After the retirement of Ruth Sarna, Baker University has officially hired a new full-time nurse for the student health center.

Jody Mitchell, an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), was named to the position last week.

Baker University’s new full time nurse Jody Mitchell goes through a check up with junior Tyler Sloan on March 3.Jordan Ratterman

“She fits in really good here,” Tim Hodges, director of the health and counseling center, said. “Great sense of humor, big heart for the kids – all these experiences. She’s young and energetic and wants to do a lot of educational things for the students. So I think there’ll be an opportunity for us to do more kind of educational outreach.”

On Jan. 6, Dean of Students Cassy Bailey sent a campus email regarding “a few changes” to the health center. The email stated that until the position was filled, the health center would be staffed by subbing nurse practitioners.

Mitchell was one nurse practitioner who filled in for the time being, and the more time she spent on campus, the more interested she became in the position.

“As I’ve been here, I love the students, and it was kind of an easy move for me,” Mitchell said. “I feel like it was almost my calling, because I enjoy this age group so much. I really, really like these kids.”

Before coming to Baker, Mitchell has had years of experience in family medicine. Her experience includes four years in the operating room, about six years as an emergency room nurse, and she worked as a nurse practitioner for Children’s Mercy Hospital. She helped run a city clinic for Lawrence and was also a part of the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) team.

“But I’ve always thought, if I ever win the lotto, that’s the thing that I would go and talk to females in colleges regarding binge drinking and sexual assault,” she said. “That kind of goes hand in hand.”

Mitchell will be able to prescribe medications to students at any time. She will also be able to work with Director of Sports Medicine Lynn Bott and Athletic Trainer Lynsey Payne concerning sports injuries.

“Being in an emergency room all those years, she’s not going to be caught off guard by anything. She’s seen it all,” Hodges said. “So, she can kind of put things in perspective for our students.”

Because of her interest in women’s health, she will play a role in developing changes and improvements to the student health center. She hopes to be able to provide sexually transmitted disease testing, as well as possible implementation of programs dealing with anxiety and depression.

“She has a real vision for sexual health and making that safe,” Hodges said. “It’s safe to come here and ask questions, to talk and not know.”

Although she hasn’t been on campus long, Mitchell is excited about getting the chance to talk to students and offer an ear to listen.

“I am a very down to earth person when it comes to talking to people,” she said. “So, people come in with all different types of questions, and they don’t need to be embarrassed about anything, or nervous or anything.”