LATINX THEATRE PROJECT | SIX BRIDGES BOOK FESTIVAL | POT RX HAUL: $131 MILLION
ARKANSASTIMES.COM
OCTOBER 2020
DESTINATION DINING, MURAL HOPPING AND CAMPING IN THE AGE OF COVID
PLUS! 2020 NURSES GUIDE
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OCTOBER 2020 ‘UNEXPECTED’ IN FORT SMITH: This mural by Guido van Helten at OK Foods and others throughout town are part of statewide renaissance of the art form.
FEATURE 20 DESTINATION: OUT-OF-THE-WAY DINING, CAMPING, HIKING
The Arkansas Times staff guides readers to favorite food-and-nature-based road trips.
9 THE FRONT
The Inconsequential News Quiz: Let’s Get Ready to Electorally Rumble Edition. Q&A: With Dr. Jose Romero.
13 THE TO-DO LIST
Hit the drive-in for Filmland and Hot Springs for documentaries, attend Six Bridges Book Festival by Zoom, see comedy live at The Joint, raise money for school at a John Prine tribute concert and more. 4 OCTOBER 2020
ARKANSAS TIMES
16 NEWS & POLITICS Save an October surprise, Trump could lose the presidency.
46 CULTURE
The LatinX Theatre Project gives voice to the voiceless. By Christian Leus
By Ernest Dumas
37 SAVVY KIDS
News & Notes: How to Halloween. Feature: Dyslexia. Meet the Parent: Heather Chapman-Henry.
50 CANNABIZ
57 SPECIAL AD SECTION: NURSES GUIDE
The career opportunities in nursing are many, from hospital to community health centers to education.
Medical marijuana news roundup. By Griffin Coop
90 THE OBSERVER Boo.
ON THE COVER: A bird’s eye view of state Hwy. 43 near Ponca illustrates why you should welcome fall with a road trip. Photograph by Jeff Rose.
See the beauty of the United States through the lens of Ansel Adams, with 100 of the artist's photographs plus the art of 24 contemporary photographers influenced by his work.
479.418.5700 Bentonville, AR
Sep. 19–Jan. 3
Get tickets at CrystalBridges.org.
$12, FREE for members, veterans, and youth ages 18 and under.
This exhibition was organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. SPONSORED AT CRYSTAL BRIDGES BY
ConAgra Brands • Reed and Mary Ann Greenwood • Harriet and Warren Stephens, Stephens Inc. Harrison and Rhonda French Family • Micky and Marybeth Mayfield • Donna and Mack McLarty Mark McLarty • Catherine and Stephan Roche • Lamar and Shari Steiger • Mark and Diane Simmons Rebecca Hurst and Jim Smith | Smith Hurst, PLC • Jim and Susan von Gremp • Galen, Debi, and Alice Havner Jeremy L. Goldstein • Dewitt and Cindy Smith • Anonymous
Ansel Adams, The Tetons and Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 1942, photograph, gelatin silver print. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The Lane Collection, 2018.2733. © The Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust. Courtesy, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
PUBLISHER Alan Leveritt EDITOR Lindsey Millar CREATIVE DIRECTOR Mandy Keener SENIOR EDITOR Max Brantley MANAGING EDITOR Leslie Newell Peacock ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Stephanie Smittle ASSOCIATE EDITOR Rhett Brinkley CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Benjamin Hardy, Mara Leveritt PHOTOGRAPHER Brian Chilson DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL STRATEGY Jordan Little ADVERTISING ART DIRECTOR Mike Spain GRAPHIC DESIGNER Katie Hassell DIGITAL MARKETING SPECIALIST Lucy Baehr DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING Phyllis A. Britton ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Brooke Wallace, Lee Major, Terrell Jacob and Kaitlyn Looney ADVERTISING TRAFFIC MANAGER Roland R. Gladden IT DIRECTOR Robert Curfman CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Jackson Gladden CONTROLLER Weldon Wilson BILLING/COLLECTIONS Charlotte Key PRODUCTION MANAGER Ira Hocut (1954-2009)
association of alternative newsmedia
FOR SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE CALL: (501) 375-2985 Subscription prices are $60 for one year. VOLUME 47 ISSUE 2 ARKANSAS TIMES (ISSN 0164-6273) is published each month by Arkansas Times Limited Partnership, 201 East Markham Street, Suite 200, Little Rock, Arkansas, 72201, phone (501) 375-2985. Periodical postage paid at Little Rock, Arkansas, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ARKANSAS TIMES, 201 EAST MARKHAM STREET, SUITE 200, Little Rock, AR, 72201. Subscription prices are $60 for one year. For subscriber service call (501) 375-2985. Current single-copy price is $5, free in Pulaski County. Single issues are available by mail at $5.00 each, postage paid. Payment must accompany all orders. Reproduction or use in whole or in part of the contents without the written consent of the publishers is prohibited. Manuscripts and artwork will not be returned or acknowledged unless sufficient return postage and a self-addressed stamped envelope are included. All materials are handled with due care; however, the publisher assumes no responsibility for care and safe return of unsolicited materials. All letters sent to ARKANSAS TIMES will be treated as intended for publication and are subject to ARKANSAS TIMES’ unrestricted right to edit or to comment editorially. ©2020 ARKANSAS TIMES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
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ARKANSAS TIMES
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8 OCTOBER 2020
ARKANSAS TIMES
THE FRONT
INCONSEQUENTIAL NEWS QUIZ
LET’S GET READY TO ELECTORALLY RUMBLE EDITION PLAY AT HOME, WHILE SWEARING ON ALL THAT IS HOLY YOU WILL VOTE!
2) As related in a recent story in the Memphis Commercial Appeal, a company named American Patriot Holdings LLC is trying to raise money to bring something never before seen to Little Rock. What is it working on? A) A High-T clinic for Trump-lovin’ cavemen whose testosterone is through the roof. B) An all-robot strip club. C) The Crystal Bridges Museum of Distasteful Nudes. D) A fleet of massive, 585-foot-long, 134-foot-wide, bargelike ships that can haul as many as 2,375 shipping containers worth of goods, with planned stops at cities on the Mississippi and Arkansas rivers.
