Brooke Hardtke, RN, BSN
Brooke Hardtke, RN, BSN, is an experienced registered nurse based in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, with more than a decade of clinical practice across emergency medicine, rehabilitation, and primary care settings. She began her healthcare career in 2002 in phlebotomy and expanded her experience through roles in cardiorespiratory care, EKG monitoring, and emergency dispatch, building a strong foundation in fast-paced patient care environments.
After earning her nursing license in 2011, Brooke developed a diverse clinical background that includes approximately 15 years in emergency medicine, where she gained advanced skills in critical thinking, triage, and high-pressure decision-making. She later served as Assistant Director of Nursing at a rehabilitation facility, where she focused on wound care management, staff coordination, and clinical leadership. Her experience also includes teaching nursing skills at Lakeshore Technical College, helping prepare future healthcare professionals for clinical practice.
Brooke’s career further expanded into preoperative care and outpatient services, where she currently works as a Preop Clinic RN at Holy Family Memorial. In this role, she supports patients through surgical preparation, care coordination, and education, ensuring safe and informed procedures. She also brings experience as a remote triage nurse, providing patient guidance, interpreting test results, and coordinating follow-up care with specialty providers.
Now transitioning into public health nursing, Brooke is focusing on community-wide care initiatives, including immunization programs, disease surveillance, and health education. Her extensive and varied clinical background allows her to approach healthcare from both an individual and population health perspective, with a strong commitment to prevention, patient advocacy, and improving long-term community wellness.
• Silver Lake College - B.S. in Biology,
• Lakeshore Technical College - A.S. in Nursing,
• University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh - B.S. in Nursing,
• Concordia University - Partial completion of Nurse Practitioner degree
• Registered Nurse (RN)
• Basic Life Support (BLS)
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) - expired
• Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) - expired
• Emergency Medicine Association
Areas of Specialization/Expertise
- Public Health
- Emergency Medicine
- Triage Nursing
- Wound Management
- Patient Education
- Immunization
What do you enjoy most about practicing medicine?
What I enjoy most about practicing nursing is the hands-on patient interaction and the opportunity to serve as a patient advocate. This aspect of care is what initially drew me to nursing and ultimately guided my decision to pursue it over becoming a physician. I value the ability to spend meaningful time with patients, support their needs directly, and advocate on their behalf—something that can often be limited in other healthcare roles. I discovered early in my career that I have a strong connection to emergency medicine, where I was able to engage in direct patient care while advocating for individuals during critical moments. Today, I am especially excited about transitioning into public health nursing, as it allows me to extend that advocacy beyond individual care and into the broader community through education, prevention, research, and emergency response.
Locations
Holy Family Memorial (Froedtert Holy Family Memorial)
Manitowoc, WI 54220