Certified Nurse Practitioner Sheila Spears has just joined the Prowers Medical Center primary care team of four other nurse practitioners and one physician.

Earlier in her career, Spears was an audiology technician, a registered nurse and a nursing school educator. She spent the last three years as a nurse practitioner in the small town of Pe Ell, Washington, where she loved caring for patients and families. Now living in Wiley, she’s here to serve the community of Lamar and surrounding areas.

“I just love people and working with families,” she said in her soft Texas drawl. “Caring for others is my passion.”

Because Health Care is People Care

Sheila Spears, FNP-C

When she was an audiology tech, part of Spears’ job was to do newborn hearing screenings. She enjoyed working with patients and wanted to do more. The nursery nurses encouraged her to attend nursing school, which she did and became a nurse on a medical surgical floor. She went back to school again to earn a dual certificate master’s degree in administration and education and started teaching nursing students. Then in 2018, she earned her master’s in nursing practice and her nurse practitioner certification.

Spears is excited to be part of the Prowers Medical Center primary care team because here she’ll be able to care for patients from birth through their entire lives. Spears will be part of the continuum of care, working with all the providers in all settings. She’s looking forward to the professional camaraderie and mentorship.

Spears’ approach to patient care centers on listening to her patients. “Listening to the patient is crucial to learning their concerns and needs,” she said. “I’ve seen situations where patients weren’t listened to, and the results were not good. I always told my nursing students to meet patients where they are. It’s not our job to change them but rather support and educate them.”

Building connections with patients is also paramount to Spears. “You develop relationships,” she said. “When they have a concern, you know them enough to understand what’s going on and how you can best help them. In the big cities, it doesn’t work like that.”

A Little More about Sheila

Spears is from the outskirts of Abilene, Texas. She lived there her whole life until moving to Washington state in 2019. She and her husband, Troy, have three children, all in their 20s. The two older kids still live in Abilene, and the youngest is in Hayes, Kansas.

In Texas, the Spears lived on a rural property with horses, donkeys, sheep, goats and dogs. When they relocated to Pe Ell, they had to say goodbye to most of their animals—except the dogs. They now have many rescue dogs. Fortunately, the property they bought in Wiley is on three acres, with plenty of room for their pooches to play. Spears would also like to have horses again.

When he’s not remodeling their homes, Troy Spears builds ambulances from the ground up for ambulance companies. He’s also been a wind technician and is interested in learning solar.

In her free time, Spears enjoys exploring new sites, gardening, attending church and meeting new people. If you see her soon, she may still be on crutches. During the move, she tripped on some boxes and broke her ankle in four places. But that’s not stopping her from fulfilling her life’s work.

“I love helping, educating, and working with people,” she said. “I feel this is the reason God put me in this position.”

Schedule an Appointment

To learn more about Family Medicine Services at Prowers Medical Center or to schedule an appointment with Sheila Spears, NP-C, call 719-336-6767 or visit prowersmedical.com