Welcoming Kristen Ehmke, Our Newest Nurse Practitioner at HELPcare Clinic
One of the great joys of growing HELPcare Clinic has been welcoming incredible people who are aligned with our mission—and today I’m excited to introduce you to Kristen Ehmke, our newest nurse practitioner and the fifth member of our clinical team.
Kristen isn’t new to HELPcare. She’s been with us as a nurse for a few months, but in May she earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Augsburg University and passed her boards in June. Now, she steps into a new role, caring for patients as a family nurse practitioner—and we couldn’t be more thrilled.
What drew me to Kristen from the start was how naturally she aligned with our vision for relationship-based care. She first reached out through our website, and when we met for coffee, it was clear right away that she shared our passion for helping people take charge of their health. She understood the importance of time-rich appointments, listening deeply, and crafting personalized care plans—hallmarks of the HELPcare experience.
Kristen brings 12 years of nursing experience across multiple care settings, but what really stands out is her heart for rural communities. A native of Blooming Prairie and now living in Hayfield, she’s passionate about improving access to care in areas where clinics have disappeared. Her doctoral research focused on using mindfulness to reduce anxiety and depression in rural residents, and she’s eager to bring that expertise to our patients.
As she begins seeing patients in our Austin clinic, Kristen will help us continue to offer unhurried, personal care—even as our membership grows. Her interest in dermatology also opens new opportunities for focused care within our team. And with her warmth, enthusiasm, and eagerness to grow, she’s already making a strong impact.
Kristen also benefits from the mentorship of our senior practitioners, like Dr. Dave Strobel, who has taken an active role in helping her grow clinically. That team-based environment is exactly what we hoped to create at HELPcare—collaborative, supportive, and mission-driven.
Please join me in welcoming Kristen Ehmke, DPRN, FNP-C, to our practitioner team!
Dan Hinmon and I had the pleasure of interviewing Kristen for this week's episode of our podcast, Take Charge with HELPcare. Here's that episode:
To get a new audio episode of Take Charge with HELPcare each Monday, be sure to subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, or watch the video edition by subscribing to the HELPcare YouTube channel.
If you know a family medicine practitioner — a physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant — who would be a good fit for HELPcare Clinic, pass along this link to our HELPcare Careers page.
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