Kathleen Gunter

Assistant Professor

Education

  • PhD, Nursing Science, The University of Alabama & The University of Alabama at Huntsville Joint Program, 2025
  • MSN, Nursing Education, Samford University, 2017
  • BSN, Bachelor Science in Nursing, The University of Alabama, 2010

Biography

Dr. Kathleen Gunter is a Teaching Assistant Professor at The Capstone College of Nursing. She earned her BSN from CCN in 2010, her MSN in Nursing Education from Samford University in 2017, and her PhD in Nursing Science from CCN in 2025.

Dr. Gunter began her nursing career in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit where she developed a clinical passion for critical care. From 2013-2016, she worked part-time as a clinical instructor while maintaining her bedside practice in the ICU. Her MSN in Nursing Education led to a career shift, and she became the Education Coordinator at a local hospital in Birmingham, AL. In 2018, she transitioned to her faculty role at The Capstone College of Nursing.

Dr. Gunter’s research focuses primarily on mental health within women’s health. She has studied the mental health of women following miscarriage, as well as during pregnancies following fetal loss. She is passionate about supporting women’s mental health during vulnerable times of pregnancy loss.

In addition to her academic and research roles, Dr. Gunter serves as the Secretary of the Epsilon Omega Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau and is an active member of the Southern Nursing Research Society and The National Society of Leadership and Success. She also serves on the board of a local nonprofit that supports women in sports.

Honors and Awards

  • Capstone College of Nursing Most Outstanding Graduate Student, 2025
  • Sigma Theta Tau Epsilon Omega Chapter, 2025
  • Capstone College of Nursing Innovation Award, 2024
  • Digital Innovators Program, Graduate Nursing Student Academy, 2024

Areas of Interest

  • Mental Health
  • Women’s Health

Scholarly Highlights

  • Gunter, K. (2024). Managing motherhood after miscarriage. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing, 53(4).
  • Gunter, K. (2024, September). Navigating Pregnancy After Miscarriage. Pulling Curls Podcast, Pregnancy and Parenting Untangled.
  • Gunter, K., McConathy, K., & Johnson, P. (2022). Hope on the horizon for healthcare professionals’ mental health. Nursing Forum.