Carolyn Chalkley
Carolyn B. Chalkley, MSN, RN, was one of the first four students in the Cardiovascular Clinical Nurse Specialist Master’s program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing.
In the clinician role, Chalkley pioneered the Clinical Specialist role at St. Vincent’s Hospital and Brookwood Medical Center. In the teacher role, she provided many lectures and workshops for professional and civic groups. Chalkley worked with CNSs from other Birmingham hospitals to develop a city-wide critical care course, served as adjunct faculty at the UAB School of Nursing and assisted with the development of the Birmingham-Southern College School of Nursing.
Chalkley served on advisory boards for local schools of nursing, and in a number of administrative positions at Brookwood including Accreditation Coordinator leading the hospital and other local Tenet facilities to successful surveys for multiple accreditation organizations.
In the researcher role, she worked on the initial FDA approval of Thallium-Persantine cardiac scans and served on the Brookwood Institutional Review Board and Nursing Research Committee. Chalkley managed the first NIH grants awarded to a private hospital at Brookwood, and in the consultant role, assisted a number of hospitals as they developed their critical care units. She authored several book chapters and professional articles.
Chalkley held organizational positions including Secretary to the Board of Directors for the Jefferson-Shelby region of the American Heart Association, President of the Greater Birmingham Chapter of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, President of the Birmingham Regional Organization of Nursing Leaders, President of the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing Alumni Association, and several offices in Nu Chapter Sigma Theta Tau.
Service awards were received from the American Heart Association, the Alabama League for Nursing Lamplighter Award, Finalist for Employee of the Year for Brookwood, Brookwood Nurse Leader of the Year, Recognized Leader for the University of Alabama School of Nursing, the Living Legacy award from Samford School of Nursing, and Lifetime Achievement award from the Greater Birmingham Chapter American Association of Critical Care Nursing.
After retirement, Chalkley volunteered at Hope Health Center in Fairfield, Ala. And at Galleria Woods Retirement Community, she is Chair of the Resident Care Committee, and is an Ambassador for new residents.