Welcome to Nursing at MedStar Southern Maryland. Located just outside the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area in Prince George’s County, MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center is a 182-bed, full-service community hospital in Clinton, Maryland. We proudly serve our neighbors from the Capital Beltway to the Southern Maryland peninsula.
Our hospital offers comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services in medicine, surgery, obstetrics, behavioral health, and oncology. Our newly renovated Emergency Department is among the busiest in the region, caring for more than 48,000 patients annually.
Here, nursing is not just a job — it’s a career built on voice, growth, innovation, and excellence.
What Our People Say
Our Team
Executive and Sr. Leadership
-
Karen Wyche Latham, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, CENP, FAONL, Vice President, Nursing & Chief Nursing Officer
Dr. Karen Wyche Latham leads nursing practice and strategy at MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center, championing excellence in patient care, professional development, and nursing innovation.
She joined MedStar Southern Maryland from MedStar Washington Hospital Center, where she served as Senior Nursing Director for Resource Management, overseeing nursing operations, staffing strategy, and system-wide float pools. In 2015, she played a key role in designing MedStar’s Biocontainment Unit in response to global Ebola preparedness efforts.
Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Dr. Latham began her MedStar career as a medical-surgical nurse in 1995. Her leadership experience spans perioperative services, nursing supervision, and capacity management. She was recognized with the AONE Nurse Manager Fellowship and the MedStar Washington Board Leader of the Quarter Award.
Dr. Latham holds a BSN from the University of Toledo, an MSN from George Mason University, and a DNP from George Washington University. She is an active member of the American Organization of Nurse Executives and Sigma Theta Tau International.
-
Lisa T. Hawksworth, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, Senior Director, Nursing Excellence & Resource Management
Dr. Lisa Hawksworth leads Nursing Excellence and Resource Management at MedStar Southern Maryland, driving clinical quality, operational effectiveness, and professional practice advancement.
She joined MedStar Southern Maryland in December 2022, bringing more than three decades of progressive nursing leadership experience. Dr. Hawksworth began her career in medical-surgical nursing before completing a Surgical Critical Care Fellowship at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, where she advanced to Clinical Manager and Nursing Director roles over 15 years. She later served as Administrative Director of Critical Care Services and Corporate Director of Cardiovascular Services at Mary Washington Healthcare, and most recently as Senior Director of Nursing Operations at Inova Alexandria Hospital.
A second-degree nurse, Dr. Hawksworth holds a BA in Biology-Psychology from Wells College, a BSN from The Catholic University of America, an MSN in Nursing Administration, and a PhD in Nursing from George Mason University. She is ANCC board-certified as a Nurse Executive, Advanced, and actively serves in national and regional nursing leadership organizations, including Sigma Theta Tau International.
-
Carla Johnson, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, CCRN-K, CNL, Senior Director, Nursing Operations
Dr. Carla Johnson serves as Senior Director of Nursing Operations at MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center, bringing more than 30 years of clinical and progressive nursing leadership experience across critical care and medical-surgical settings.
Her career spans major academic medical centers, Level I trauma centers, and Magnet®-designated institutions, where she has led interprofessional teams to improve patient outcomes, safety, and satisfaction. A Just Culture–certified leader, Dr. Johnson fosters learning environments that promote accountability, transparency, and high reliability in patient care. She is recognized as a transformational leader committed to advancing nursing excellence.
Dr. Johnson earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice in Executive Leadership from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. She is a passionate advocate for the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) role and was instrumental in establishing the Houston/Galveston Chapter of the Clinical Nurse Leader Association.
Nursing Leadership Team
EM-CQSL, BA, BSN, RN
MS, BSN, RN, NEA-BC
MBA, MSN, RN
MSN, RNC, NE-BC
DNP, APRN-CNS, AGCNS-BC, GERO-BC, FCNS
MSN, RN, CNML, PCCN
RN, PMH
BSN, RN, CCRN
MS, RN, PMP, CSSBB, NI-BC
DNP, RN, CENP, NPD-BC, CMSRN, CSM
DNP, CENP, CNE, CEN
MSN, RN
RN, BSN, MHA
MSN, RN, TCRN, CBRN
MS, BSN, RN, CMSRN
Awards and Designations
Pathway to Excellence Designation
MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center was awarded the Pathway to Excellence® designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), an enterprise of the American Nurses Association. It is the first national nursing designation for the hospital and makes MedStar Southern Maryland the only hospital in the Southern Maryland peninsula to be Pathway designated. Additionally, MedStar Southern Maryland is the only hospital in Prince George’s County to receive this designation.