3) But seriously, how sure are you that you’re registered and ready to go vote on Election Day (if you haven’t already voted by mail)? A) How sure is Tom Cotton that he wants some muhfuggin’ birthday cake? That’s how sure. B) I am insulted that you asked, and demand satisfaction, sir. We duel at dawn in Allsopp Park. C) Build a machine that can send me to a parallel dimension where it’s possible to be 105 percent positive of something, and I will bring that concept back with me and apply it to this situation. D) All of the above. 4) Which of the following is the worst Halloween trick-or-treater handout? A) Ashtray full of cigarette butts. B) Ladle of piping-hot gravy. C) Caramel apple dipped in the vacuum cleaner canister. D) Bit-O-Honey, the rock-hard dentalwork-remover that tastes like diabetes. 5) Dominique Chu, 24, of Springdale, was arrested recently in what police say was a string of burglaries that targeted a surprising series of victims in Northwest Arkansas. Who did the
alleged thief allegedly target? A) Trump supporters, striking during Fox News’ Sean Hannity show when he knew they would reach maximum zombification. B) All his former high school teachers. C) Other thieves. D) Police officers, who accused Chu of stealing from police cruisers parked outside officers’ homes in Crawford County, Benton County, Bella Vista and West Fork and making off with two department-issue AR-15 rifles, bulletproof vests, a police badge and more. 6) In more consequential news, in September, the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany announced the results of its U.S. Millennial Holocaust Knowledge and Awareness Survey, which surveyed young people in all 50 states on what they knew about the Holocaust. Which of the following is true of respondents to the survey from Arkansas? A) 69 percent didn’t know that 6 million Jews died in the Holocaust. B) 37 percent believed that fewer than 2 million Jews died in the Holocaust. C) Both of the above percentages were the highest of any state surveyed. D) All of the above. ANSWERS: D, D, D, D, D, D
1) As a progressive voter, how ready are you to vote in this election? A) Three miles, hands and knees, over broken crockery, in shorts and an Obama “Hope” T-shirt, to the polling place. Let’s do this. B) Come with me if you want to live. C) Is “explodey” a human emotion? Because that’s the only word that describes it. D) All of the above.
ARKANSASTIMES.COM
OCTOBER 2020 9
THE FRONT Q&A
A MAN, A PLAN, A PANDEMIC DR. JOSE ROMERO TASKED WITH KEEPING ARKANSANS SAFE. AT THE CAPITOL: Romero speaks from the podium at the weekly COVID-19 updates, with Governor Hutchinson and Eddie Schmeckenbecher, translator for the deaf.
that was shouted in the heat of the rally.
BRIAN CHILSON
I was told that at the Sept. 3 rally at the state Capitol led by conservative legislators after they sued to end the state’s public health emergency that there were cries of “String him up!” at the mention of your name. It was brought to my attention by my staff here, who had appropriate concerns and wanted me to know about it.
D
r. Jose Romero, 65, succeeded Dr. Nate Smith as state Secretary of Health in July, first on an interim basis and then by appointment by the governor in August. Romero, a native of Mexico City, is an infectious disease doctor, professor of pediatrics for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and has worked with the health department on pediatric health initiatives for patients with HIV, hepatitis C and tuberculosis. He also serves on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Committee on Immunization Practices, which is providing guidance to the Food and Drug Administration on the COVID-19 vaccine. Because he is bilingual, he has worked with media targeting the state’s Latinx community to provide guidance on the pandemic. The Times asked him about his background and his work heading up the state’s public health effort to contain the coronavirus.
here were significant, and I was offered an endowed chair.
You came to Arkansas Children’s Hospital from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 2008. What brought you here? The chairman of pediatrics, Dr. Richard Jacobs, and I knew each other. He reached out to me to be section chief. I came down here initially as a courtesy. I was expecting a small children’s hospital. … I used to say, though it is probably not true anymore, that Children’s Hospital was the best-kept secret in the South. The opportunities
The Journal of the American Medical Association published an article in August about attacks on health officers during the pandemic, including death threats, doxxing, vandalism and other forms of harassment; 27 in 13 states have resigned or been fired. Have you been threatened in any way? I have not had anybody show up here. I have been told that there were threats [made to me] indirectly at a rally recently. … Just something
10 OCTOBER 2020
ARKANSAS TIMES
Earlier this year you accepted Smith’s offer to be chief medical officer of the health department, which was similar to a job you held in Nebraska. I thought that when I stepped back from academics, it would be interesting to be a medical officer. To get a flavor of what was being done here, I asked if I could volunteer. I came by on March 11 [coincidentally the day the first COVID-19 case was announced in Arkansas]. And then because of everything going on, I spent a lot of time working and helping a little bit more. Nate and [senior deputy director] Stephanie Williams felt they had need of a person with my previous skill, so they moved my start date to April 1. Another ironic day.
Are you surprised by the resistance to science you see in Arkansas, such as the reluctance of parents to vaccinate their children against lifethreatening diseases? I’m no longer surprised, because of my feelings and interactions with the vaccine-hesitant. … That surprised me when I was younger. I couldn’t understand why, if we had the measures that prevented disease and death and maiming of children, why [parents] wouldn’t take it. I don’t understand the logic behind it, but I understand these parents, although misinformed and misguided, may be making decisions I don’t consider appropriate but they are making decisions for their children because they care for them. … The important thing is we convey fact. Convey the issue that vaccines are safe. I’ve been successful in some cases. Do you think you have made an impact on the attitude toward COVID-19? I think there is always going to be a subpopulation within the state, within the country, that don’t believe this is a major issue for whatever reason. I think that people are listening to us and taking into account our recommendations. We — and especially myself — need to champion and bring this forward. We can’t fall back and minimize it in any way. Have you ever had to convince Governor Hutchinson of what the right thing to do is about coronavirus? I don’t know that I convince him. My job is to advise him, present the information to him, the science and the data he needs to take as part of
the total decision. His [job] isn’t just the health of the state, it’s the economic health of the state. ... My job is to present him the facts as they stand. What is your greatest fear about the pandemic? There are several areas that concern me. One is that, as you know, there’s a challenge to the authority of the governor and the Arkansas Department of Health to issue directives for a state of emergency. … I think if you remove that ability, then we can’t act quickly. We have to be able to act quickly to make decisions on what we think is the best outcome. The other is that people understand the mandate that we have the mask, social distancing — that needs to continue. I understand people are tired of it. … It’s becoming obvious there will not be sufficient vaccine [for public needs] until the middle of next year. The next hurdle is getting people to take the vaccine, to trust the vaccine, so we have enough people immune to the virus. [If not,] we’re still going to be doing this. We’re still going to be wearing this mask, we’re still going to be having to social distance. What is the greatest fear you have about the infectivity of the virus? We need more clarity on what the disease is like in children. We’re learning that, right? In the beginning they thought they would be OK. There is data that suggests that even normal adults have inflammation within their hearts. Getting a handle on what this does in the long-term — and we won’t know that for years — that’s very important. What about the virus has surprised you? Everything. We thought this was going to be a respiratory virus, because it resides in the respiratory tract, so it completely surprised us. This virus causes [blood] clotting and strokes and emboli in the lungs. We know it causes inflammation of the vessels around the heart and in the heart and causes myocarditis. It affects the central nervous system, it knocks out the sense of smell … these are very unusual findings. It’s going to teach us a lot. I don’t know if it’s genetically determined, but what we know is that it triggers a very intense immune response and that [in children can lead] to MIS-C [multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children].
OFFERING FINE ART FOR THE ESTABLISHED AND EMERGING COLLECTOR.
