(Atlantic) Cass Health is proud to announce that Brittni Schmidt, RN, BSN, CEN was selected as one of the 2026 Great Iowa Nurses. Great Iowa Nurses is a non-profit program that recognizes nurses in Iowa and spotlights qualities that demonstrate efforts beyond those expected of a nurse within their normal duties.
Schmidt serves as the Director of Educational Services at Cass Health. She first earned her RN in 2019, followed by her BSN in 2020, and is currently on track to complete her Master of Science in Nursing this December.
In her role at Cass Health, Schmidt oversees multiple aspects of education and training. Perhaps most notably, she oversees nursing students and nurse apprentices. Her nominators wrote, “When an idea was born for a nurse apprenticeship, we needed the right leader to make it happen … her passion for education makes her perfect for this new program. She collaborated with leadership to shape an apprenticeship and now oversees the next generation of nurses. We believe that if we want exceptional care for ourselves & loved ones, then we bear the responsibility of teaching exceptional care. Brittni’s contribution to nursing is just that – blending clinical best practices and ongoing education with high expectations for compassion, communication, and integrity. Her legacy will be the LPNs and RNs whom she teaches and impacts.”
Schmidt said, “When I found out that I was being recognized as one of the Great Iowa Nurses, the first thing I thought about was how much I love my job! I think that when you really love what you do that it shows in the quality of your work. It makes me very happy that what I do has a positive impact on our team and the future of healthcare. It is incredibly fulfilling to help people discover their potential, build their skills, and grow them into the best versions of themselves.”
“Brittni is an exceptional leader who is widely respected across our organization for her professionalism, credibility, and collaborative approach,” said Kolton Hewlett, Chief Financial Officer at Cass Health. “Through her work in education, mentorship, and workforce development, she is helping shape the next generation of nurses while strengthening the future of care at Cass Health. Her impact extends well beyond her role, and this recognition reflects the meaningful contributions she makes every day.”
Originally called 100 Great Iowa Nurses, the recognition was established in 2004 and hosted by the University of Iowa until 2020. In 2022, with the support of Mary Greeley Medical Center, the program, now called Great Iowa Nurses, returned to recognize Iowa nurses that routinely go above and beyond every day and take that extra step to ensure safe, compassionate care for their patients. These great nurses share their experience and knowledge to improve the health of their communities. They also take on leadership and mentoring responsibilities, serving as role models for everyone they work with, especially those just entering the profession.
