UH honoring nurses, encouraging aspiring students for National Nurses Week
SUGAR LAND, Texas - It's National Nurses' Week, a time to appreciate those who are on the front lines of healthcare every single day, and who put themselves at risk to help us all get through a global pandemic.
National Nurses Week 2022: Freebies and deals offered by restaurants, brands
"They have worked extremely hard, harder than they’ve ever had to work in their lives," said Kathryn Tart, founding Dean for the University of Houston's School of Nursing.
The University of Houston nursing program was forced to go virtual for quite some time, but now as our nation eases out of the pandemic all students are back to full-time in-person classes, which is essential for them to get the hands-on experience they need.
PREVIOUS: Will 'compassion fatigue' and surge in COVID-19 cases discourage aspiring nursing students?
Dean Tart says since the pandemic they’ve seen more people looking to enroll in nursing school, which was especially noted by nursing students we spoke with.
"I feel like a lot of people with the pandemic wanted to do something, and I felt with nurses they were in the action, and so I wanted to be a part of that action and a part of the solution," said Kathleen Boyce, a nursing student.
RELATED: Houston nurse creates app to help nurses provide virtual wound care
And as our nation recovers from COVID-19 there is still a high and urgent demand for more nurses, especially in Texas.
"Nurses' value has increased because we need more of them, in Texas, we need more nurses because we have people moving into our state, we have people who are getting older and need more care," said Dean Tart.
RELATED: Nursing shortage affecting hospitals across the nation amid COVID-19 pandemic
By the end of this year, the University Of Houston's nursing program in Sugar Land will have graduated more than 130-students, an increase from years prior.
You can find more information about the nursing program here: How to apply - University of Houston (uh.edu)