When Jordan (Olson) Drane ’15 was completing her school nurse clinical rotation as a student in the Presentation Sisters Department of Nursing at St. Çï¿ûÊÓƵ, she remembers enjoying it, and thought it might be a good retirement gig one day.
“I didn't necessarily picture myself doing it now, I more so pictured it maybe down the road sort of thing.”
While on maternity leave with her first child, she decided to explore nursing jobs in the area. At the time, she was employed at a pediatrician office. She saw a posting for a school nurse position at Mark Twain Elementary School in Bettendorf, Iowa. Then she took a leap of faith.
“I’m very happy doing it now at a younger age,” she said, now seven years into the position. “Every day is different, kind of a new adventure.”
Drane says that’s the beauty of nursing – you’re never stuck anywhere. School nursing allows her to practice multiple areas of medicine. She helps students with their physical and mental health, is responsible for disease reporting and student care coordination, and collaborates with the Health Department.
“School nurses are more than band-aids and ice packs,” Drane reflected. “Essentially our job is to keep kids healthy so they can learn. Every kid deserves a school nurse, and not just one day a week, but truly, all day, every day.”
Her passion for the job is evident. She serves on multiple committees at the school and district level and took on a leadership role with the Iowa School Nursing Organization.
In a letter of recommendation nominating Drane for 2025 Iowa School Nurse of the Year, Chad Uhde, principle of Mark Twain Elementary, wrote, “Jordan is an exceptional professional whose dedication, leadership, and compassion have left an indelible mark on our school community.”
Choosing St. Çï¿ûÊÓƵ
Her readiness for the job and to take on leadership positions is thanks in part to her St. Ambrose education.
“I learned so much in the nursing program,” Drane reflected. “It touched on all aspects of nursing and provided me with a good foundation. The program prepares new nurses to be successful in their roles, whatever that may end up looking like.”
Drane transferred to St. Ambrose after two years of community college. While at SAU, she gained valuable experience serving on the board of the Student Nurse Association, laying a foundation to courageously and confidently take on the many leadership roles she now holds.
“The leadership exposure was very beneficial. I know that’s carried over. I think that's why it was a little less nerve wracking to take on a board position with the Iowa School Nursing Organization too.” In her capacity as president of the organization, Drane presents at local, state and national conferences.
This past legislative session, her role also brought her before state lawmakers as they considered policy that would allow districts to hire an athletic trainer in place of a school nurse.
“This job isn't within the scope of an athletic trainer,” Drane said. “They’re great at what they do, but truly, the best option is what we should strive for – a school nurse in every school – not plan B.”
“Helping is my passion”
At Mark Twain Elementary, Drane cares for over 400 preschool through 5th grade students. She is a member of her school's Crisis Response Team and Crisis Response Violence Prevention Team. She serves on her school’s Interventions for Families Team, where she plays a key role in identifying and addressing the needs of families requiring additional support. She also serves as the nurse representative for the Bettendorf Community School District’s Wellness Committee. The work she does on these committees makes a marked difference in the lives of hundreds of students.
“Our high school vending machines recently had a change, and they were originally stocked with Monster Energy drinks,” she said, providing an example of the work of the Wellness Committee. “The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend above 100 milligrams of caffeine for kids under the age of 18. So, as a team, we advocated for change to take place. And I can say that once we got involved, by the next business day, those were taken out.”
Her passion for service stems from deep rooted desire to make an impact on people’s lives.
“I love helping others,” Drane said. “My husband always jokes, he doesn’t think I know the word no. It’s always, ‘Yeah, sure! What do you need? How can I help?’”
One of Drane’s notable achievements over the past year was helping her school earn their Project ADAM designation – a program that ensures schools are properly equipped to respond to cardiac emergencies.
Drane was the team lead. Alongside her administrator, they identified team members who could provide support during a cardiac event, from opening the door for emergency responders and ensuring crowd control to actually performing CPR.
Prior to receiving their designation, Drane trained staff and held drills to ensure school employees were comfortable and knowledgeable about responding to cardiac events.
“I trained the staff to identify signs and to be comfortable with hand only CPR, because compressions save lives,” Drane said. “Just educating them on the importance of being ready to go.”
Drane chose nursing because she wanted to build relationships and see the impact of her work. Through school nursing, she’s able to watch students grow from toddlers into pre-teens and care for them not just for a brief moment in their lives, but, instead, over some of their most formative years.
“Some of these kids I’ve had since they were three years old,” she said. “I really enjoy the relationships I’ve built with families and the students. It’s always a nice surprise when they come back to visit, or they see me somewhere and remember a time I gave them a band-aid or helped them with something.”
Drane hopes to inspire future nurses to see the important role school nurses play in the lives of students and their families. She does her part to instill this lesson by serving as a preceptor for local BSN and MSN students.
“They are with me for a day to get their school nurse hours during their pediatric rotation. I enjoy doing that because I still remember my school nurse clinical hours. I get to show them that it’s so much more than band-aids and ice packs. It's a good feeling to educate the next generation of nurses.”
