OU Health to invest millions for nurses

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (KSWO) - OU Health announced on Monday it is investing $25 million in its nursing workforce.

The investment includes pay increases for frontline nurses and nurse supervisors. This investment positions OU Health as the regional leader in nursing compensation.

OU Health has already invested $50 million in 2021 for paid parental leave and $20,000 in fertility services per employee.

Acting CEO of OU Health Harold Burkart said investing in nurses also helps patient care.

“Nursing is the absolute cornerstone of direct patient care,” Burkhart said. “After the surgery, through rehab or recovery, or throughout an extended illness, the connections that nurses make with patients and families are the foundation of a positive patient experience.”

OU Health, like most healthcare systems across Oklahoma and the nation, are facing a shortage of nurses and a nursing workforce fatigued by the COVID-19 pandemic.

More information can be found on the OU Health website.