Family’s nursing roots run deep in patient care
Four family members combine 48 years of service within the nursing department at University of Iowa Health Care. The patients, culture, and each other keep them reaching for more.
In life, role models often surface through various experiences and interactions, but for staff nurse Angelina Weaver, BSN, RN, that relationship started in the place where she felt the most comfort — her childhood home.
She’s one of four members in her family who, together, have contributed 48 years of service to University of Iowa Health Care, specifically within the nursing department.
“When I was younger, just seeing my family in those roles, being so knowledgeable — I thought was super neat,” Angelina says. “I wanted to be a nurse or health care worker too."
Angelina began her career with UI Health Care as a unit assistant in the Emergency Department (ED) on the university campus, then shortly after transitioned to a patient care technician within the Intensive Surgical Services (ISS) float pool. During that time, she also attended school, eventually earning her BSN in December 2025. Today, Angelina works as a pediatric nurse at UI Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital.
“When I worked in the float pool as a patient care technician, it was very insightful learning within different units across the hospital, but building familial relationships was difficult at times,” Angelina says. “I knew I was making a difference in patients’ lives then, but today, in this role, I can see it in real time.”
The early days
The family’s nursing legacy began with Angelina’s mother, Tracey Weaver, a former nursing assistant who set an inspiring example for her daughters from an early age. For seven years, Tracey worked overnight shifts in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the university campus, allowing her to spend her days at home with Angelina and her older sister, Courtney. As the family grew, eventually welcoming twin daughters Sophia and Alyssa, she made the difficult decision to step away from nursing and focus full-time on raising her children.
“The patients, families, staff, environment — it was a wonderful unit to work on,” Tracey says.
Her passion, combined with her partner’s, Douglas (known to most as Luke) Beckley, formed a lasting impact within their home.
Like Tracey, Beckley, a current UI Health Care employee of more than 24 years, also began his career as a nursing assistant. Over the years, he’s held several roles within various departments including the Adult Hematology/Oncology & Palliative Unit, the Operating Room (OR) where he worked with surgeons as a retractor holder, and today as a clinical technician within anesthesiology at the North Liberty campus.
Beckley says the variety of opportunities and knowing you made an impact on someone’s life is what’s kept him at UI Health Care all these years. But it’s the unique bond with his family that gets him through each day.
“I can go home and talk about my job, without actually disclosing information, and they understand it,” Beckley says. “If you talk to someone who has no background in medicine, they don’t get it.”
For Courtney Bates (Weaver), medical assistant II, a career in health care was shaped not only by her mother’s example, but also by Beckley’s encouragement.
“He helped me get my first nursing assistant position and prepared me for what to expect,” Bates says.
Bates began her UI Health Care career in 2015 working within adult inpatient care, before moving to the Department of Family and Community Medicine where she currently serves as a co-lead for medical assistant operations, supporting both clinical responsibilities and direct patient care.
“I see a variety of things each day working in family medicine, whether that’s treating a newborn or helping an elderly patient,” Bates says. “There’s so much to learn. Family medicine is just a fun place to be.”
This is home
Although the family’s careers have taken them to different patients, departments, and through stages of life, their experiences across our health care system have reinforced the same sense of belonging. From adult inpatient care to pediatrics to family medicine, two things remain constant: They look to each other as mentors, and they view UI Health Care as home.
“UI Health Care is a place where people invest in you,” Angelina says. “You feel valued, supported, and encouraged to grow. I’ve never worked with people who are so compassionate, understanding, and flexible as they are here.”
“If you could get a sneak peek at what employees experience here, you’d want to work here,” Beckley adds. “I enjoy the people I work with and that is what makes the day a little bit easier on both the good and the bad days.”
