By Haley Jones, Director of Marketing and Development
Memorial Health System (MHS) is pleased to announce Kelly Trickey, Nurse Practitioner, as a new team member for Heartland Health Care Clinic, and just as excited as Kelly is to announce her return to Herington for the new clinic which officially opens on May 13, 2024!
Kelly just might have been the perfect pick for the new clinic opening in Herington. Before the closing of Herington Municipal Hospital in late 2023, Kelly was the last provider in town seeing patients in the clinic and covering the emergency department. Since her first arrival as a new Nurse Practitioner in July of 2020, she spent a lot of time getting to know all 924 of her patients. “When I first got there, I just fell in love with the community and I felt very accepted by everyone,” explained Kelly.
Many have come to know Kelly the provider, but in this re-introduction, I want to share a little more about Kelly the person. As I sat with her for this interview, I formed my own opinions, and I bet after you read her story, you will share my sentiments.
Kelly grew up in Geneseo, Ks. It is a little town close to Ellsworth. On the Kansas map, it looks to be in the very center of the state. In Kelly’s words, “Population 300 including the dogs, cats, and squirrels.” She remembers watching her dad care for her grandparents, who both endured a battle with cancer. A lot of time was spent traveling back and forth to Salina for many doctor appointments. She believes her love for rural health care is probably rooted in this experience. “It’s so important! I don’t think people realize the large population of people who live in rural settings and do not have the financial means to travel far for health care, or just aren’t physically capable of doing it. What I also love about rural health care is being able to establish a real relationship with my patient and ask things like, ‘how was your daughter’s wedding, or how is the new grandbaby doing’; that kind of stuff you can do in smaller communities, where as that is harder to do in larger hospitals. I always knew I would end up in healthcare. When I was little I actually said I was going to be an Obstetrician, which is funny because that’s one area of nursing I haven’t worked in; labor and delivery,” she said with a laugh.
At the age of 12, Kelly started her healthcare journey with a safe-sitter course acquiring certification for infant and child CPR. When she was 15, she got a job at the local nursing home as a bedmaker. The facility, in turn, paid for her to take courses to become a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant), and eventually a CMA (Certified Medication Aide) which she was doing by age 17.
After graduating high school, Kelly went to Barton County Community College in Great Bend, first enrolling in the Pre-Physician’s Assistant Program, but switched gears shortly after to the nursing program to become an RN (Registered Nurse). Through 2009 and 2010 she completed Pediatric training, and Adult and Adolescent Sexual Assault training, which led to her position as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner with the Forensic Unit at Salina Regional Health Center where she remains on the call list to this day.
Her first position as an RN was at Central Kansas Medical Center (CKMC) in Great Bend working in pediatrics. She worked there for about three years and, while doing, so she took classes online working toward her Bachelor of Science Degree from Fort Hays State University. It was also during this time that she met her husband Paul. He worked at CKMC while he too was working toward a Bachelor’s Degree. They were both very busy but found time to fall in love and, eventually, got married. After working at CKMC, Kelly found a new position just a short drive away in Hoisington at Clara Barton Medical Center, working in the emergency department where she spent another couple of years adding more skills through her nursing experiences in a new area.
Next on her career journey, Kelly worked as a travel nurse racking up hours and miles sometimes traveling as far as three hours one way, followed by a 12-hour shift. She enjoyed being able to meet new people and gain experience from many different places doing this, but after Kelly and Paul welcomed their first son, Alex, in 2012, it was no longer feasible while trying to care for a new baby.
The next move in Kelly’s career would also have her and Paul moving their family to Salina when she took a job with Salina Regional Health Center (SRHC) as a Charge Nurse in the Progressive Care Unit. She remained here for eight years but, in true “Kelly fashion”, continued to work hard and elevate herself to another level in her career. While working at SRHC, she took online courses through Maryville University in St. Louis, Missouri to become a Nurse Practitioner (NP). Kelly completed schooling in September 2019, just a few months before the world would turn upside down, especially for those working in healthcare.
In the thick of COVID, Kelly found herself looking for a place to make her debut as an NP. She had an old colleague picking up shifts in the emergency department in Herington and inquired about any need for providers. In July 2020, Kelly was welcomed as a new provider in the Herington Clinic. During her first reign in Herington, Kelly established a large panel of patients and made many new friends who joined her and Paul in the celebration of their second son Isaac who was born in 2022.
Although she lives in Salina, Kelly has a connection to the Herington community, and she is eager to get back to work there and start her second reign. “I am so excited to go back,” she said, “I am excited to be a part of building something from the ground up with this new clinic and catch up with old friends. I am excited to bring health care back to the community. They need this!”
I have many words to describe Kelly after sitting with her and hearing her story. In my opinion, she is kind, hardworking, determined, compassionate, smart, personable, talented, and super-funny. All wonderful qualities and, with her experiences in her personal life and her career, I believe there is more success headed her way!
Good Luck in this next career adventure. MHS is proud to have you on the team!