The Pathway designation is a global credential that highlights MedStar Southern Maryland’s commitment to creating a healthy work environment where nurses feel empowered and valued. Pathway nurses are engaged, resulting in higher job satisfaction, improved safety for both patients and associates, and better patient outcomes. The four-year designation also reflects the organization’s commitment to excellent patient care.
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Accreditation
MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center’s Nurse Residency Program was awarded accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), a nationally recognized symbol of excellence in nursing education. This distinction affirms the hospital’s commitment to high standards in clinical training, professional development, and support for new nurses as they transition into practice.
The accreditation reflects the strength of the program in four key areas: program delivery, institutional support, curriculum, and outcomes assessment. It underscores the hospital’s investment in nursing excellence and its mission to deliver high-quality, patient-centered care to the community.
Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders (NICHE) Designation
NICHE imparts principles and tools to stimulate changes in clinical practice to achieve patient-centered care and helps nursing teams effectively meet the needs of older adult patients. MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center is a NICHE hospital with Exemplar level status. This is the highest level an organization can hold.
Nursing Collaborative Governance Structure
Our patient, families and nursing personnel are at the center of our practice.
We can care for them with assistance from our support services, community, and our interdisciplinary team.
We use exemplary professional practice, transformational leadership, structural empowerment, and new knowledge, innovations, and improvements as the structure to our practice.
Our guiding lights are quality and safety, professional governance, SPIRIT values, Evidence Based Practice, and our mission, vision and values.
Nursing Professional Governance Infographic and Icon Key
Nursing Collaborative Governance Communication Structure
Nursing Education and Career Development
Grow Your Career at MSMHC
At MedStar Southern Maryland, your professional growth is our priority. Our dedicated orientation and professional development team delivers hands-on training, personalized mentorship, and continuous learning opportunities to help you thrive from day one.
New nurses transition confidently into practice through structured orientation, one-on-one preceptor support, and real-world clinical experience that blends knowledge, skill-building, and bedside care.
Opportunities to Advance
- Financial and educational support for professional certifications
- Nurse Externship and Graduate Nurse Programs
- Vizient Nurse Residency Program
- Professional Nursing Ladder and career advancement pathways
- Access to Lippincott, UpToDate, OVID, and MedStar learning platforms
- Tuition assistance through Bright Horizons
- Preceptor and charge nurse development workshops
Nursing Careers
Build your career. Find your purpose. Make an impact.
At MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center, nursing is more than a profession — it’s a career path filled with opportunity, growth, and meaning. Whether you’re a new graduate, an experienced clinician, or an emerging leader, you’ll find a supportive environment where your voice is valued, your skills are strengthened, and your contributions make a difference every day.
Why Choose MSMHC Nursing?
We invest in our nurses — professionally, personally, and financially.
- Competitive salaries with evening, night, and weekend differentials
- Charge Nurse, preceptor, and call back incentives in certain specialty areas
- Five-step Professional Nursing Ladder for career advancement
- Flexible scheduling that supports work-life balance
- Tuition reimbursement and hospital-sponsored continuing education
- Dedicated breastfeeding suites for nursing parents
What Sets Us Apart?
- A Voice That Matters
Shared governance and our Pathway to Excellence® culture ensure nurses shape practice and influence care. - Career Growth Without Limits
From nurse residency to specialty certification and leadership development, we support your journey at every stage. - Innovation in Action
Our Center of Nursing Excellence and Nursing Informatics teams empower nurses to lead evidence-based improvements. - A Supportive Community
Work in a collaborative environment where mentorship and teamwork thrive. - Recognition That Inspires
National awards and designations reflect a culture that celebrates nursing excellence. - Balance That Works
Wellness resources, flexible scheduling, and family-friendly benefits help you thrive at work and at home.