Letters to the editor: Nov. 16-17, 2024

Published 4:00 am Saturday, November 16, 2024

UT Health celebrates Perioperative Nurses Week

If you or someone you love has had a surgical procedure, a perioperative registered nurse was responsible for you or your loved one’s well-being throughout the operation. Perioperative registered nurses provide specialized nursing care to surgical patients before, during and after surgery in every hospital and ambulatory surgery setting in the United States and around the world.

Nov. 10-16 is Perioperative Nurses Week, an annual celebration of perioperative nurses and their commitment to safe patient care. The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) is the national association representing the interests of over 160,000 perioperative registered nurses in hospitals and outpatient surgery centers. AORN’s 43,000 registered nurse members manage, teach and practice perioperative nursing.

We, as perioperative nurses want our community to know we are working hard to protect you – our patients – when you are most vulnerable. Please join us in celebrating perioperative nurses and our dedication to safe patient care during 2024 Perioperative Nurses Week.

Tania Garcia, Director of Surgical Services; Cheryl Watson, Operating Room Manager; and Dolores Martinez, Surgery Educator

Tyler

Highlighting teachers, noting resources needed

As we observe American Education Week – an annual celebration of our public schools from Nov. 18- 22 – I want to spotlight the essential work of arts teachers, as well as the need to adequately resource arts programs in our state. From band, choir and orchestra to visual arts, literary arts or musical theatre, arts teachers play an invaluable role in shaping our next generation of students.

Beyond fostering creativity and empowering self-expression, arts classes support healthy social-emotional development in kids and teens, in addition to increasing cultural awareness. The Texas Cultural Trust’s biennial State of the Arts Report finds that arts education can lead to increased peer collaboration while also strengthening valuable skills like communication, sharing, and empathy. The impact of this education extends beyond the classroom, as the arts are an essential element of a thriving economy, our rich culture, and the healthy communities in Texas.

However, many of our public school arts programs across the state are under-resourced. To combat these inequities, the Trust provides financial and programmatic support to teachers, school districts and community arts organizations, so that more Texas children can reap the numerous benefits of a quality arts education.

As a proud board member of the Texas Cultural Trust, I hope you join me in celebrating the arts teachers who enrich the minds and lives of our students. We thank you for your commitment to nurturing the next generation of compassionate, creative thinkers, and helping shape the future of Texas in the process.

Tisa Weiss

Tyler