COMING SOON TO SoMa Available by appointment. 501.664.0030 • 501.454.6969
1501 South Main Street, Suite H - Little Rock, AR 72202
www.boswellmourot.com ARKANSASTIMES.COM
OCTOBER 2020 11
Quality Care Rooted in Arkansas
hope Is The Foundation. recovery Is The Journey.
In response to the growing needs of our community, The BridgeWay has expanded its continuum of care for substance use disorders. The acute rehabilitation program will provide hope and recovery for adults struggling with substance use disorders. Led by Dr. Schay, and a Board Certified Psychiatrist and Addictionologist, the Substance Use Disorder Rehabilitation Program is for adults at risk of relapse. Rehabilitation requires the supportive structure of a 24-hour therapeutic environment. To learn more about our continuum of care for substance use disorders, call us at 1-800-245-0011.
Physicians are on the medical staff of The BridgeWay Hospital but, with limited exceptions, are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of The BridgeWayHospital. The facility shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians.
12 OCTOBER 2020
ARKANSAS TIMES
Dr. Schay
Medical Director Of Substance Use Disorders & Patriot Support Program
the TO-DO list
AMAZON STUDIOS/PATTI PERRET
BY STEPHANIE SMITTLE
ARKANSAS CINEMA SOCIETY: FILMLAND
THURSDAY 10/1-SUNDAY 10/4. MP OUTDOOR CINEMA. Releasing a film in 2020 is tough, but luckily for us, Arkansas Cinema Society is leveraging the year’s weirdness to bring the likes of Chloé Zhao’s Oscar-buzzy festival darling “Nomadland,” starring Frances McDormand, to the big screen in Arkansas. Regina King’s”One Night in Miami” (pictured) is also on the lineup, with a story by Kemp Powers that fictionalizes a meeting between Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Jim Brown and Sam Cooke in a Miami hotel room in 1964. The decorated actor (“If Beale Street Could Talk,” “Watchmen, “The Boondocks”) is taking a directorial turn with the film, and Powers will be part of a Q&A afterward. This and other Filmland screenings take place at MP Outdoor Cinema, a 180-car theater with a 36-foot screen at 6700 Allied Drive Way in Little Rock, and will be bookended by Q&As with the filmmakers, many led by ACS founder and filmmaker Jeff Nichols (“Loving,” “Mud”). A rotating roster of food trucks will be onsite, plus other movie concessions. Tickets to Filmland 2020 are $40/car, unless you’re a member of Arkansas Cinema Society; membership knocks the rate down to $20/car, and gets you a pass to “Filmland 2020: Digital Experience,” accessible on Apple TV, Roku and Android TV apps.)
THE JOINT THEATER & COFFEEHOUSE: COMEDY NIGHT
TUESDAY 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27; WEDNESDAY 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28; SATURDAY 10/3, 10/10, 10/17, 10/24, 10/31. THE JOINT THEATER & COFFEEHOUSE, NORTH LITTLE ROCK. $5-$10. For those venturing out into the indoor entertainment world again — masked, and appropriately distanced, we trust — The Joint Theater & Coffeehouse remains the comedy hub of the riverfront area. Catch stand-up sets on Tuesday nights with Punch Line Comedy, 7 p.m., $5; improv comedy with The Joint Venture on Wednesday nights, 8 p.m., $10; and Comedy Night on Saturday evenings, 8 p.m., $10. Follow The Joint on Facebook for lineup and scheduling announcements.
ARKANSASTIMES.COM
OCTOBER 2020 13
the TO-DO list
JASON KEITH
JESS X. CHEN
SIX BRIDGES BOOK FESTIVAL, PUB OR PERISH
THURSDAY 10/8-SUNDAY 10/18. ZOOM, STICKYZ ROCK ‘N’ ROLL CHICKEN SHACK. Before the spring got turned on its head, the Central Arkansas Library System’s Six Bridges Book Festival, nee Arkansas Literary Festival, was slated for April. Its rescheduled dates are upon us, and it’s stacked as ever, virtually so this time around. There’s fiction from Amir Ahmadi Arian, pictured at bottom left, (“Then the Fish Swallowed Him”); poetry from Kay Ulanday Barrett, pictured at top left, (“More Than Organs”); a fashion panel with Megan Volpert (“Closet Cases: Queers on What We Wear”); a baking workshop from Katherine Alford and Kathy Gunst (“Rage Baking: The Transformative Power of Flour, Fury, and Women’s Voices”); a screening of the film adaptation of Richard Adams’ “Watership Down”; and loads more. Find the full schedule of Zoom sessions at cals.org/six-bridges-book-festival/ events-classes, and click on each event to register, after which you’ll receive a link to download a PDF document with Zoom invitation information for your selected events. (Take note: The registration platform for Six Bridges’ events acts a little like a point of sale, so you’ll need to click “add to cart” and then “checkout” for the zero dollar amounts with your name and contact information.) The exception to all the virtuality is the Arkansas Times’ Pub or Perish, to be held Saturday, Oct. 10, at Stickyz Rock ’n’ Roll Chicken Shack; social distancing rules will be enforced and masks are required.
HOT SPRINGS DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL
The Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, the longest-running documentary film fest in North America, is putting on a virtual/drive-in hybrid of an event this year, with a total of 110 films (50 feature-length, 60 shorts); 50 percent of which are directed by women and 47 percent made by filmmakers of color. The 2020 selections, new Director of Programming Jessie Fairbanks said, “illuminate the urgent realities of this turbulent year.” Catch Mary Wharton’s “Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President” on opening night (pictured at right), Laura Gabbert’s surprisingly prescient food film “Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versaille,” Julia Reichart and Steve Bognar’s “9 to 5: The Story of a Movement” on closing night, and tons more; get passes and a Virtual Festival Technical Guide at hsdfi.org/ attend. 14 OCTOBER 2020
ARKANSAS TIMES
COURTESY GREENWICH ENTERTAINMENT
FRIDAY 10/9-SATURDAY 10/17. MOSTLY VIRTUAL, SELECTED EVENTS AT HOT SPRINGS MALL, 4501 CENTRAL AVE. $8-$300.
JOHN PRINE TRIBUTE CONCERT
John Prine was the sort of songwriter who could draw you close enough to mourn his loss even if you never knew him personally. And, like far too many less celebrated people, Prine died during a pandemic that disrupted all our customary ways of mourning. Here, a lineup of local musicians — Amy Garland (pictured at right), Mandy McBryde, Joe Sundell, Chris DeClerk, Dallas Smith, Steve Railey, Aaron Farris, Matt Clampett and Joey Barrett — pay tribute to his memory with their favorite Prine tunes. Proceeds benefit Washington Elementary School, SoMa’s neighborhood LRSD school, and food is available for purchase from nearby spots like Ester’s, Raduno, South on Main, Rock n Roll Sushi, Mockingbird Bar & Tacos, The Root Cafe, Rock Town Distillery, Loblolly Creamery and Community Bakery. (And, with the SoMa Outdoor Dining Room classified as a temporary entertainment district, the 21-plus crowd can enjoy drinks from those spots in the Dining Room, too.) Also, check out the weekly happenings at the new SoMa hub: chess with the Southwest Little Rock Chess Club, 6-9 p.m. Tuesdays; Open Mic Night with Joey Fanstar, 6:30-9 p.m. Thursdays; Challenge Entertainment Trivia, 7-9 p.m. Saturdays; live music from Southern Strings Friday, Oct. 2; and live music from The Going Jessies Saturday, Oct. 9.
