Dr. Charnelle Lewis (aka Nurse Nelle) is a 28-year-old Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (Nurse Anesthesiologist) from Buffalo, NY. She received her Bachelor’s of Nursing from St. John Fisher College in December of 2013 and worked in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, NY, where she obtained her CCRN and Cardiac Surgery Subspecialty certification (CSC).
Nurse Nelle desired to take her career a step further by entering into the field of anesthesia. She graduated from The University at Buffalo in May of 2019 with her Doctorate in Nursing Practice specializing in Nurse Anesthesia. There, she served as the Vice-President of the Graduate Nurses Organization, was awarded the Outstanding Graduate Student Award by the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society and traveled to Kenya on a medical mission though the organization Kenya Relief to provide anesthesia and volunteer services to the people of Migori, Kenya.
her vision.
“Charnelle saw that there was a lack of student nurse anesthetist voices online. She decided to utilize social media to help and inspire others to pursue CRNA school and share their journeys online.”
Dr. Lewis’ doctorate research centered on her desire and interest in the development of self-efficacy of minority students via Instagram. Her project entitled, “Beyond the Double-Tap: Exploring the Impact of an Educational Instagram Account on Professional Self-Efficacy among Minority Nurse Anesthesia Students,” was awarded second place at the University at Buffalo’s Annual School of Nursing Research Day and Dr. Lewis intends on disseminating her work further.
In addition to being a dedicated student, she worked per diem throughout CRNA school while also providing a source of inspiration and education for prospective students through her Instagram and YouTube accounts. As the demand for CRNA school guidance grew, she began informal mentorships with her followers, conducting mock interviews and reviewing their application materials. Nurse Nelle now provides several services to assist potential candidates in preparation for CRNA school through her consulting business, Nurse Nelle Consulting.
Dr. Lewis currently works in a private practice plastic surgery office as a Nurse Anesthesiologist and hopes to continue to inspire others, share her journey, and provide resources for those interested in the field of anesthesiology.