Healthcare Speakers

Terry M. Foster was originally a 1977 LPN graduate of Booth Memorial Hospital School of Practical Nursing in Covington, Kentucky. After working for 4 years as an LPN in both the ED & ICU, he received his RN diploma from The Christ Hospital School of Nursing, Cincinnati, and in 1997 received his Master’s Degree in Critical-Care and Trauma Nursing from the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing and Health. During his career, he has held positions of volunteer, ward clerk, staff nurse, charge nurse, critical-care instructor, clinical director and night supervisor, at both the Mercy Hospitals of Cincinnati, Ohio, and at St. Elizabeth Medical Center in northern Kentucky. His primary areas of nursing experience have always been in the Emergency Department and Critical-Care Units where he has national certifications in four areas: critical-care nursing, emergency nursing, pediatric emergency nursing, and trauma nursing.

Terry has authored more than 40 professional publications in various textbooks, nursing, and healthcare journals. He has lectured on a wide variety of clinical topics at nursing seminars and conferences throughout the USA, having given a total of over 5000 formal presentations, covering all 50 states by the time he turned 50 years old. Nationally he is a well-known and sought-after speaker on nursing humor, as well as clinical topics on critical-care and emergency nursing, always representing St. Elizabeth, and nurses, in a positive light. As a professional humorist, Terry has also performed at the Las Vegas Caesar’s Palace, Atlantic City’s Trump Tower, and at local comedy venues in the greater Cincinnati area.

An active community volunteer, he regularly volunteers for Covington’s Parish Soup Kitchen, Holy Cross Catholic Church, the Cincinnati Arts Association, “Chicks & Chucks” Breast Cancer Support group, and oversees the operation of the Peggy Foster Memorial Fund. He is also a member of the executive committee of the St. Elizabeth Foundation and volunteers on multiple charitable boards and especially for fundraiser events. He has previously served for many years on the alumni board of The Christ Hospital School of Nursing, and currently serves on the boards of Rosedale Green and the Northern Kentucky Health Department. Terry has been the recipient of the Judith Kelleher award, which is the highest award, given by the national Emergency Nurses Association and he was inducted as a Fellow into the Academy of Emergency Nursing, an internationally appointed group of accomplished emergency nursing leaders from around the world. In 2018, Terry was elected to a three-year term on the national Emergency Nurses Association Board of Directors. In 2020, he was elected Secretary/Treasurer of the ENA.

Over the past ten years, Terry has been featured in ten episodes of The Learning Channels (TLC) national TV program “Untold Stories of the ER.” He is the first RN to ever be featured on this physician only based television show.

Since 1998, Terry has been the Critical-Care Clinical Nurse Specialist in the six Emergency Departments at St. Elizabeth Healthcare system (a Magnet designated hospital) based in Edgewood, Kentucky. In June, 2017, Terry was promoted to the dual role of Ambassador for the St. Elizabeth Foundation along with his position as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in the Emergency Departments. He has been employed in this six-hospital system since 1975.