SHADOWS AT SIXTH ST.: AN ELEVATED HALLOWEEN DRIVE-THRU
FRIDAY 10/9-SATURDAY 10/31. BEST PARK PARKING DECK, SCOTT AND SIXTH STREETS. 7-10 P.M. SUN.THU.; 7-11 P.M. FRI.-SAT. $25/ VEHICLE. How to Halloween in an age when cramming into a crowded party means something far scarier than ghost stories? Do the drive-thru. Little Rock Downtown Partnership and the Little Rock Zoo are setting up a family-friendly drive-thru ghost story experience in the multi-tiered Best Park Parking Deck at the corner of Scott and Sixth streets, with “vignettes built and designed by the Arkansas Repertory Theatre,” the release states, “enhanced by dramatic lighting and special effects” by CWP Productions and Night-Skye Studios. See centralarkansastickets.com for tickets.
JASON MASTERS
SUNDAY 10/11. SOMA OUTDOOR DINING ROOM. 5-8 P.M. $12/SEAT, $100/ RESERVED TENT TABLE; PROCEEDS BENEFIT WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
PUBLIC THEATRE FUNDRAISING EVENT
SATURDAY 10/10. THE PUBLIC THEATRE, 616 CENTER ST. 6-9 P.M., DOORS AT 5 P.M. Any town worth its salt has a gritty old black box theater with a fierce DIY aesthetic — that underdog of a space where the pianos forever need tuning and where ephemeral magic happens on patently un-magical budgets. For Little Rock, The Public Theatre is such a space. I watched actor/costumer/educator Verda Davenport make that sort of magic on that stage, boldly navigating her way through Nassim Soleimanpour’s “White Rabbit, Red Rabbit.” I watched a handful of raunchy Red Octopus shows there, the comedy troupe’s late matriarch Sandy Baskin holding sway with her pre-show mantra: “Boobs up, zippers up.” Thanks to a few backers, performer Kristy Hutchinson said, the rent’s been paid despite a show-less pandemic, but the theater could use some help. Most immediately, a front window needs replacing. Hutchinson, who helped create ImprovLittleRock at the Public, is raising money to fix it. Performances from Paul Hodge, Kime Eubanks, Big Dre, Kristy Hutchinson and Jared Lowry, Slade Wright, Bernard Vignarath, The Joint Venture, Garrett B and Stephanie Sneed will be streamed via Facebook Live on Saturday, Oct. 10, and performed at the Public for a limited audience of 16. To help, find the “Window Fund” link at thepublictheatre.com. ARKANSASTIMES.COM
OCTOBER 2020 15
NEWS & POLITICS
TRUMPED UP: The president’s claim that he is responsible for a great economy is disproved by trade deficit and measures taken before he took office.
ONE-TERM A TRUMP BARRING AN OCTOBER SURPRISE. BY ERNEST DUMAS
16 OCTOBER 2020
ARKANSAS TIMES
rkansas was never a bellwether state — it was predictably Democratic for nearly all of its first 175 years and predictably Republican for its last 10 after the Democrats elevated a Black man to the White House — so do we offer any foresight into the big presidential election coming up in a month? Only a little, but it’s not reassuring for Donald Trump. Barring an October surprise like FBI Director Jim Comey’s false Oct. 28 bombshell on Hillary Clinton’s emails in 2016, Trump ought to lose both the national popular vote, by a much larger margin than 2.9 million this time, and even the Electoral College, which allots extra votes to sparsely populated rural states that tend to vote Republican. Sure, Trump will carry Arkansas, although not by 60.5 percent, his ninth highest percentage in the country in 2016. Midsummer Arkansas polls showing his lead over Joe Biden within the margin of error probably undercount Trump’s strength in rural areas, but the significant diminution of his vote in a state that seemed to love him so much four years ago means a potential disaster for him in most of the 20 or so battleground states. National polls and those in competitive states all year show Trump’s approval rating well below Biden’s on almost every question, especially on handling the pandemic, but they have
shown more confidence in Trump in one area — managing the economy. Voters have short memories and they always give presidents credit or blame for economic conditions they had little to do with. Actually, the economy is one of Trump’s most transparent failures, and no one should know it better than Arkansans. He inherited the most resilient economy in the nation’s history and his term will reflect the worst economic record in modern times, the first net loss of jobs of any president since Herbert Hoover. Arkansas is no outlier to the disaster, although its economy, heavily based on farming and food-based industry, rarely suffers the depths that hit richer industrial states. A few reminders. When Barack Obama took office in late January 2009, America was already 14 months into a recession and the late-autumn financial collapse was disposing of 800,000 or more jobs a month. Economists talked about another great depression and it was spreading to America’s trading partners around the globe. The national unemployment rate hit 10 percent four months into the Obama presidency before his modest stimulus, including a payroll tax cut, stanched the collapse. What followed from June 2009 was the longest sustained period of economic growth in history, eclipsing the 116 consecutive months during the Clinton presidency (though not Bill Clinton’s record 22
EAT, DRINK & BE LITERARY
or PUB- -PERISH
It’s time for
Presented annually by Arkansas Times in conjunction with the CALS Six Bridges Book Festival
WITH:
Tasha Moore, Ron Mc, Kara Bibb, Zachwary Crow, Tru Poet, EJ SPEAKS, Emily Roberson, Kat Robinson and more to be announced. Come and enjoy the company of others who value writing and expression.
Saturday, Oct. 10
Stickyz Rock-n-Roll Chicken Shack 107 River Market Avenue Doors open at 6, performance 7-9
HOSTED BY
CHRIS JAMES
Poet and writer extraordinaire, rapper and entertainer.
