#IAmIHS: Lt. Kali Aberle

I was raised in South Dakota and I always knew I wanted to be a nurse. When I was little and my great-grandmother became sick, I helped take care of her every day after school. I then stayed close to home for nursing school, and I joined the Standing Rock Service Unit soon after.

I’ve been here ever since, and I’m currently a family nurse practitioner at the McLaughlin Health Center in South Dakota, part of the IHS Great Plains Area. There’s amazing history and pride here, and my patients truly appreciate my commitment to the area. At this Indian Health Service clinic, staffed completely by nurse practitioners, we handle a wide range of health issues, from urgent care to managing diabetes.

The Standing Rock Service Unit staff are like my family. When I completed my Doctor of Nursing Practice degree this year, my colleagues presented me with a handmade star quilt that I truly treasure. The level of support I receive at my job will help keep me working as my family grows. My husband and I recently had twins, and we can’t wait to raise them here in South Dakota. The Great Plains are amazing, and we love the wide-open spaces and everything about country life.

I also recently joined the U.S. Public Health Service Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  as a public health nurse, which means possible deployment for health emergencies in the U.S. I consider it an honor to help people in distress, no matter where they are.

I’m Kali Aberle – a lieutenant in the U.S. Public Health Service and a certified family nurse practitioner – and I Am IHS.

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