Nearly 5 million people make up the U.S. nurse population, making it the largest group of health care professionals in the nation. Every year from May 6-12, we celebrate these people during National Nurses Week.
Andreea Baker, Angela Brase and Jody Yank make up our health & wellness team on Doane’s Crete campus. Each one of these people is here to ensure that the students’ well-being is the top priority.
Andreea Baker, director of Health & Wellness, originally pursued a degree in journalism before realizing that she really wanted to help people—specifically kids.
“When I had my son in college, I had a nursing student with me,” Baker said. “It just really reaffirmed why I wanted to go into nursing. She really solidified my choice to go to school.”
Her first job was in the medical reno unit at Bryan East Hospital, which allowed her to take care of people of all ages.
“I was a nursing tech during school on that same floor,” Baker said. “It was a great learning experience.”
Now Baker is involved in both the clinical and administrative sides of healthcare.
“[Working at Doane] presented a great blend of what I wanted to do,” Baker said. “I loved just how much innovation Doane has, and how they did not shy away from trying something different. It’s been a wonderful mix of everything and I’ve loved being here.”
Angela Brase, Registered Nurse (RN), also went into a journalism-related career in advertising before pursuing nursing. Life happened, and she moved to rural Nebraska after working in Minneapolis as a media buyer.
“My grandmother had recently died from cancer, and I wanted to get into a meaningful field, one where I could help others, as well as have a career in a rural area. So, I decided to go to Nursing School,” Brase said. “I have been a nurse for 20 years now.”
She eventually started working at her daughters’ school district, allowing her to share weekends/holidays with her girls. She started subbing for Nurse Kelly Jirovec here at Doane before eventually taking on a permanent role as a nurse practitioner for Doane students.
“My favorite aspect of being a nurse at Doane is meeting so many students with different backgrounds,” Brase said. “Every day is different, but I feel like I can help guide people on their journey through life. Collegiate health is great because we are helping prepare students for their adult life and hopefully giving them the skills to self-manage their health and healthcare choices.”
Jody Yank, Nurse Practitioner (NP), initially was drawn to pharmaceutical work before ultimately pursuing a career that had more direct interactions with patients.
“I’ve always been drawn to both science and helping others,” Yank said. “From an early age, I was fascinated by how the human body works, but it was my personal experiences that truly shaped my path. Experiencing illness and loss at such a young age had a profound impact on me and sparked my desire to be part of a field where I could make a difference during some of life’s most difficult moments.”
Being able to teach her patients about their bodies and why they’re feeling the way it does is one of the most fulfilling parts of the job for Yank.
“Seeing patients gain confidence and improve because of that understanding is incredibly rewarding and one of the most fulfilling parts of my role,” Yank said. “That level of personal interaction is something I value deeply, and it ultimately led me to choose nursing as my career path.”
The American Nurses Enterprise announced that the 2026 National Nurses Week theme is The Power of Nurses™. This special week is held specifically during May, National Nurses Month. This association celebrates these individuals to recognize “the invaluable contributions nurses make in healthcare and our lives while addressing the real-life challenges they face every day.”
Thank our nurses next time you see them!