STICKYZ HAS A GREAT FOOD AND DRINK MENU TO ENJOY DURING THE PERFORMANCE. Casual, fun, entertaining and you can finally get outta the house. All social distancing rules apply including wearing a mask. Stickyz dining room is abiding by all social distancing rules
CHECK WWW.ARKTIMES.COM FOR EVENT UPDATES!
arktimes.com TICKETS ARE FREE - BUT MUST BE RESERVED ON THE TICKET SITE: CentralArkansasTickets.com - this is just a step to measure safety guidelines. Arkansas Times Pub or Perish is a related free event of the Six Bridges Book Festival, hosted by Central Arkansas Library System and presented October 8-18, author panels and special events: ARKANSASTIMES.COM wsixbridgesbookfestival.org OCTOBER 2020 17
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million jobs) and the two months on either side of it under Bush I and II. The economy reached that 10-year milestone — nearly eight years of Obama and two of Trump — two years into Trump’s term. Trump then proclaimed that he had produced the greatest economic miracle in world history, and people who may have voted for him reluctantly — anybody but a Clinton, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette editorial page advised Arkansas voters at the time — felt better about having voted for a brash, nasty-talking TV showman who had achieved celebrity by serial infidelities and immoral behavior as a business and social scion in the American Gotham. Every faintly optimistic economic report since then was followed by Trump boasts about his economic miracle. Take the census report in September that said the poverty rate had fallen in 2019 to the lowest level since 1959. The Democrat-Gazette took the occasion to praise Trump’s great economic miracle. He had brought scads of jobs and even brought down the horrible poverty rate. His program of lower taxes on the well-to-do and deregulating business paid enormous dividends to all Americans, the newspaper said, concluding, “It behooves even the president’s critics to acknowledge that.” Why so? The poverty rate has been sinking every year since 2010 and sharply since 2014, when the Affordable Care Act took full effect. Trump had nothing to do with it and certainly not the big Republican tax cut in 2018 mainly for the rich and corporations, which led to massive stock buybacks and a nice surge in the Dow. New jobs? Take Arkansas. Our unemployment rate dropped from 8.5 percent to 3.7 percent during the Obama presidency. In the first two years of the Trump presidency it went from 3.7 percent to 3.5 percent — two tenths of one percent — and there it sat immovable until this March and April when it soared to 10.8 percent. That is a miracle? The national figures are no better than Arkansas’s. The Democrat-Gazette’s editorial in 2016 calling for Arkies to vote for Trump over Hillary warned that, “having learned from the master [Bill],” President Hillary would again send budget deficits soaring. Actually, Clinton had ended deficits at the end of his first term and then, for the only time in history, paid down the U.S.’s publicly held debt four years in a row, reducing it by $363 billion. Trump? The deficit soared his first year in office and has mushroomed since then. In the fiscal year that just ended, the deficit more than doubled the previous record of $1.5 trillion, in George W. Bush’s last budget year, although Trump had promised in 2016 that he would quickly end deficit spending and eliminate the entire national debt in his second term. If he gets a second term, he is far more likely to invoke the remedy that he once mentioned as a possibility and that he often used as a businessman — declare bankruptcy and refuse to pay the nation’s debt. Remember Trump’s big promise to end the nation’s trade deficits with Canada, Mexico,
China and the rest of the world? The rest of the world had been playing Uncle Sam for a sap, he said, and he was going to end it, by tariff wars and abolishing or rewriting trade agreements. It was a key to the slogan Make America Great Again. How is that going? The trade deficit with the rest of the world was $735.3 billion in Obama’s last year. Under Trump, it soared to $792.4 billion in 2017, $872 billion in 2018 and $854.4 billion in 2019, although he had claimed victory in one trade skirmish after another, with Mexico, Canada, China, Europe. Three months ago, Trump recorded the biggest monthly international trade deficit since July 2008, Bush II’s last year. Where were the cheers? While we’re on the subject of improving quality of life, you may have noticed the report in September that more than 2 million Americans lost their insurance and access to medical treatment in the last three years, which coincides with the duration of the Trump presidency. The number will go up dramatically by year’s end, although Trump continues to say, as he has for four years, that he has a plan to cover every American at no cost. He will reveal it after he wins reelection. He got mad and refused to talk after people asked for some hint about his plan at a town hall meeting in September. Ask a lot of Arkansans and they will say they trust him to do what he promises, just like he did when he promised to make Mexico pay for a wall down the length of the southern border. He stole money from the military appropriation to build a fence along a few miles of the Rio Grande that Guatemalans can climb over or pry open with a mechanical jack. Mexicans, “losers” in the military — they’re all the same. But quite a few proud white Arkansans — not a majority of them — are not going to vote for him again. Every poll shows the same to be true in all the competitive states, a few in the South. His hope is for a dampened turnout owing to voting barriers like the pandemic and a U.S. Postal Service now commanded by a Trump political aide who is dedicated to returning him to office, whatever it takes. Trump still needs an October surprise, and he hopes that the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg gives it to him. Whether he wins or loses on Nov. 3, he needs at least one more friend on the court, to protect him from the criminal and civil laws, whether it’s the tax records he has fought supplying to prosecutors or the public for four years, millions of taxpayer emoluments at the Trump luxury properties, multiple obstructions of justice, or having to supply a DNA sample for the Elle magazine columnist who says he raped her in a dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman or having to give a deposition for a former contestant on his TV show “The Apprentice” who says he sexually harassed her. Trump’s judges have not been able to stop any of the legal recourses, but they have given him temporary protection by staving off evidence until after the election. Ultimate salvation will rest upon the pardoning power of President Mike Pence, but one more friendly justice could help.
Meet Chancellor Alexander Laurence B. Alexander, J.D., Ph.D. is in his seventh year as Chancellor of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, an 1890 public, land-grant research university. Since joining UAPB, Alexander has promoted institutional excellence through various initiatives that have significantly improved retention and graduation rates, increased academic programs, research grants, new construction and renovation projects, and driven historic gains in fundraising and development, which included multimilliondollar donations from Simmons Bank and the Windgate Foundation.
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By Rhett Brinkley, Lindsey Millar, Leslie Newell Peacock and Stephanie Smittle
T
he Arkansas Times’ annual Road Trip issue this year follows its nose: That is, rather than relegating our guide’s dining options to a side note, we’re taking a different route. These are destinations determined by dining. Would you go to Fayetteville just to eat Texas-style barbecued brisket? Absolutely. Venture down a two-lane deep into the Ozarkian woods of Johnson County for a hamburger? Many have, to get to the Oark Cafe. Drive all the way to Lake Village for Rhoda’s tamales? Who among us has not done that? We know dining indoors is still not a comfortable option for many, but taking your destination dining food outdoors in the crisp fall air is a pretty damn good alternative. Better yet, take your food to a nearby campground, so you can sleep off your feasting. What? You’ve never camped? The only time you camped someone else took care of you? Road Trip has tips for those of you who’d like to experience Mother Nature but are a bit afraid of her. Eat, camp, hike, get hungry again and head out for some Company’s Comin’ pie or other delectables the Times highlights here.
