Brett Hooker
Beacon Medical Group Trauma & Surgical Services
Office
(574) 647-5875
621 Memorial Drive Ste 502 South Bend, IN 46601
About
A life lesson Brett Hooker, NP, has learned and wants to share with others is to keep moving. Whether that is not taking breaks in getting an education or not getting set in a career path, this has been an important lesson for him. “I was Air Force-trained in electronics and thought I would never leave that career path. That changed in 2008, when I was laid off from AT&T,” he says. When he saw his mom, now a retired Registered Nurse working overtime, he decided to enroll in nursing school.
His educational path stretched out for him and he says he wishes he had kept moving without pause. From his initial training at Community College of the Air Force, Hurlburt Field, FL, to his Master’s in Family Nurse Practitioner degree from South University, Savannah, GA, his education journey spanned 20 years. Then he spent nearly a decade with a health system that he never thought he would leave.
Regardless of these unexpected changes, he has not regretted them. Through it all, Brett has gained practical life experience in jobs, which have ranged from hands-on electronic and mechanical systems work to treating the human body.
His NP role focuses on wound care where he is responsible for assessing various types of wounds and determining treatment. “Wound care allows the care providers to see the patient progress from start to finish, which allows for me to feel like I accomplished a lot more in the process,” Brett says. “Also, patients come for appointments very regularly so you attain a friendship with many of them that is not as common in a lot of areas of health care.”
Connecting with patients is an important part of how Brett treats people and he feels laughter is truly the best medicine. “I like to connect with many of my patients through humor, and it has never failed me to this point,” he says, adding, “it tends to put patients at ease, from my experience.”
So, whether he is sharing a laugh or sharing his faith with someone who might be struggling, he describes himself as an open book. Brett stresses the importance of never judging a patient based on their behavior or attitude. “The most important lesson that I learned is that even the most difficult patients with the worst attitudes are typically just scared, sick, in pain, or angry at their situation,” he says. Ultimately, treating others as you want to be treated is something he sees as the basis of all interactions between human beings.
In his own words…
Who is or was the most influential people/role models in your life? Both of my grandfathers. One is stubborn but very wise, the other made everyone laugh constantly and was as kind as any human could be. Both were loving in their own ways.
What was your first job growing up? What do you remember about it? I was a dishwasher at a restaurant in Culver, IN. The only thing that I really remember was that I was proud of my work ethic and that money doesn’t really fix or change anything other than material ownership.
What is your favorite food? Movie? Favorite food is anything Asian, but Thai or Vietnamese food tops that list. As for movies, I have watched Army of Darkness too many times to count. It is such a silly movie, but it just has something about it that draws me in every time.
What was your best/worst subjects in school growing up? I was, and am, terrible at math. I suppose this is due to absolute lack of interest. I was always good at science and history. These subjects kept me engaged.
If you could sit down to dinner with anyone (alive or deceased) who would it be and why? The only person that I would want to sit down to dinner with would be my Savior, Yeshua. I am not one to care for anyone’s status, so movie stars, etc., don’t impress me in the least bit.
In addition to medicine, what are you passionate about? Family and my faith
What are your hobbies, interests? Deer hunting, ice fishing and gardening. I really need to find a hobby!
Do you have pets? Godfrey – German Shepherd, 13 years; Roxi – Wire-Haired Terrier, 13 years; Maggie – Brindle Pug, 6 years (I like her more than all four of my children sometimes, LOL)
What is something most people don’t know about you? My initials are B. A. Hooker. I love my parents so much for that naming error!
Brett Hooker
About Brett HookerA life lesson Brett Hooker, NP, has learned and wants to share with others is to keep moving. Whether that is not taking breaks in getting an education or not getting set in a career path, this has been an important lesson for him. “I was Air Force-trained in electronics and thought I would never leave that career path. That changed in 2008, when I was laid off from AT&T,” he says. When he saw his mom, now a retired Registered Nurse working overtime, he decided to enroll in nursing school.
His educational path stretched out for him and he says he wishes he had kept moving without pause. From his initial training at Community College of the Air Force, Hurlburt Field, FL, to his Master’s in Family Nurse Practitioner degree from South University, Savannah, GA, his education journey spanned 20 years. Then he spent nearly a decade with a health system that he never thought he would leave.
Regardless of these unexpected changes, he has not regretted them. Through it all, Brett has gained practical life experience in jobs, which have ranged from hands-on electronic and mechanical systems work to treating the human body.
