Long before she chose nursing, Krista Reed was driven by a simple instinct: to lead, to teach, and to care for others.
“I’m a caregiver above all things,” said Reed, BSN’15, MSN’25. “I want people to know they can trust me and that I am there for them.”
Reed’s lifelong desire to care for others eventually led her to nursing—but her path wasn’t a straight line, and at times, took unexpected turns.
Initially, a career in nursing wasn’t on Reed’s radar.
“Some of my friends knew they wanted to be nurses,” she said, “but, at 18, that didn’t appeal to me. However, I did know that I loved being a leader, and I loved helping and teaching others.”
Leaning into those passions—and the rewarding experience of working with students in before- and after-school programs during her high school and early college years—Reed decided to earn her bachelor’s degree in secondary education and teaching.
Graduating during the height of the 2008 recession, she entered a job market where teaching opportunities were scarce, leading her to spend several years in retail management.
Rather than setting her back, these experiences began to shape the kind of caregiver she would become and the ways in which she connects with patients today.
“My experience in education has come in handy, in educating patients and families in the intensive care unit, helping new nurses, and now educating new mothers or parents on the latest vaccine news,” Reed said. “I always say: ‘It’s not a good day unless we learn something new’ … myself included!”
Return to Nursing and a Broader Purpose
In 2012, Reed found herself drawn back to the idea of nursing and enrolled in the IU School of Nursing’s Accelerated BSN program, a 16-month pre-licensure pathway designed for individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree in another discipline.
“I had my first child in 2011 and enrolled in prerequisites for the program in 2012, and I remember it being intense,” she recalled.
After earning her BSN in 2015, Reed went straight into critical care, working almost six years in a cardiac medical critical care intensive care unit.
“I had my first critical care clinical, and I knew that’s what I wanted to do,” she said.
Back then, the idea of working in public health didn’t appeal to Reed. But years of caring for critically ill patients began to reshape her perspective.
“I had seen enough of what chronic disease can do,” she said. “I wanted to get out and provide as much health education as possible to help patients prevent visits to intensive care.”
That realization ultimately led her to join the Marion County Public Health Department in 2021 as a public health nurse.
"The Nurse I Want to Be"
Transitioning from intensive care to public health required a shift in Reed’s mindset.
“It took me about a year to adjust to the 180-degree change from the ICU to public health,” Reed said. “In the intensive care unit, things were very black and white. If the patient’s blood pressure began dropping, for example, that meant that I needed to increase my Levophed drip. I was used to high acuity and constant stress. Public health, however, is more of a gray area.”
That difference, Reed said, comes with its own challenges and rewards. The pace may be slower, but the scope is wider. From prenatal and postpartum care to chronic disease, infectious disease prevention, and vaccinations, public health nurses care for diverse populations across the community, making sure that care reaches everyone who needs it and often building relationships over time.
For Reed, home visits are especially meaningful, bringing essential care directly to patients who need it most.
Public health has also given her greater autonomy, allowing her to care for patients in a way that feels authentic.
“I have a coordinator, but I have a lot of freedom to be the nurse that I want to be,” she said.
Her team’s motto is “The Public Health Nurse: Answers Humanity’s Call.”
"That is so true,” she added. “When someone in the community needs something, we’ve got you.”
Expanded Opportunities
Reed’s journey has taken her across many paths, with each one strengthening her skills and deepening the care she provides. Still, her path continues to evolve.
In 2022, while raising three children, she returned to the IU School of Nursing for a second time, earning her Master of Science in Nursing with a specialty as a Family Nurse Practitioner in 2025.
“It might be one of the hardest things I’ve ever done,” she said. “I’m fortunate to have an amazing family that supported me every step of the way.”
Reed now brings a broader clinical expertise to her work.
“As a Family Nurse Practitioner, I can work in outpatient clinics and hospitals and am equipped to help the whole family, from newborns to grandparents,” she explained. “An FNP uses assessment skills and clinical judgement to diagnose and treat acute and chronic conditions.”
Looking back at her own nursing journey, Reed said she is grateful for every step along the way and always encourages others to become a nurse.
“It’s not always easy, but to be able to bring a life into this world or comfort a patient during their last moments, those are moments that a nurse will carry with them forever,” she said. “We provide comfort. We provide hope. We provide love to those who need it the most. Becoming a nurse is the best thing I have ever done.”