FAYETTEVILLE AREA Wright’s Barbecue
2212 Main Drive, Johnson 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Tue.-Sat. Wright’s Barbecue, in an old frame house on five acres, has the feel of a long-venerated restaurant where generations of chefs have been doling out great food. Surprise: This eatery in the tiny ’burb of Johnson, squeezed in between Fayetteville and Springdale, opened in October 2017 as one of the rare (in Arkansas) purveyors of Texas-style barbecued brisket, ribs, pulled pork, chicken and sausage. Here, Jordan Wright’s tender wood-fired smoked meats prove he was born to barbecue. Wright, whose career was launched with a Big Green Egg cooker given to him by his family at Christmas several years ago, started out feeding friends and family and then got serious, bringing a food truck to the Fayetteville Farmers Market in 2016. By 2017, he was operating out of the house in Johnson, and in 2019 he bought the property. Wright and staff have been working out of a dimesized kitchen in a house with no real air-conditioning, but now — with indoor dining pushed out by the pandemic — he’s been able to renovate the structure to make things easier on the cooks. So far, he’s added a big kitchen that can handle all his catering demands and a mechanical dishwasher, freeing up his dishwashing staff to become prep cooks. For now, Wright’s is serving from a takeout window, and it’s surprisingly fast: You drive up, get into a circle of cars and give your order from the car. By the time you reach the takeout window, your highly aromatic and mouth-watering ’cue is ready to go. Brisket is a revelation if you’ve never had it barbecued, so go for it. Highly recommended is the Texas Trinity plate, which is a holy delight of two ribs, two healthy slices of brisket, a housemade sausage (go for the version with jalapeno cheese) and two sides ($20). Plates run from $9 to $20. There are also sandwiches, entrees and 20 OCTOBER 2020
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meat by the pound. Weekend specials include prime rib, beef ribs and the brisket burger ($12$33 depending on weight). There are specialty sandwiches, too, such as the warthog-pleasing Pumba, a combination of brisket, pork and sausage on a bun ($12); the Wooo Pig, pulled pork and sausage topped with slaw; and the CBR, chicken and bacon with ranch dressing ($10). You can’t get a PBR with your CBR for now, but Wright hopes to reopen the beer garden in late October and once again have live music. There’s a Wright’s in Bentonville, too, open Thursdays and Fridays at 208 NE Third St. LNP
Devil’s Den State Park
11333 W. State Hwy. 74, West Fork If you like birdwatching, you’ll love this lush and large camping and natural area tucked in the Lee Creek Valley. Owls will hoot and screech, woodpeckers will hammer, flycatchers will confuse, and jewel-like warblers, both those on the move during migration and those nesting, will delight. During normal times (remember them?), park rangers give talks on plants and animals; it was at this very park where a child I know first learned about hognose snakes and their habit of playing dead. The hiking is excellent and you can stay in cabins, hike in to eight tent-camping spots and haul in your camper or your horse. Caves are closed to protect resident bats from white-nose syndrome, but you can feel the cool air from outside the Devil’s Icebox. Pick up trail maps from the visitor center, and don’t worry: Old Splitfoot is nowhere near. LNP
OZARKS Oark General Store
117 Johnson County Road, Oark 241 When driving up state Hwy. 103 north toward the foothills of the Boston Mountains, you really want to take in the lush picturesque views of
the Ozark National Forest, but it’s imperative that you keep your eyes on the road. Hairpin turns almost slow you to a stop at times. “These turns are nothing,” you might say with bravado, especially if you’re a total sham like me — an ambitious but extremely low-skill camper who forgot the tent poles on his last camping trip five years ago. Thirty seconds later you might yell, “Oh my gosh, these turns!” with a high-pitched voice crack. Soon the road levels out, and you’re driving right up to the oldest running general store in the state. Thought to have opened in 1890, Oark General Store is a must-stop for hungry travelers and explorers wanting to hike the Ozark trails or float the Mulberry River. If it weren’t for the Oark Cafe sign in front of the single gas pump, one might mistake Oark General Store for an old house with a lot of stickers in the windows. Originally opened to meet the essential needs of the rural mountain community, over the last 30 years or so Oark General Store’s been more of a restaurant than a store. Especially now. Because of the pandemic, the store’s closed but is serving food and a few items outdoors. Brian Eisele and his wife, Reagan, who have owned the store since 2012, say some members of the staff and some of their immediate family have medical conditions, so limiting the foot traffic in the store seemed like the best choice. A table in front of the store is stocked with the store’s drink offerings, jams, T-shirts and sunglasses. They put a window in front so customers can order from outside, and they used state and federal relief money to build an adjacent pavilion. “I was basically like, ‘I’ve got one shot at building this. I’m adding to this 130-year-old legacy. I’ve got to do it right,’ ” Brian Eisele said. The pavilion is inviting, with tables that seat four to six, each with their own hanging fan. A smooth concrete pad and several hanging plants make the pavilion a great spot to sit and have an Oark Burger and a slice of pie á la mode. The burger and hand-cut fries are exactly what you would expect from a 130-year-old general store — and that’s a good thing. On my recent trip, I got back in my car
ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, HERITAGE AND TOURSIM
and went into a panic when I realized I had no cell service at all. Then my stress washed away when I remembered that I really am good at this. I calmly reached into the console for my trusty, completely illegible handwritten directions. RB
Wolf Pen Recreation Area
Forest Service Road 1003L, Oark
FOOD AND WATER: The Oark Cafe will fuel adventuring in the Ozarks, including travel to Haw Creek Falls (above, right). A detour to Lavaca brings you to a big Budweiser can; a trip up to Johnson is rewarded by Wright’s brisket, barbecue at its best being served from a takeout window.
