Dr. Brian Dankowski currently serves as nursing faculty and the Program Director for the Medical Assistant, Phlebotomy, EKG (MAPE) Program for the Great Basin College School of Nursing and Health Sciences and Human Services. He also serves as the District 1 Treasurer for the Nevada Nurses Association (NNA), Executive Board Member for the Nevada Nurses Foundation, and as a member of the NNA’s Legislative Committee. 

Brian was born and raised in Elko, Nevada, and was the first in his family to complete a college degree. He earned his Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (ADN) at Great Basin College in 2015. He then went on to earn his Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at Great Basin College in 2017. In 2020, he completed his Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), specializing in Nursing Education at the University of Nevada, Reno 2020. Brian was awarded his Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), specializing in Clinical Education Leadership, in 2022 at the University of Nevada, Reno. 

Dr. Dankowski has a wide variety of experience working in nursing and nursing education. Brian has worked in skilled nursing and wound care. He later worked in primary care, occupational health, mental health, pediatrics, and urgent care. Brian worked as a charge nurse and was later promoted to Director of Nursing. After completing his BSN, Brian began his journey in education, where he was able to teach in the nursing skills lab for first-year nursing students and teach American Heart Association Basic Life Support at Great Basin College. After earning his MSN, Brian began taking clinical rotations for first-year nursing students and assisting in the skills lab. In 2020, Brian transitioned to academia full-time as the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Program Coordinator and nursing faculty. In 2020, Brian transitioned to full-time nursing faculty. As part of his doctoral residency program, Dr. Dankowski developed the MAPE Program, which he is now the director of. Brian teaches in the Great Basin College School of Nursing ADN and BSN programs, Certified Nursing Assistant Program, and MAPE Program. 

Brian’s research interests reflect his professional and educational successes. His passion is to improve access to high-quality healthcare for vulnerable populations through addressing education gaps in nursing. He is also interested in advocacy for the nursing profession, addressing nursing resilience, and addressing the health disparities of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, asexual, intersex (LGBTQIA+) in rural Nevada. He is currently working on a manuscript for publication related to nursing resilience after the Covid-10 Pandemic. 

                               Education 

Doctor of Nursing Practice, Clinical Nurse Educator Leadership Track                       December 2022

University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV

Navy Award for Advancement in Nursing

Master of Science in Nursing, Nurse Educator Track                                                                May 2020

University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV

Phi Kappa Phi, Sigma Theta Tau,

Golden Key International Honor Society, Dean’s Award-Master’s Student-

Highest GPA for all graduate programs

Bachelor of Science in Nursing                                                                                                                 May 2017

Great Basin College, Elko, NV, cum laude, Dean’s List, Phi Theta Kappa

Associate of Applied Science in Nursing                                                                                            May 2015

Great Basin College, Elko, NV, Dean’s List

Associate of Arts                                                                                                                                               May 2015

Great Basin College, Elko, NV, Dean’s List

Service and Leadership

Nevada Nurses Association- District 1 Treasurer                                                        2023-Present

Active Member. Allocate all funds for NNA District 1, file  

District 1 taxes, maintain District 1 bank account and deposits,

attend district and state NNA meetings. Assist with Nurses Day

at the Legislature.

Nevada Nurses Foundation                                                                                                       2024-Present

Executive Board Member

Nevada Nurses Association Rural Symposium-Guest Speaker                          2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

Presented an educational intervention for Nevada’s nurses

to provide culturally sensitive care to the lesbian, gay, bisexual,

transgender, queer, intersex, asexual (LGBTQIA+) population.

Nevada Nurses Association Legislative Committee                                                   2018 – Present

Active member. Assist committee as needed