2024 Award Winner Spotlight: Nurse Educator Award

The Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (ARN) is proud to recognize Dr. Karen Reed, MSN DHSc RN CNE CNL CRRN, as the recipient of the 2024 Nurse Educator Award. With more than 25 years dedicated to nursing education and a career spanning 46 years, Dr. Reed is an inspiring example of lifelong leadership, service, and innovation in the field of rehabilitation nursing education.

Elevating Education

At the University of Florida College of Nursing, Dr. Reed serves as the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs for Undergraduate Education and holds the position of Clinical Associate Professor. In these roles, she has helped shape a curriculum that goes beyond the classroom, and one that equips students to think critically about health inequities and the real-world implications of the Social Determinants of Health.

Through service learning and innovative team-based projects, Dr. Reed mentors undergraduate students in addressing health disparities among international students at U.S. universities. Her leadership consistently fosters student engagement, professional growth, and a deepened commitment to community wellness.

A Global Vision for Nursing 

Dr. Reed's contributions extend far beyond the University of Florida. Since 2007, she has led nursing education initiatives in Cambodia and Vietnam, where she has helped embed rehabilitation concepts into local curricula and elevate faculty teaching practices. Her unique Model-Mentor-Mobilize framework supports international educators in becoming more effective leaders for the next generation of nurses.

In Cambodia, Dr. Reed designed an English Medical Terminology course in 2014 that has since become a required component across all five public nursing programs in the country — a powerful testament to her long-term impact. In Vietnam, she currently works with nursing schools to implement Competency-Based Education and prepare students to take the NCLEX exam, which is a historic milestone for the country.

A Fullbright Trailblazer 

Dr. Reed made history in 2013–2014 as the first nurse to receive a Fulbright Scholar Award in Cambodia. Her work there laid the foundation for long-term partnerships with the country's healthcare and education leaders.

In 2023, she returned to Cambodia through a UF Faculty Enhancement Opportunity Grant, collaborating with the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization to develop a national Infection Control and Prevention Training Manual aimed at reducing healthcare-acquired infections.

That same summer, Dr. Reed served as a U.S. Fulbright Specialist in Hanoi, where she spent five weeks conducting faculty development programming at a Vietnamese nursing school. The students at that school will be the first in Vietnam to take the NCLEX exam, which became a groundbreaking shift in nursing education standards in the region.

A Lasting Legacy 

Dr. Karen Reed's impact can be felt in classrooms, clinical simulations, global education reforms, and the lives of the countless students she has mentored. Her commitment to advancing nursing education, both locally and internationally, continues to shape the future of rehabilitation nursing worldwide.

In her Own Words 

"It is truly an honor to receive the Nurse Educator Award. I deeply admire the knowledge, skill, and dedication of my rehabilitation nursing peers, so it is humbling to receive this recognition. The ARN 'family' has always been a terrific resource for me - one I turn to when bringing current information and innovative content into the classroom."

Dr. Reed welcomes continued conversation and connection. You can reach her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..