Carol Valdez, FNP - St Joseph Family Medicine

About Jacob Keultjes The field of healthcare is a part of life for Jacob Keultjes, NP. His mother and wife are Nurse Practitioners and he has many aunts and cousins who are nurses. But it was his mother’s example that led him to a career in the medical field. “My mother decided to advance herself and went to nursing school when I was 8 years old. I saw how that kindled a passion in her,” he says. Her experiences had an impact on Jacob. “Those stories opened my eyes to the idea that I could choose a career that could make an immediate difference on someone’s life.” Jacob earned his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from IU South Bend and his Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner, from Goshen College. He worked with the Memorial Trauma Team for many years, first at bedside and then as a performance improvement coordinator. “The opportunity to take those experiences with me to a growing program and apply them as an NP was exciting,” he says. “Also, variety is the ‘spice of life’ for me. Not only do I get to work with trauma patients, but I also am able to work with the surgical patients.” Jacob has worked in trauma services and ICU/CVICU and has certifications and special training in critical care and trauma. These experiences have shaped his philosophy as a provider. “…to the best of our ability, we need to include patients in all decision making, because they help us understand the nuances that may make all the difference in their health,” he says. As he continues to be a resource for his patients as they navigate the healthcare system, he is glad to be doing this work at Beacon. “I have been with Beacon since 2009 and have seen many changes. What has stayed the same is that the people at the bedside truly care about the patients.” In his own words… Who is or was the most influential person/role model in your life? In my career, easily my mom was the most influential. She has been an amazing example for me. Both of my grandmother’s also set great example on what it means to give selflessly to others. What was your first job growing up? What do you remember about it? I worked as a mechanic from the age of 16 until I started working in the hospital as a PCA. I remember gaining an appreciation for how much faster practice can make someone at doing a task. Things that took me an hour would take the experienced guys 20 minutes to do. What is your favorite food? Easy – ice cream. Anyone who knows me, knows I have a wicked sweet tooth. What was your worst subject in school growing up? I hated reading until the 5th grade and that made English extremely painful. That all changed when I got in to Harry Potter. Something about those books caught my imagination and helped me develop my reading skill to the point where now I love to read. If you could sit down to dinner with anyone (alive or deceased) who would it be and why? I would love to be able to ask my grandmothers if they felt I was living up to their expectations. In addition to that, I would just love to hear more of their stories. What are your hobbies, interests? I love reading, specifically fantasy and science fiction. I like to be self-sufficient in the sense that I do most of the renovation or repair work at my house. I also enjoy building things out of wood. Last year I built a new playground for my children. Do you have pets? We have one dog, although my youngest daughter is trying very hard to get a cat.

Don't wait to get the important care you need. At Ascension, we have changed the ways we provide care. In-person and virtual visits are available. When you need care, Ascension is committed to keeping you safe while you're receiving it. Our hospitals and clinics have implemented safety precautions to protect our patients and our care teams. From screening our associates to rigorous cleaning and disinfecting procedures, we are balancing care with caution. Call to discuss the right option for your care and to learn more about specific safety and visitor guidelines.

Lot C, Door 53