Kristen Kichefski, MSN, MBA, RN, PMH-BC, NEA-BC is chief nursing officer at Bradley Hospital. In her role, she has responsibility for the nursing and behavioral health specialist care delivery. As a member of the senior leadership team, she also continues quality and clinical improvement work and represents Bradley Hospital in Lifespan-wide initiatives.
Kichefski has dedicated her career to the advancement of high-quality, patient-centric care. Prior to joining Bradley Hospital, she held nursing leadership roles within the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (DMH), most recently as the director of nursing at the DMH Dr. Solomon Carter Fuller Mental Health Center, a 60-bed inpatient psychiatric hospital affiliated with Tufts Medical School. Previously, she was the director of nursing at the DMH Cape Cod and Islands Community Mental Health Center. Kichefski has also held nursing leadership roles at McLean Hospital in Belmont in Massachusetts and Butler Hospital in Rhode Island.
Kichefski is an active member of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA), where she serves as treasurer and board member. She is a member of the American Nurses Association (ANA), and the International Society of Psychiatric Nurses. She served on the APNA and International Society of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses joint task force responsible for the ANA’s third edition of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, published in the summer of 2022.
Kichefski is a registered nurse (RN) with ANCC board certifications in psychiatric mental health nursing and as an nurse executive, advanced. She obtained a bachelor of science in nursing from Rhode Island College, a master of science in nursing from the University of Texas at Tyler, and is pursuing a doctor of nursing practice at UMASS Medical School. She holds a faculty appointment at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Services and has had appointments at Rhode Island College and the University of Rhode Island.