From Oark Cafe, take state Hwy. 215 west and drive alongside the Mulberry River for about seven miles to reach Wolf Pen Recreation Area. Look for the sign. I wrote the directions down wrong and drove 30 minutes down the road before I’d realized I made a mistake. Don’t do that. There are six primitive camp spots (no drinking water and vault toilets) within a stone’s throw of the Mulberry. The river is a stunning blue-green. After I made an Instagram post of the beautiful turquoise water, several people contacted me to inquire about my coordinates. I didn’t even respond. RB
Byrd’s Adventure Center 7037 Cass Oark Road, Ozark
Get back on 215 west and keep driving along the Mulberry. A small prop plane might fly right over your head, but don’t be alarmed. Soon you’ll see several small planes parked in a field not too far from the road. You’ve reached Byrd’s Adventure Center, which offers tent and RV camping along with ATV trails, mud pits and canoe, kayak and raft rentals right along the river. There’s a grass runway for single-engine planes and a smaller runway for powered parachutes and trikes. RB
Redding Recreation Area 21424 State Hwy. 23, Ozark
If you’re looking for a nice but primitive spot, drive west a few more miles down 215 west and set up camp at the Redding Recreation Area. It’s less primitive than Wolf Pen with flush toilets and showers, and it’s also right along the banks of the Mulberry. Swim in the Mulberry or hike the modARKANSASTIMES.COM
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erate Spy Rock loop trail. Reservations are not required; there’s a fee of $15 a night. RB
Giant Budweiser Can
21163-21399 State Hwy. 22, Lavaca
It also has burgers, lunch baskets and a delicious BLT. There’s also an adjacent covered patio where Low Gap hosts live music on weekends. RB
Ozark Cafe
107 E. Court St., Jasper After packing up camp at the Mulberry, drive 40 minutes out of the way to Belle Point Ranch in Lavaca to see a 50-foot silo painted like a Budweiser can. (You can type “Giant Budweiser Can” in Maps on your phone and find it.) When the late David McMahon, an Anheuser-Busch wholesaler, bought the farm in the ’70s, he thought the silo resembled a 16-ounce can of Budweiser. He hired local sign maker Earl Harris to paint the silo. Harris painted the whole thing by hand on scaffolding that he built himself. “My dad, of course, being in the beer business his whole life, we’ve been wholesalers since 1946,” McMahon’s daughter, Susan McMahon Taylor, said. “He said he looked at that — even though we were sitting there in the middle of the dry part of Sebastian County — and he said, ‘It just looked like a Budweiser can to me.’ ” It’s a landmark for locals. Taylor told me a girl had it tattooed on her. She also described taking shelter during a scary storm when her daughters were little and hearing the local KISR-FM, 93.7, reporter Fred Baker Jr. say something to the effect of “It looks like the tornado is heading right for the Budweiser can.” RB
Cliff House Inn
State Hwy. 7, 6 miles south of Jasper The Scenic 7 Byway that ascends into the Ozarks is a fall drive worth taking even if you have no destination in mind. But there’s lots to do along the way and when you arrive in Jasper. There are several vista overlooks, and once you get closer to Jasper you can stop for lunch at the Cliff House Inn, which overlooks the deep valleys of the Arkansas Grand Canyon. There’s a small gift shop that serves as the restaurant’s lobby. The dining room offers one of the state’s best restaurant views, if not the best. If you’re not ready for dine-in, get a slice of Company’s Comin’ Pie to go. According to Cliff House Inn’s website, Company’s Comin’ Pie is the state pie of Arkansas, although I cannot find anything to back that claim. The crust is made up of egg whites, pecans, cream of tartar and saltine crackers. The top is a creamy crushed pineapple concoction. RB
Low Gap Cafe
State Hwy. 74, Jasper Low Gap Cafe is a rustic spot that looks like it could’ve served as a good setting for a brawl scene in the movie “Road House.” Chef and owner Nick Bottini trained at the Culinary Institute of America in New York; among his claims to fame are that he once catered Liberace’s birthday party. After opening restaurants in California and Harrison, Bottini was the chef at the Horseshoe Canyon Ranch in Jasper. He opened Low Gap in 2011. Judging from its appearance, one might assume the restaurant would be a burger joint, but it has pastas, pan-seared duck, seafood and prime rib. 22 OCTOBER 2020
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Ozark Cafe in Jasper has been around for over 100 years. Stop in for breakfast and try the chocolate gravy with biscuits or the blueberry pancakes. Widely known for its Excaliburger, a half-pound burger served between two grilled cheese sandwiches (once featured on the Travel Channel’s “Man vs. Food”). Proceed with caution. RB
Twin Falls
Camp Orr Road, Harrison I didn’t make this hike because it was raining. I know, a camping expert/daredevil like myself would never let a little rain stop me. However, I don’t have four-wheel drive and it’s strongly recommended if you’re going to drive to the Twin Falls trailhead. Sure, getting stuck might be good for the camper in me, but I had a deadline. It’s a short level hike from the camp to Twin Falls, which after heavy rain is actually three waterfalls. Directions there are tricky. From Jasper take state Hwy. 74 west to Kyle’s Landing/Camp Orr Road and turn right at the sign that points to Camp Orr. Follow Camp Orr for about a mile and a half. Look for the Twin Falls sign at the bottom of a hill. RB
Ponca Covered Bridge Cabin 5412 State Hwy. 43, Ponca
The historic covered bridge in Ponca hovers above Adds Creek. It’s right off state Hwy. 43, and if you’re not looking for it, you’re liable to miss it. A less experienced camper might’ve driven farther than 30 minutes down the road before realizing they’d missed it. The cabin was built by Terry and Linda Clark. Since the mid-1800s, there have been four generations of Clarks in the Ponca area. Terry is known for his stories about the area’s past, so if you want to learn about Ponca, this might be the place to stay. The cabin is available for $199 a night on Airbnb, and the Clarks are Superhosts. RB
Steel Creek Campground Buffalo River Trail, Jasper
This nice grassy camping area is situated along the Buffalo River under Roark Bluff. There are 26 walk-in campsites. It’s $20 a night, first-come/ first-served and has water and flush toilets. RB
Haw Creek Falls Recreation Area Hagarville
Not much of an address for this remote location. To get there from Jasper, take state Hwy. 7 south to Hwy. 123 south. Drive over a couple of old bridges on your way to this cool, primitive campground that’s located on a mountain stream. The camp is adjacent to the falls and surrounded by forest. There are nine camping sites and they’re $10 a day. This spot floods, so make other plans if
there’s been a lot of rain. I drove through a pretty substantial puddle to get into the campgrounds. Even though I couldn’t see anyone around, I could hear what could only be described as people cheering for me in the distance. There’s no drinking water available and it has vault restrooms. Hike about 30 minutes to Pam’s Grotto waterfall or to the nearby Pack Rat Falls. RB
MISSISSIPPI RIVER DELTA/CROWLEY’S RIDGE Kathryn’s on Moon Lake
5770 Moon Lake Road, Lula., Miss. 5 p.m.-10 p.m. Fri.-Sun. (call 662-337-0022 to confirm hours or to make reservations). Known for fantastic onion rings, first-class steaks and an origin story that dates back 80 years, this quaint little roadhouse sits just across the road from Moon Lake, an oxbow just north of Clarksdale whose name and history have been dropped into Tennessee Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire” and ‘The Glass Menagerie.” Kathryn and Frank Rossi, immigrants from Italy and Ireland, opened up the spot in 1939 in what was then a bustling tourist spot, and operated it until the 1970s. In 2010, a singer-songwriter named John Mohead talked his wife into buying and resurrecting the place, which had been shuttered for two years after a series of unsuccessful ownerships. Mohead mans the kitchen now, which churns out gulf shrimp ($21) and crawfish penne ($17) and succotash ($4) from gas burners in the back, much of which is prepared the same way it was in 1939. The Rossis, general manager/co-owner Natalie McCollum told us, “came straight off the boat, and they lived in what’s now the backroom. We actually still have customers who knew Kathryn and Frank when they were little, and now their kids are coming here, too. So we definitely have a huge following from here.” The floors are rickety, the ceilings are low, the decor is eclectic and charming, and the clientele is both unhurried and fiercely devoted, sipping whatever they BYOB’ed from the lake house rental or beyond. If dining in a cozy indoor cafe doesn’t feel responsible to you right now, McCollum, Mohead and crew have been perfecting their carryout game during the pandemic. SS
