AUBURN — Stacia Washer didn’t know that her destiny lay in the medical field until she started working in it.

“I thought I was going to be a teacher,” she said. “That’s what my family lineage is.”

A career day visit from a representative of an obstetrics-gynecology office in Bowling Green changed all that. She talked about surgical technicians. Washer decided to pursue the education to become one, starting in Logan Memorial Hospital’s operating room.

Washer is now a nurse practitioner at Auburn Community Health Clinic, which opened Oct. 18. She takes care of a variety of illnesses and does physicals, well-child visits and other medical check-ups.

“It’s basically like primary care,” the Butler County woman said.

As a nurse practitioner, Washer helps get patients’ health going in the right direction so they can get well.

“A medical doctor has a lot more education and background,” she said. “I can write a prescription for almost everything a doctor can, but in limited quantities.”

Nurse practitioners are handy to have around, particularly in rural areas such as Auburn.

“In a rural area, there are not as many medical doctors,” Washer said. “Recruitment to rural areas is hard.”

Washer has associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Western Kentucky University. During much of her college study, she cared for her family, which includes sons Jackson, now 15, and Sawyer, now 10.

After seven years as a surgical technician, Washer went to nursing school. She later worked as a nurse in the operating room before becoming the operating room director. The later job, however, didn’t feel as satisfying to Washer.

“I thought I wanted to be a nursing supervisor,” she said. “The higher up I got, the less patient care I was doing. I wanted to get back to patient care because I like direct contact.”

Taking care of patients is rewarding for Washer, she said.

“I’m a caregiver. That’s what I am. I like to see people through,” she said. “Not everything has a great ending. I like to see the progress of it. When you work in a rural area, you get to know people.”