Karen Graf

NURSE: Karen Graf, BSN, MSN, RN-BC, APHN

EMPLOYER: RiverStone Health

NURSING PROGRAM: Montana State University – Bozeman and Stanford University

FOCUS: Division of Health Promotion

YEARS OF SERVICE: 35

By Jennifer L. Mason, Brand Ave. Studios Contributing Writer

As a child, Karen Graf knew she wanted to be a nurse. Her aunts and grandmas were also nurses, so there was no doubt. Her great-aunt was a Baptist missionary to the Crow people and later retired in Billings. When Graf was a young girl, her great-aunt would visit people in the hospital previously under her care, and Graf would tag along.

“Back in the day, it was called a candy striper … it was a volunteer program,” Graf said. “I was probably age 12 or so when I started doing that, and then I worked as a CNA during high school. I continued as a CNA through nursing school.”

Graf’s nursing career spans 35 years. She’s worked in cardiovascular, the ICU and the emergency department. She also worked in ophthalmology surgery for seven years, two days a week.

“When I had a child born with Down syndrome, my life changed,” Graf said. “Working in ophthalmology allowed me to spend more time at home. When my son started attending school, I noticed different things and alerted the principal … that’s when he told me I needed to be a school nurse.”

Today, Graf splits her time as a nurse manager in the public health school-based nursing program at RiverStone, and she’s also a school nurse on Fridays. Most of her time at RiverStone is spent in administrative work doing evidence-based practice policies and procedures.

“I like the combination of administrative work and boots on the ground with the kids,” Graf said. “With my nurses, I can provide a good foundation so they can carry out evidence-based practices. With my K-12 students, I love when the lightbulb goes off, and they understand something about their bodies or how they can stay healthy or how to make better choices.”

Connecting people to health and wellness expands outside of the U.S. for Graf. She had the opportunity to love on other patients while on a mission trip in Kenya. For a year, she worked at Tenwek Hospital, a ministry of Africa Gospel Church. The hospital’s motto is, ‘We treat, Jesus heals.’

“The local tribe I worked with always asked a traditional greeting: Kasserian Ingera,” Graf said. “It means, ‘And how are the children?’ “Monitoring the well-being of children is the best way to determine the health and prosperity of the whole town or society at large.”

It applies to her nursing students too. Graf truly wants to know how you are and cares about others. In the tribes, when life is good, the villagers respond that - ‘all the children are well.’

When asked about her accomplishments, she mentions being able to connect her RiverStone nursing students to health and wellness so they can be successful in their learning. Her other passion is for children with special needs who don’t always have the best health outcomes. She recognized as her son went through adolescence that some schools often fail to deliver comprehensive health education that includes healthy relationships and growth and development.

“Karen is an expert on special education,” said Dr. Claire Oakley, Ph.D., retired director of health promotion, public health division. “She assists the rural schools with the intersection of nursing during a school day along with advocacy for student support. Our county schools are lucky.”

At the end of the day, Graf treats her students or patients like you would treat your grandmother or mom. An excellent and thoughtful listener, she’s not one to jump in abruptly and pepper someone with questions. “I’m empathetic and allow others to have some space,” Graf said. “I find they tell me more when I just listen.”

She credited her mentorships along the way and knew she wanted to embody their philosophy and treat people well. And – that she does.