Kristina Sackett, RN
Kristina has been a dedicated registered nurse since 1998, building a career rooted in compassion, resilience, and a true passion for patient care. She began her nursing journey in emergency medicine, where she spent 15 years thriving in the fast-paced environment of the ER. Drawn to the unpredictability and intensity of emergency care, she cared for patients of all ages and conditions, from pediatric emergencies to orthopedic and surgical crises. During her time in emergency medicine, she worked with PeaceHealth Medical Group and later became a traveling nurse throughout Oregon, gaining experience in a variety of emergency room settings while maintaining flexibility for her family during difficult times, including supporting her son through mental health challenges.
Kristina’s career took an unexpected turn after suffering a severe back injury from being thrown off horses, leaving her unable to continue nursing for nearly a decade. Despite stepping away from clinical practice, she never stopped caring for others. During those years, she devoted herself to supporting family members through serious illnesses, including caring for her mother during cancer treatment and assisting her father through complications related to congestive heart failure and COPD. Determined to return to the profession she loved, Kristina completed a re-entry to nursing program through Health Education Consultants in Corvallis and successfully returned to the field in long-term care nursing.
Today, Kristina finds deep fulfillment in caring for long-term care residents, valuing the opportunity to truly know her patients beyond their diagnoses. She understands that many residents have sacrificed independence and familiarity, often living with limited family support, and she strives to bring compassion, patience, and dignity into every interaction. Kristina believes nursing is far more than a profession—it is a calling rooted in genuine care for people. Her years of experience in both emergency and long-term care, combined with her personal resilience and empathy, continue to shape the compassionate nurse she is today. She also maintains ACLS and PALS certifications from her years in emergency medicine, reflecting her strong clinical foundation and commitment to lifelong learning in healthcare.
• Lane Community College - RN License
• Health Education Consultants - Re-entry to Nursing Program
• ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support)
• PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support)
Areas of Specialization/Expertise
- Emergency Medicine
- Long-Term Care
What do you enjoy most about practicing medicine?
In long-term care, it's so nice to get to know my patients and to know their quirks and their needs. These residents have given up their lives and condensed everything into these little 8x12 rooms that have become where they live and how their lives are. They've given up control of so much, and you have to remember that they've given up so much control over their lives in this small area. Sometimes you're kind of the only ray of light that they have in their lives through your interactions with them. Some of them don't have families anymore, they don't have people that come visit them anymore, and it's really sad. You can be the only hope and comfort that they have. My husband's uncle told me, sometimes you're the only ray of sunshine they get, and I try to remember that every time I go to work. Even if they're angry, upset, rude, or demanding, I can be the only sunshine that they have in their day. All of that anger and stuff is not directed at me - it could be directed at their situation. When I was in emergency medicine, I loved the different patients and the different crises. I was a true adrenaline junkie. You see everything - pediatric, orthopedic, surgical, geriatric, medical - you see it all the time, every shift.