Ms. Kristina Hansen believes that as a Nurse Practitioner she has a responsibility to encourage and empower patients to be an active partner in their healthcare. As a nurse practitioner, she can order, perform and interpret diagnostic tests in addition to prescribing medications, and treat illnesses.
She looks at the whole person and does her best to treat patients as she would treat her own family. She believes that everyone has a story worth listening to, and it is her job to try and understand your values as a patient and how you see yourself getting well. Her hope is that she can provide you with the education and resources that you need to reach your health goals.
Born and raised in Pierce County, community has been part of her DNA from the beginning. She has wanted to be a nurse since she was a young child. During her teens, she served on several mission trips around the world where they built schools for small communities. After long days of construction, she found herself spending evenings talking to a doctor on the team asking questions and listening to the doctor’s stories. She was hooked. Soon after, she had the opportunity to spend a week in a hospital, shadowing surgeries. The more exposed she became to healthcare, the more she knew it was what she was meant to do.
Shortly before graduating high school, she enlisted in the Air Force Reserves as an emergency medical technician (EMT) and she continues to serve. She then earned her Bachelor of Nursing degree from Pacific Lutheran University and her Master of Nursing degree from Gonzaga University. While in college, she worked full time as a nurse in critical care.
