Growing up in a family of nurses, Ricky Reiter, BSN, RN, CAPA, outpatient surgery charge nurse with Flaget Memorial Hospital, part of CHI Saint Joseph Health, has always been drawn to the idea of improving the lives of those around him.
“In school, I always liked biology and anatomy, and nursing clicked with me,” said Reiter, a graduate of the University of Louisville. “The thought of seeing people when they are at their worst and helping them get better seemed rewarding.”
Upon graduation from his nursing program, Reiter pursued his love for helping others by working in the telemetry unit at Flaget.
“When I started there, it was a small community hospital,” Reiter said. “Everyone knew everyone. If they didn’t know me, they knew my family.”
Nearly two decades later, Reiter has enjoyed being part of the hospital’s evolution, working in a variety of roles in the intensive care unit, infection control, education, employee health and outpatient surgery. But his dedication to service extends well beyond the hospital walls.
When you step onto the elevator at Flaget, you will notice a photo of Reiter gracing the doors and celebrating his love for service to the hospital and the community at large.
At Flaget, Reiter helps organize food drives as part of the Spirit Team. He is the chairperson of the hospital’s Green Team, which oversees the hospital’s recycling program, and he sits on the Nursing Professional Development Program Board to help his colleagues take their careers to the next level.
Reiter is also on the board for the Rolling Fork Iron Horse Festival, serves on the local fire department’s support team and is a former member of the New Haven City Council.
“I always enjoy seeing the community advance,” said Reiter, who is also a father of two children, Emily and Eric. “I am proud to send my kids to the local faith-based school, St. Catherine Academy, and I enjoy bringing them to community meetings with me, as well. They are learning that service is important.”
When he is not helping patients, Reiter enjoys camping and boating with his kids and extended family.
“There are about 60 of us when we all get together,” Reiter said. “We have a good time.”
A version of this article originally appeared in the Fall 2019 edition of Spirit of Health. For more stories like this one, subscribe to Spirit of Health magazine today.
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