After a varied series of jobs mainly involving hairnets and plastic nametags, John realized his true calling and graduated with a BSN from Brigham Young University in 1993. He worked as a Float Pool RN at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center specializing in critical care areas. John enjoyed the application of physiology and the mental demands of critical care but wanted a career that would allow him more autonomy as well as develop his understanding of physiology.
John was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Air Force Nurse Corps in 1994 and worked in the Coronary Care Unit at Wilford Hall Medical Center, San Antonio, TX. He was active in teaching critical care courses as well as leading the rapid response code team. He then attended the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, MD graduating with a MSN-Nurse Anesthesia in 1999.
After 2 years as a Staff Nurse Anesthetist at Andrews AFB, MD outside of Washington, DC, he and a team of USAF medical providers opened the Center for Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills (C-STARS) based in the University of Maryland/ RA Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, MD. He served as the Director of Anesthesia Services for 3 years. The purpose of C-STARS was to hone the trauma management skills of a mixed group of US Air Force medical providers in a 30 day practicum prior to deployment in Iraq or Afghanistan.
John left the Air Force in 2004 and joined Cedar Anesthesia Group in Cedar City. Cedar Anesthesia Group (CAG) is composed of 6 CRNA’s and one Anesthesiologist in an independent model. CAG provides surgical and obstetrical anesthesia services at Valley View Medical Center as well as 3 ASC’s. He is active in local and state nursing issues and completed a term as a member of the Utah Board of Nursing in 2013.
John has worked in and taught Critical Care Nursing as well as Trauma Anesthesia, and has held appointments as Adjunct, Clinical and Visiting Faculty for multiple Universities. He currently is a Guest Lecturer at the BSN program at Southern Utah University.
John is married to Alisha Hatch Killpack and is the proud father of 4 children and 4 step-children who he freely admits are much brighter than he as well as much better looking.