Advancing health heroes
Advancing health heroes Heroes do wear masks When COVID cases spiked across the U.S. early in 2020, health care workers faced a perilous shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). Fuqin Liu, Ph.D., an associate professor of nursing, mobilized fellow health care professionals to raise funds to purchase PPE for first responders throughout the region. Within weeks, the volunteer effort raised 9,500 and collected hundreds of thousands of pieces of critical gear for health providers in Texas and Oklahoma. Nursing alumni volunteer at COVID hot spots Furloughed from clinics that offered mostly elective surgeries, nurses Courtney Waddle (BS ’12) and Maybelle Anderson (BS ’12) volunteered to ease front-line staffing shortages at hospitals in COVID-ravaged New York City. They provided critical support to patients treated in hallways; relatives unable to visit dying family members; and health care workers forced to re-use soiled protective gear. 8
Students find reward in pandemic response Dallas and Houston nursing students got an experience no textbook could match in supporting the COVID response. Students took up to 600 daily calls at centers to offer guidance to concerned, symptomatic patients. “I am glad I’m able to provide a valuable service during this difficult time,” said Houston nursing student Douglas Schwartz. 24% of nursing Ph.D.s conferred by Texas public universities come from TWU (public universities) 3,200+ COVID vaccinations given by TWU nursing students 9
