As we kick off Nurses Week, May 6-12, the spotlight turns on those professionals who serve at the heart of our health care system.
For many, the image of nursing remains the caregiver at the bedside, dispensing the comfort and compassion central to the profession. However, nursing has evolved into a multidisciplinary profession encompassing patient care, direct practice, education, research and health care administration.
This year’s theme from the American Nurses Association, “The Power of Nurses,” underscores nursing’s vital — sometimes unrecognized — presence. Whether in hospitals, homes, clinics, labs, classrooms or boardrooms, nurses are caregivers, educators, advocates, healers and more.
Taylor McCoy is one of those pursuing an advanced degree at the UF College of Nursing. The critical care nurse’s path to the profession was not traditional but illustrates the dedication at the heart of Nurses Week.
Taylor, a Gainesville native and current Doctor of Nursing Practice student, did not start her career in scrubs. After earning her first degree in public health from the University of South Florida, she soon yearned for a more direct way to impact lives. That search led her from working as an intern for the American Red Cross to massage therapy school and eventually to nursing, where she discovered her calling.
At the Red Cross, she worked in an office helping with disaster relief and preparedness projects.
“I didn’t see myself working in an office, and I didn’t know what to do at that point, so I went to massage school for six months and re-evaluated my next step,” Taylor said.
In massage school, she discovered her talent for working with patients.
“I realized that I wanted to work more directly with people, making an impact with the individual,” she said. “I learned in massage therapy school that I have a good sense of empathy. A lot of my patients say that I am gentle yet stern.”
That is when she decided to start her nursing journey. She became a certified nursing assistant and began working in an orthopedics unit.
“I got to see what nurses do on a day-to-day basis,” she said. “I liked being a part of helping people regain their normalcy.”
She began nursing school and graduated in 2019. Taylor has worked in high-pressure environments, including surgical and burn ICUs and even took her skills on the road as a travel nurse. She has treated patients in trauma centers and small rural hospitals, always returning to her core motivation: to help people rebuild their strength and reclaim their lives.
Today, she balances 12-hour shifts at UF Health Shands, demanding clinicals for the DNP program and caring for her dog, Peanut, a toy fox terrier and Chihuahua mix. She says the most demanding stretch of her DNP education came during a period where she put in nine straight 12-hour days between work and clinicals.
On her rare days off, she enjoys birdwatching and resting. But for Taylor, it has been worth the effort. It is a drive that defines the dedication, adaptability and compassion of nursing.
“I think nurses should be highly valued for what we do,” she says. “We care for people at their most vulnerable, and that responsibility is intimate and lasting.”
As she prepares to graduate in 2026 and step into an advanced practice role, Taylor is driven by a desire to make an even greater impact on patient care — this time by making the decisions that shape outcomes. Her story illustrates that nursing is not just a profession; it’s a lifelong commitment to care.
Shakira Henderson, PhD, DNP, MS, MPH, EMBA, IBCLC, RNC-NIC, College of Nursing Dean and UF Health Chief Nursing Executive, reflected on the week.
“Nurses Week is a powerful reminder of the heart and soul nurses bring to every corner of health care,” she said. “At UF Health and the College of Nursing, we celebrate the expertise, resilience and compassion our nurses demonstrate daily. Their work not only transforms individual lives but strengthens entire communities. This week, and every week, we honor their extraordinary impact.”
The role of a nurse has grown exponentially in recent decades. Today’s nurses are highly skilled professionals who use advanced technologies, interpret complex data, make critical decisions and often lead interdisciplinary care teams. Many also pursue advanced practice degrees to take on leadership and provider roles that expand their impact. Others focus on education and research, leading the development of the next generation of nurses and bringing forth the latest innovations and breakthroughs in health care.