Laura
Reed
May 2021
Laura
Reed
,
DNP, APRN-BC, FNP
University of Tennessee Health Science Center, College of Nursing
Memphis
,
TN
United States
After a few years I can say with absolute certainty that what Laura doesn’t realize is that there are so many out there already saying, “I want to be Dr. Reed when I grow up.”
I have spent many hours working alongside our DNP students. Our DNP FNP concentration encompasses a large number of them, including all of our dual degree-seeking students. I spend a great deal of time communicating with them, and they have such respect and admiration for Dr. Reed. They tell me things like, “she makes me want to be a better person” or “I hope that someday I can be as awesome as she is.” Mostly I hear, “I love Dr. Reed. She helped me so much.” She is in the trenches with them as they navigate their new path in life, planting little seeds along the way. She doesn’t talk to her students, she talks with her students, listening to them and shaping them into stellar providers, all the while watering those little seeds she has planted.
Her peers cannot say enough wonderful things about her and frequently turn to her for advice, trusting what she tells them. I spend a large amount of time in communication with our clinical preceptors as well. Our primary care preceptors love her too. From the ones that were once her students, I hear, “I loved having her as my instructor and I miss that so much!” As the recent former-President of Greater Memphis Area Advanced Practice Nurses, she helped lead the way in fighting for full practice authority. She is a true advocate for her profession. If there is a problem that she must address, she has a solution already in the making.
As so many of nursing’s predecessors have done, she is charging the way to make much-needed transformations and her advocacy is fueled by wanting those that will follow in her footsteps to work independently within their practice someday. Her conviction is such that it’s not about “it would be nice to have” so much as “this is the right thing to do.” She provides care to her patients here, as well as her patients in El Salvador, during mission trips, helping to provide healthcare to those with extremely limited access to it. I can only imagine how challenging it must be, to not only have a large number of students to teach and to teach “across the lifespan,” but also to be the coordinator for a large DNP concentration.
There is a significant amount of pressure, responsibility, and hard work that happens behind the scenes. To fulfill the role with her level of dedication is admirable. The spirit of nursing is woven into her genetic makeup. Her mother was a nurse, and both of her children are nurses. Her nursing heart is every bit as part of her as her physical heart is. Its beat is ingrained and evident in all that she does. That’s the singular explanation as to how she can do what she does every day, with the volume of compassion, conviction, and integrity that she does it. It is completely awe-inspiring.
I’ll never forget a moment in time when I was new to my role at UTHSC, Dr. W was speaking and Laura leaned forward and said, “I want to be her when I grow up.” I too am a big Dr. W fan. After a few years I can say with absolute certainty that what Laura doesn’t realize is that there are so many out there already saying, “I want to be Dr. Reed when I grow up.” Regardless of what she has achieved, and how many patients she has helped, she remains humble and kind.
As I write her nomination, one of my favorite life quotes comes to mind. Erma Bombeck said, “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left but could say I’ve used everything you gave me.” This is the best quote I can use to express how much I see Laura giving to the healthcare community. As I contemplate everything that nursing has been, currently is, and will evolve to become, I know that Dr. Laura Reed will be lighting the path for us to follow. That’s what great nursing leaders do. All the little seeds that she has planted and nurtured along the way will be standing with her and planting their own seeds. Her grove of healthcare providers will make us all proud and their good works will have a ripple effect
Her peers cannot say enough wonderful things about her and frequently turn to her for advice, trusting what she tells them. I spend a large amount of time in communication with our clinical preceptors as well. Our primary care preceptors love her too. From the ones that were once her students, I hear, “I loved having her as my instructor and I miss that so much!” As the recent former-President of Greater Memphis Area Advanced Practice Nurses, she helped lead the way in fighting for full practice authority. She is a true advocate for her profession. If there is a problem that she must address, she has a solution already in the making.
As so many of nursing’s predecessors have done, she is charging the way to make much-needed transformations and her advocacy is fueled by wanting those that will follow in her footsteps to work independently within their practice someday. Her conviction is such that it’s not about “it would be nice to have” so much as “this is the right thing to do.” She provides care to her patients here, as well as her patients in El Salvador, during mission trips, helping to provide healthcare to those with extremely limited access to it. I can only imagine how challenging it must be, to not only have a large number of students to teach and to teach “across the lifespan,” but also to be the coordinator for a large DNP concentration.
There is a significant amount of pressure, responsibility, and hard work that happens behind the scenes. To fulfill the role with her level of dedication is admirable. The spirit of nursing is woven into her genetic makeup. Her mother was a nurse, and both of her children are nurses. Her nursing heart is every bit as part of her as her physical heart is. Its beat is ingrained and evident in all that she does. That’s the singular explanation as to how she can do what she does every day, with the volume of compassion, conviction, and integrity that she does it. It is completely awe-inspiring.
I’ll never forget a moment in time when I was new to my role at UTHSC, Dr. W was speaking and Laura leaned forward and said, “I want to be her when I grow up.” I too am a big Dr. W fan. After a few years I can say with absolute certainty that what Laura doesn’t realize is that there are so many out there already saying, “I want to be Dr. Reed when I grow up.” Regardless of what she has achieved, and how many patients she has helped, she remains humble and kind.
As I write her nomination, one of my favorite life quotes comes to mind. Erma Bombeck said, “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left but could say I’ve used everything you gave me.” This is the best quote I can use to express how much I see Laura giving to the healthcare community. As I contemplate everything that nursing has been, currently is, and will evolve to become, I know that Dr. Laura Reed will be lighting the path for us to follow. That’s what great nursing leaders do. All the little seeds that she has planted and nurtured along the way will be standing with her and planting their own seeds. Her grove of healthcare providers will make us all proud and their good works will have a ripple effect