His NP role focuses on wound care where he is responsible for assessing various types of wounds and determining treatment. “Wound care allows the care providers to see the patient progress from start to finish, which allows for me to feel like I accomplished a lot more in the process,” Brett says. “Also, patients come for appointments very regularly so you attain a friendship with many of them that is not as common in a lot of areas of health care.”
Connecting with patients is an important part of how Brett treats people and he feels laughter is truly the best medicine. “I like to connect with many of my patients through humor, and it has never failed me to this point,” he says, adding, “it tends to put patients at ease, from my experience.”
So, whether he is sharing a laugh or sharing his faith with someone who might be struggling, he describes himself as an open book. Brett stresses the importance of never judging a patient based on their behavior or attitude. “The most important lesson that I learned is that even the most difficult patients with the worst attitudes are typically just scared, sick, in pain, or angry at their situation,” he says. Ultimately, treating others as you want to be treated is something he sees as the basis of all interactions between human beings.
In his own words…
Who is or was the most influential people/role models in your life? Both of my grandfathers. One is stubborn but very wise, the other made everyone laugh constantly and was as kind as any human could be. Both were loving in their own ways.
What was your first job growing up? What do you remember about it? I was a dishwasher at a restaurant in Culver, IN. The only thing that I really remember was that I was proud of my work ethic and that money doesn’t really fix or change anything other than material ownership.
What is your favorite food? Movie? Favorite food is anything Asian, but Thai or Vietnamese food tops that list. As for movies, I have watched Army of Darkness too many times to count. It is such a silly movie, but it just has something about it that draws me in every time.
What was your best/worst subjects in school growing up? I was, and am, terrible at math. I suppose this is due to absolute lack of interest. I was always good at science and history. These subjects kept me engaged.
If you could sit down to dinner with anyone (alive or deceased) who would it be and why? The only person that I would want to sit down to dinner with would be my Savior, Yeshua. I am not one to care for anyone’s status, so movie stars, etc., don’t impress me in the least bit.
In addition to medicine, what are you passionate about? Family and my faith
What are your hobbies, interests? Deer hunting, ice fishing and gardening. I really need to find a hobby!
Do you have pets? Godfrey – German Shepherd, 13 years; Roxi – Wire-Haired Terrier, 13 years; Maggie – Brindle Pug, 6 years (I like her more than all four of my children sometimes, LOL)
What is something most people don’t know about you? My initials are B. A. Hooker. I love my parents so much for that naming error!
Primary Specialty
Nurse Practitioner
Practice
Beacon Medical Group Trauma & Surgical Services
Gender
Male
Certification
American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) - 2023, South University - 2020, Indiana University at South Bend - 2016, Ivy Tech State College - Kokomo - 2012
Payment Options
American Express, Check, Discover, Financing, MasterCard, Visa
Not Accepting New Patients
Insurances Accepted
UnitedHealthcare (UHC) Pathways for Aging, Communicare, Mdwise Excel Medicaid (HHW), Plain Church Group, Medicaid Michigan FFS, Anthem Medicaid (HHW HCC), Cigna, UnitedHealthcare (UHC), UnitedHealthcare Medicaid (HCC), Anthem Medicare Advantage, Stratose / National Preferred Provider Network (NPPN), Humana Medicare Advantage, Managed Health Services Medicaid (MHS HCC), Multi Plan / Private Health Care Systems (PHCS), Aetna CVS Health Marketplace (Via CHA ACO, LLC), Community Health Alliance (CHA, Aetna, PHP Freedom, First Health), Aetna Medicare Advantage (Via CHA ACO, LLC), Medicaid Indiana FFS, VA CCN Optum UHC, CareSource Marketplace, CareSource Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP), Anthem BCBS, UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage (UHC), Devoted Health Medicare Advantage (via CHA ACO, LLC), Managed Health Services Medicaid (MHS HHW), Sagamore, CHA ACO LLC dba Beacon ACO, Three Rivers Provider Network (TRPN), CareSource Medicaid (HHW), Mdwise Excel Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP), Anthem Pathways for Aging, Humana Horizon Pathways for Aging, HealthSmart, Anthem Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP), Medicare Railroad, PNOA, Tricare East Humana Military, Immergrun Health Network, Managed Health Services Healthly Indiana Plan (MHS HIP), Ambetter Marketplace (MHS), Medicare FFS
Degrees
Nurse Practitioner
Admitting Hospitals
Elkhart General Hospital
Office Name
Beacon Medical Group Trauma & Surgical Services
Business Hours
Monday:8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday:8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday:8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday:8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday:8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday:Closed
Sunday:Closed
Services
Nurse Practitioner
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