Center
- Nominated for Outstanding Student Research Award Program for Summer Award for 2017.
New Endeavors:
- Dr. Kurtz is co-authoring a book, The Fab Four, with three colleagues about life journeys on their way to their PhDs.
- She is working on second book, War Bride, about her husband’s eleven months in Viet Nam during 1971-1972.
- Applied to University of Chicago for their certification program in editing.
- Attending classes at Collins College for memoir writing.
- Continuing her quest to learn French.
View and download Dr. Sharon’s CV here.
