Growing up in Hendricks County, Beau Semler has been interested in how things work for as long as he can remember. He was 14 when he realized that his natural curiosity would lead him into a healthcare career. This “aha! moment” came during a visit to Riley Hospital with his brother. “Up to that point, I had never really seen what nursing and other allied health fields did as far as inpatient care,” he said. “I was intrigued.”

Since then, Beau has reinvented himself more than most people do in a lifetime. Beau first pursued physical therapy but found himself gravitating toward nursing. “It took some time to convince myself that nursing was the right field,” he said. “I loved cell biology, how infections worked, and how medications influenced it all. Not stuff that I’d be working with in physical therapy.”

Beau first joined HRH as a member of Volunteer Services, spending a couple days helping out at Physical Therapy. During nursing school, he successfully interviewed for a position as a student nurse. Beau spent six years on the Medical Floor and a little over 10 years in the ICU. “COVID has been an emotional roller coaster,” he said. “We formed bonds with several patients. One huge win we all celebrated for months came from a patient’s daughter, with whom we’d spoken via FaceTime multiple times. She kept us updated on the patient’s recovery, even sending us a video of the patient walking into their home following rehab.”

Beau’s thirst for knowledge and new challenges eventually led him back to school to become a Nurse Practitioner. “I always wanted to continue learning, as I believed that would lead to improved patient care,” he said. “I tell people that I took the ‘scenic route’ to getting through school!”

“NPs are an integral part of HRH’s care model in both the inpatient and outpatient worlds,” said HRH President & CEO Kevin Speer. “Like so many of our associates, Beau’s story is inspiring because he followed his passion in a career he loves.”

Beau encourages anyone looking to potentially make the switch to an advanced degree or new field to pursue the journey. His advanced degree led Beau to a new position in pulmonology. “The providers at Hendricks Pulmonology have been incredibly supportive and welcoming,” he said. “I am inspired by their work ethic and commitment to their patients.”

Beau’s life outside HRH sometimes intersects with his work family. His wife of 13 years, Amy, is a nurse on HRH’s Medical Unit. Both grew up in Hendricks County but didn’t meet until they were enrolled in nursing school. As proud parents of three children, Beau likes to joke their hobbies are fairly limited. “Sleep seems to be the only hobby we have left!”