Jennifer Reed was recently promoted to chief nursing officer for Levi Hospital.
Reed was already serving, and will continue to serve, as the director of Transitions Outpatient Behavioral Health, a news release said.
Reed started with Levi in September 2014, and received her associate degree in nursing at National Park College in May 2016, Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Walden University in February 2020 and Master of Science in Nursing with a focus in Psychiatric Mental Health from Walden University in November 2021.
"Jennifer dedicated herself to mental health early in her career. She believes in Levi's mission and cares deeply for our patients and staff. Jennifer was the perfect candidate for the job," Zane Jeffers, president and CEO of Levi, said in the release.
Reed's personal journey explains why she was chosen for this position.
"Growing up my mom dealt with mental illness, as well as alcohol and substance abuse. Dealing with and living through her battles with mood regulation, medication compliance, and self-destruction sparked my interest in mental health. I first learned about Levi Hospital when my mother was doing physical therapy for a fractured foot and later learned about the psychiatric services provided when she was admitted to the inpatient psychiatric unit for stabilization," Reed says.
"When I started college, I thought I wanted to be a therapist, but as my studies continued, I realized I wanted to help people in their time of crisis, when they are at their worst, at their breaking point and can't see an end to their troubles. I wanted to see them get better, so I changed my career path to nursing.
"I took a job as a mental health tech to see if I really wanted to pursue psych as a career. In the beginning it was great, however, I was dealing with my own difficulties, the loss of my mom to an overdose, severe anxiety, and a failing marriage, so I thought I needed something different. I tried my hand in labor and delivery, newborn nursery, and pediatrics. However, everywhere I went there were patients dealing with acute mental health issues. It weighed heavy on my heart; I was good at psych and knew where I was needed," she said.
"I continued my education to become a nurse practitioner with a focus in Psychiatric Mental Health. Taking this step and continuing my employment at Levi Hospital opened opportunities that I never dreamed possible. This organization has allowed me to continue to be involved with people in crisis, to follow up with them on an outpatient basis, and to see people get back to their sense of normalcy.
"In partnership with our CEO, Zane Jeffers, COO, Keri Crenshaw, assistant nursing officer, John Bondhus, and so many others in our organization, we are planning big things to help bring hope to those dealing with mental illness in our community," Reed said.
Levi Hospital offers both an inpatient psych unit for crisis stabilization and outpatient behavioral health services.
"If you or a loved one are feeling hopeless, give us a call and let us work to restore hope" by calling 501-622-3580, the release said. For more information on the services at Levi Hospital, visit http://www.levihospital.com.