Introduction
Don Wipf is a nurse practitioner with a hospitalist specialization. Don prides himself on delivering patient- and family-centered care.
“I think patients need and deserve compassionate, realistic care,” he says. “I explain things to the patient and family in simple, layman’s terms, and I’m willing to spend extra time with the patient to make sure they understand their treatment options.”
“The most important part of my job is caring for people and helping people,” explains Don. “I’ve spent my whole life helping people solve problems.”
Those problems, however, haven’t always been of the medical sort. After owning a hardware store for over 20 years, Don turned a lifelong interest in medicine into a second career. “I always had an interest in medicine but didn’t take advantage of it until later in life,” he says.
Don also encourages his patients to get involved in their own care. “Ask questions,” he implores. “If there is something you don’t understand, ask about it.”
In his time away from work, Don spends a lot of time on the water. His family has owned an assortment of watercrafts, and he currently has a 27-foot sailboat that sleeps five people that he enjoys taking out on Canyon Ferry Lake.
Education
Mount Marty College, Yankton, South Dakota
