Claire Ketcham, MSN, RN, MEDSURG-BC, is a nursing instructor at Southeast Technical College, where she began teaching in 2026. She brings more than six years of nursing experience across medical-surgical, surgical trauma, endoscopy, ambulatory care, and nursing leadership settings. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of South Dakota in 2020 and her Master of Science in Nursing with an emphasis in Nursing Administration from South Dakota State University in 2026. She is also board certified in medical-surgical nursing.

Claire began her nursing career at Sanford USD Medical Center, where she worked as a surgical trauma nurse and later served as a crisis nurse, gaining experience caring for complex and high-acuity patients. She later transitioned to the ambulatory setting at Allure Health, where she advanced into a nurse manager role and gained experience in team leadership, clinic operations, policy development, and the start-up of an elective infusion center. In 2023, Claire joined Avera McKennan, working in endoscopy and caring for patients throughout the admission, procedural, and recovery phases of gastrointestinal care. She continues to practice as a registered nurse at Avera on a PRN basis, allowing her to remain connected to current bedside nursing practice while teaching future nurses.

As an instructor, Claire enjoys bringing real-world clinical experiences into the classroom and helping students connect nursing concepts to the realities of patient care. She is especially passionate about preparing practical nursing students to become safe, compassionate, confident members of the healthcare team. Outside of nursing and education, Claire enjoys spending time with her husband and family, being involved in the Sioux Falls community, and continuing to grow as a nurse, educator, and leader.