June 22, 2021

Meet Dayna Bronson, MSN, NP-C

Hip & Knee Nurse Practitioner

Dayna treats patients at Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital and specializes in the evaluation and nonoperative treatment of hip and knee disorders. 

Learn more about Dayna in our Q&A below.

Where are you from?

Growing up, I lived all over the Gulf Coast, but I consider my home to be the town of Monroe located in northern Louisiana. It’s a small town, full of rich history including the world’s first Coca-Cola bottling plant by the Biedenharn Candy Company - whose owners were also the founders of Delta Dusters (later to become Delta Airlines).

What made you choose orthopedics as a specialty?

One of the reasons I chose Orthopedics as a specialty is that I take great satisfaction in helping patients regain their mobility...getting back to activities they love and improving the overall quality of their life.

What brought you to Washington University Orthopedics?

I came to Washington University Orthopedics so  I could learn from the best and contribute to the organization’s reputation of excellence. Professionally, I’ve been in Orthopedics over 11 years, with 5 years as a nurse practitioner for the hip and knee (adult reconstructive surgery) service. I’ve worked in many roles here, including inpatient care, first-assisting in the OR, and in the outpatient clinic.

What’s the best advice you ever received?

Some of the best career advice I've received is to never stop growing and learning. “There is no disgrace in not knowing an answer, but rather in not trying to find the answer.” Seeing colleagues I admire perform their work has been some of the best real career advice I've received.

If you weren’t a nurse practitioner, what would you like to be doing?  

If I wasn’t a nurse practitioner, I would probably use my creative talents in the kitchen as a chef, cooking up my favorite Cajun and Creole dishes. Laissez les bons temps rouler!

What do you like to do outside of work?

I met my husband, Christopher -- a St. Louis native, while we were in college. Upon graduating, we moved here to pursue a career in health care. St. Louis has been home for over 13 years and some of my favorite activities are hiking, cooking, going to concerts and cheering on our sports teams. I love ice hockey and you can often catch me at Blues games. Fun fact, in high school I played two years of hockey on an all-boys team! My husband and I also have a passion for travel and have been lucky to see many places around the world, with Iceland being one of our most memorable.

Learn more about Dayna, our hip and knee services and why patients choose Washington University Orthopedics.