Karen Rackley, DNP, APRN-CNP, specializes in family medicine and wound care at Utica Park Clinic (UPC) in Cushing.

Karen first became interested in the medical field as a child. Her nursing career started 30 years ago, first earning a bachelor’s degree, then returning later to complete her master’s and doctorate work together in 2016. Over half of her career was spent working for Hillcrest in some capacity. She said, “I may seem very familiar as patients may have already met me serving in other roles.”

Karen decided to narrow her focus to wound care and family medicine because she enjoys interacting with adults. “I have spent the majority of my nurse practitioner career caring for this population,” she said.

The relationships Karen gets to build with each patient is something she deeply cares about. At each appointment, she makes sure to listen and discover what’s important to help each person meet their needs and reach their goals.

When it comes to advice, Karen likes to remind her patients that, “Even small consistent lifestyle changes can make an impact in overall health.”

When Karen isn’t working, she enjoys volunteering with the local VFW Auxiliary, reading and crocheting. She adds, “I love making crochet surprises for coworkers and family. On occasion, I have even been known to donate crochet octopi to the local ER as a source of comfort for the children being seen.”