Doris Jackson was recently named director of the Lone Star College-North Harris nursing program. Jackson most recently worked at LSC-Kingwood for the past six years, but comes to the LSC-North Harris program with 38 years of clinical experience.
While at LSC-Kingwood, Jackson served as a faculty member, team leader of their transition program and faculty advisor for their student nurse association. Her decades of clinical experience include a pediatric specialization with experience as a nurse and nurse manager at Texas Children’s Hospital, in addition to working at several Memorial Hermann hospitals.
According to Dr. Bill Drees, dean of instruction, Health and Human Services at LSC-North Harris, “Doris comes to us with tremendous clinical and classroom experience. Our students will truly benefit not only from her knowledge, but from her love of the nursing profession as well.”
Jackson’s desire to help others developed at a young age. As a child, Jackson could often be found playing nurse or doctor. According to Jackson, “My mother was a nurse and I always wanted to be like her.” Sadly, her mother died from open heart surgery when Jackson was a high school senior. Jackson also cared for her father, who was a diabetic, giving him insulin shots. “I guess you can say my curiosity and caring ignited my nursing career. I was determined to make my father better and wipe out his diabetes,” she said.
Throughout her nursing career, Jackson has had numerous rewarding moments such as receiving a hug and a smile from a child who received a heart transplant and was going home to the “ah ha” moments of students when they complete their first IV insertion or use therapeutic communication with patients.
Even though the nursing industry is facing many challenges, the most serious being the projected nursing shortage of two billion nurses that began in 2015, Jackson is determined to enhance her students’ knowledge and skills to ensure those who need it receive quality healthcare. She said, “My desire is to teach students to think intensively, holistically, compassionately, yet critically, and provide all of the necessary tools for them to become competent and caring nurses.”
Lone Star College’s nursing program was recently ranked fourth in the nation by Community College Week as a top associate degree producer.
“Although there are numerous challenges nurses are faced with, having compassion and passion for the nursing profession, caring for those who are unable to care for themselves when faced with an illness, is supreme,” Jackson added.
Jackson started as an LVN from St. Philip’s College in San Antonio before receiving a BSN and MSN – Nursing Leadership and Management from Prairie View A&M University. Jackson then earned a Doctorate of Health Administration, specializing in Healthcare Leadership, from Capella University. Last year, she was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott as a Board member on the Texas Board of Nursing and was honored by Lone Star College with a Faculty Excellence Award. Additionally, in 2012, Jackson was named a Lone Star College Academy Fellow.
Lone Star College-North Harris is located at 2700 W.W. Thorne Drive, one-half mile south of FM 1960 East, between Aldine-Westfield and Hardy Roads. For more information about the college, call 281.618.5400 or visit LoneStar.edu/NorthHarris.
Known for its leadership, innovation and steadfast commitment to student success, Lone Star College provides high-quality academic transfer and workforce education / career training programs to more than 83,000 credit students each semester, and a total enrollment of 95,000 students. LSC is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to promote student success and economic prosperity. Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., is the chancellor of LSC, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area, which consists of six colleges, eight centers, two university centers, Lone Star Corporate College and LSC-Online. To learn more visit LoneStar.edu.
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