Faculty reflect on Nurses Week

The nursing faculty at Texas Woman’s University hold a unique perspective on Nurses Week as nurses and nurse educators. So this Nurses Week, we wanted to hear what they had to say.

“The nurse serves as a linchpin with life-changing, transformative power to serve patients and families in meaningful ways, often in the most vulnerable moments of life,” said Jayne Jennings Dunlap, DNP, APRN. 

While Dunlap uses the week to celebrate individual and collective efforts of nurses committed to uphold the highest standards of excellence in healthcare, Alex Klacman, PhD, RN, tries to also take time to reflect in addition to celebrate. 

“As nurses, we are the largest group of healthcare professionals. We are constantly being asked to do more with fewer resources, but yet we continue to provide care that is safe and patient-centered, even with all we are tasked to do. We never really have time to stop and celebrate who we are as professionals and the hundreds of thousands of lives that we impact daily because of our unique perspective and focus on the whole person,” said Klacman, who also reflects on nurses who shaped her own career.

Neither Dunlap nor Klacman overlook the awesome responsibility of being a nurse. 

“It is a true honor and privilege to be a nurse. The public relies on our service and we take that charge very seriously,” Dunlap said.

“I feel a sense of pride and honor that I get to call myself a nurse. When I was a new nurse, I always had a sense of pride knowing I could go to work and make an impact on the lives of others and then clock out knowing that someone trusted me enough to allow me the opportunity to care for them,” Klacman said. “It reminds me of just how much responsibility I have as I am the last line of defense before anything happens to a patient under my care.”

It is a responsibility that both take to their roles as nurse educators as well, along with their colleagues. 

“I sincerely enjoy working with and learning from our remarkable students who will go on to touch countless lives throughout their careers,” Dunlap said. “These nurses are prepared to respond quickly and accurately in emergencies and so much more. They are also trained to be humble and kind.” 

Nurse leaders across Texas continually laud Pioneer nurses as the best and most prepared around according to Klacman. A 98% pass rate on the NCLEX, the nursing licensure exam, backs up the statement. 

“I have not yet met one faculty member who I work with whose focus is on anything other than preparing our students to be the best that they can be. It pushes me to be the best that I can be because I work with others who are the best they can be,” Klacman said. “We truly are a team committed to the success of every one of our students.”

For Dunlap, whether it’s seeing her students hooded as a Doctor of Nursing Practice or publishing impactful research, their success drives her. 

“By far, my favorite part of the job is watching our students succeed at the end of their journey with us,” Dunlap said. “I know these nurses are going to take our profession to places we have never seen before.”

Page last updated 10:53 AM, May 9, 2025