SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 31, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Western Governors University (WGU) will honor and celebrate nearly 11,000 night shift nurses and other healthcare professionals across 11 states to acknowledge their extra hour on duty as daylight savings time ends on November 3.
While most will enjoy more rest when clocks roll back, nurses and other healthcare professionals on the night shift will have to work the 2 a.m. hour twice. In recognition of their selfless dedication, WGU staff will deliver more than 750 curated appreciation kits to more than 40 hospitals and healthcare facilities across Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.
“WGU’s Night Shift Nurse campaign is an initiative to thank the nurses and other healthcare professionals around us, not just because of the extra hour they spend caring for their patients when Daylight Saving Time ends, but for all the hours they dedicate to creating an impact on human life; they are the heart of our healthcare system,” said Anmy Mayfield, LSH vice president and dean for the College of Nursing. “These amazing professionals work tirelessly, and oftentimes, when we recover, we forget to thank them, but that doesn’t stop them from going above and beyond their duty every single time! I express a heartfelt thank you for your compassion, care, dedication, and unwavering service, that so often comes at the cost of your own personal sacrifices.”
The appreciation kits, which are personally delivered by WGU staff members, include medical scissors, retractable badge clips, pen lights, lip balms, eye masks and hand sanitizers. Those who receive items from the appreciation kits will have a chance to enter giveaway raffles for items such as Owala water bottles and Visa gift cards. The appreciation kits are the focal point of WGU’s annual Night Shift Nurse campaign.
As a part of the campaign, WGU is offering a special Night Shift Workers Scholarship, valued at up to $4,000, for current students or alumni looking to return to school and advance their careers. The deadline to apply is December 31, 2024.
Celebrating the vital contributions of nurses and other healthcare professionals highlights their critical role in ensuring the health and safety of our communities. In that spirit, WGU recently launched its Heartbeat of Healthcare Scholarship to support its registered nurse (RN) students joining the redesigned Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-to-BSN) and the bridge Master of Science in Nursing (RN-to-MSN) program at the Michael O. Leavitt School of Health (LSH). The $10 million investment, running through June 2025, aims to advance access to the university’s high-quality nursing program and address the demand for more baccalaureate and graduate nurses for improved patient care.
About Michael O. Leavitt School of Health (LSH)
The school, named in honor of the former governor of Utah and former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, was established in 2006 with the mission to make a difference in the fields of healthcare, nursing, and higher education through competency-based education. The school conferred 5.4 percent of all bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing across the country during the 2021-2022 academic year. According to the Utah Foundation Research Brief, LSH represents more than 170,000 jobs in the healthcare industry and the school produced a whopping 17 percent of the nation’s registered nurses earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2021. The school has also been recognized for its impact by Platte County, Missouri. With more than 100,000 graduates and over 118,000 degrees already conferred by LSH, the school presently serves nearly 25,000 students nationwide. Learn more at Leavitt School of Health (wgu.edu).
About WGU
Western Governors University, the nation’s leading nonprofit, online university, is transforming higher education to be more student-centric, affordable, accessible to all and relevant to the workforce. Established in 1997 by 19 visionary U.S. governors, WGU creates life-changing pathways to opportunity for those underserved by traditional institutions — working adults, historically underrepresented communities and a diverse, growing number of learners looking for a flexible, online model that better suits their life circumstances. WGU’s competency-based education model allows students to demonstrate mastery as they progress through programs at their own pace.
Accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, WGU operates in all 50 states and offers more than 80 programs in health, education, technology and business. WGU serves more than 175,000 students nationwide, with more than 340,000 alumni, and has awarded more than 380,000 degrees. Learn more at wgu.edu. Follow WGU on X at @wgu and on LinkedIn.