For Amber Rasinski, a Lakewood family nurse practitioner, caring for others has always felt like home.
Growing up in Staples, Rasinski watched her mother Lois Detloff serve the community as a nurse, hearing countless stories about the lives she touched.
“From a young age, I knew I wanted to become an RN to help others as well,” she said.
That calling eventually led her right back to the community that helped shape her.
Rasinski’s Lakewood story began in 2008 as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) while she was earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. After becoming an RN in 2010, she gained experience throughout Lakewood, serving in the care center, home health care, hospice, and the hospital’s medical-surgical unit.
While working in home care and hospice, Rasinski witnessed firsthand the barriers many rural patients face.
“Many patients weren’t able to get to the clinic because they were ill, didn’t have transportation, or simply couldn’t afford it,” she said. “That became a big motivation for me to earn my nurse practitioner degree and help expand this type of service.”
She completed graduate school during the COVID-19 pandemic while continuing to work full time.
“I look back most days wondering how I made it through,” she recalled. “I know I couldn’t have done it without the support of my family and co-workers.”
Today, Rasinski provides care for residents and tenants at Lakewood Care Center, Lakewood Manor and Lakewood Pines. She also sees patients at Riverside in Pillager, Harmony House in Motley and Clarissa Care Center, while making home visits for patients who have difficulty traveling to the clinic.
It’s a service she believes makes a difference.
“Patients are more relaxed and happier overall when they’re seen in their home. As we age or become sick, something as simple as getting to a clinic appointment can require extensive planning. Being able to meet patients where they are helps relieve that stress.”
She said very few healthcare systems offer this level of personalized care.
“Lakewood has been instrumental in building this service and continues to expand it to reach more people in our rural communities.”
Dr. Julie Benson, Lakewood’s Senior Services and Hospice and Palliative Care Medical Director, has had the opportunity to watch Rasinski’s career grow over the years.
“It’s been fun to collaborate all along the way, and to now call her a partner is meaningful,” Dr. Benson said. “Things I appreciate about Amber include her work ethic — she is not afraid of hard work and willing to have the hard conversations with patients, families and staff. I love how she teaches others along the way. She works collaboratively and helps all on the team feel valued. We learn from each other daily.”
Caring for older adults has given Rasinski perspective that extends far beyond medicine. She shares some of that sage advice she’s learned along the way.
“Take time to enjoy life. It’s short. Even 100 years can go by fast. Work hard. Be humble. Money is important, but it’s not everything.”
Being back in Staples has also come full circle for her.
Rasinski is now caring for people who once taught her in school, coached her in sports or watched her grow up.
“It’s rewarding to reconnect with people from the community and know the life lessons they taught me are being put to good use,” she said with a smile.
Dr. Michael Hudalla, a Lakewood family medicine physician who works in the Emergency Department, said Rasinski is the kind of colleague every healthcare organization hopes to have.
“She is always smiling and has a tremendous work ethic. She is passionate about caring for her patients and is continually learning. She is a wonderful colleague, and we are privileged to have her on our team.”
When she’s not caring for patients, Rasinski and her husband, Travis (Doctor of Physical Therapy at Twin Cities Orthopedics), along with their two children, Taetem and Lane, stay busy operating R&R Ranch, where they raise registered Gelbvieh/Angus beef cattle, as well as pheasants to help support local wildlife populations.
Their days are filled with work, family and plenty of chores.
“My kids will tell you, ‘All we do is chores!’ ” she laughed.
But Rasinski believes growing up on a farm teaches lessons that carry into healthcare.
“Farmers work incredibly hard. They learn to prioritize, think critically and solve problems. Those skills absolutely translate into caring for patients.”
She also appreciates the value of slowing down.
“Being outdoors has taught me that silence is okay. Sometimes if you simply wait, patients will share what’s really on their minds.”
Rasinski and her husband have also volunteered with Special Olympics Minnesota for nearly 15 years.
She serves as a clinical director for Special Olympics Minnesota’s MedFest and Health programs, helping provide sports physicals and health education for athletes, while her husband leads their Fun Fitness screenings focused on injury prevention and strengthening.
Their children have also volunteered with them since they were very young.
“We never leave a Special Olympics event feeling sad! The athletes are incredibly inspiring, and it reminds us why we do what we do.”
Rasinski believes rural healthcare is about more than convenience — it’s about making sure everyone has access to quality care.
“People shouldn’t have to spend an astronomical amount of money or travel hours just to receive healthcare,” she said. “Lakewood has done a great job of bringing that care close to home.”
As for young people considering a healthcare career, her advice is simple:
“Follow your heart and your brain,” she said. “There will be difficult days that make you question your life choices. But there will also be moments when something you think is small changes someone’s life forever. Those moments make it all worthwhile.”