Greenlight Dispensary
2000 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Helena-West Helena 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Mon.-Sat. First things first: A trip to Greenlight means you are very close to Mississippi, where medical marijuana is decriminalized but not legal. Should you plan to continue your venture to Kathryn’s (above), you’ll want to purchase your MMJ once you’re back in Arkansas. With dispensaries in five states, Greenlight offers edibles, CBD products and, of course, medical marijuana from Arkansas cultivators. There’s an ATM onsite, and they deliver. SS
Mississippi River State Park 2955 State Hwy. 44, Marianna
Arkansas’s newest state park (est. 2009) is a treasure, and looks radically different from what you likely call to mind when you think of Delta terrain. Here, the pine trees of St. Francis National Forest tower over Bear Creek Lake and wild turkeys scuttle among the few sunbeams that manage to penetrate the lush overstory. Nearly every campsite, at both the primitive Lone Pine campground and the water/electricity-equipped Beech Point campground, has a lakeside view, as do the picturesque hillside picnic spots at Beaver Point. SS
Jones Bar-B-Q Diner
219 W. Louisiana St., Marianna 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Mon. Sat. If curbside takeout is the new normal, call James Jones an early adopter. Somewhere around 1910, his grandfather Walter Jones started selling takeaway pork barbecue from a block pit, and the family business has since become a James Beard Award-winning Arkansas legend — the first such title for an Arkansas restaurant, and the awards ceremony marking James’ first time on an airplane. Now, that medal is perched unceremoniously above a yellowing paper menu at an ordering window in a weather-worn cinder block building just off the main drag in the Delta town. Pork sandwiches and pork by the pound draw connoisseurs and locals alike, and in droves; Jones is often sold out of the day’s meat by 10:30 a.m. (Plan accordingly.) The shoulder spends about 10 or 12 hours in a tin-lidded coal pit, gets shredded and is moved in small batches to a crockpot, where it’s drenched in a thin vinegar sauce, sweet but not cloying. Sandwiches are $3.50, served on Wonder bread with slaw, and for a few dollars, James will sell you a pint of the sauce, scarlet red and swishing around in an upcycled water bottle. The sauce’s secret is something James tells no one; he said in a video for the James Beard Foundation that giving it up would mean Walter would return from the grave to seek retribution. SS
EATS IN THE OZARKS: Burger at the Oark Cafe (above), Company’s Comin’ pie at the Cliff House Inn (left).
DELTA DINING: If you are driving the Great River Road, start at Marianna at Jones Bar-B-Q Diner, a venerable destination for barbecue fans.
Crowley’s Ridge Parkway/Great River Road National Scenic Byways Between Marianna and Helena-West Helena
Between the Mississippi River State Park in Marianna (Lee County) and the Arkansas/Mississippi state border stretch two of the most billboard-bereft roads in the region, lined with pine trees and river bottoms with old-growth cypress. The Great River Road, which stretches from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, runs through this part of Arkansas, and travelers who don’t mind getting their car covered in dust will be rewarded with views of the bayous at Porter Lake and Storm Creek Lake. Meanwhile, the paved Crowley’s Ridge Parkway through the St. Francis National Forest is a cyclist’s dream, and a scenic drive for motorists who don’t mind slowing down ARKANSASTIMES.COM
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to 25 mph to traverse it. Either road is accessible from the rear of Mississippi River State Park; follow the signage to Helena-West Helena. SS
Postmasters Grill
133 W. Washington St., Camden 5-9 p.m. Tue.-Sat. Surely there’s some overlap in the Venn diagram of “architecture nerds” and “Arkansas foodies,” right? If you’re in both categories, this one’s a must. Built in 1895 for a then-sizable budget of $39,014, Camden’s stately red post office housed a U.S. Land Management office on its second floor and, on the ground floor, serviced the town’s busy port on the Ouachita River, handling correspondence for a growing lumber industry and for the export of thousands of bales of cotton each year. At its dedication, the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program notes, it was called “the finest building between Texarkana and Little Rock,” and with good reason: The landmark boasts 16-foot ceilings, two “eyebrow” dormers on the rooftop and stained ornamental wood finishes everywhere you look. The post office closed in 1962 but continued to quarter the land grant office. It was saved from demolition in the 1970s and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in May 1977. Then, in 2010, it was purchased by Camden native Emily Jordan-Robertson and her husband, Greg Robertson, who facilitated the building’s meticulous 18-month restoration at a cost of $1.65 million. Now, the building’s trademark copper-sheathed oriel window announces the entryway to the diners’ waiting area, and the post office boxes that once catalogued federal mail now catalog Postmasters’ extensive selection of bottled wines. The flooring is gorgeous — marble up front, maple in the sunny dining room — and a stairway leads down to the basement floor “Coal Room,” where you’ll find a full bar and beer from Flyway Brewing, Lost Forty Brewing, Ozark Beer Co., Superior Bathhouse Brewery and others. It’s hard to find a miss on the menu, too. Postmasters makes its own potato chips and loads them up with Arkansas cheese dip and Petit Jean bacon ($6), and it fries up pickle spears and slices from Atkins Pickle Co. (Pope County). It serves pillowy portobello risotto balls ($8) with Stuttgart rice from Producers Mill, and smokes its ribeyes ($36), the serving generous enough to leave leftovers for two diners to have steak and eggs the next morning. Even better news: Postmasters is situated well for service during a COVID-stricken era, with a spacious patio and, judging by the preparation and packaging of our to-go order, a staff that seems to take great care with its takeout offerings. SS
Hoo-Hoo International Museum 207 Main St., Gurdon
Here you are, just rolling through sleepy Gurdon, when you drive by a mural reading “HEALTH HAPPINESS LONG LIFE,” flanked by two cartoon24 OCTOBER 2020
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ish black cats. Then, a streetside banner with similar verbiage. Turns out, seven guys from the lumber industry got bored while waiting for a train after attending a meeting of the Arkansas Yellow Pine Manufacturer’s Association in 1892 or so, and concocted a service industry organization called the Concatenated Order of the Hoo-Hoo. Fueled by disenchantment with the stodginess of their fraternal counterparts, the organization’s origin story states, they waged a “war on conventionality”; Hoo-Hoo presidents were to bear the Lewis Carroll-inspired title “Snark of the Universe,” and there would be “no lodge rooms with forced attendance; no marching in the streets in protest; no ‘bothering’ anybody; no uniforms or flashy regalia. There would be one single aim: to foster the health, happiness, and long life of its members.” Now, a museum dedicated to HooHoo history sits on Gurdon’s Main Street in a log cabin built by the WPA in the 1930s. Hoo-Hoo’s Executive Secretary Beth Thomas holds business hours at the museum Mon.-Thu., but those may vary until the public health crisis subsides; call her at 870-353-4997 before you stop in. SS
Little Grand Canyon
219 Ouachita County Road 332, Chidester If they ever shoot a balsa wood car version of “Thelma and Louise,” here’s the movie set for that last roaring scene. Just below the spillway from White Oak Lake lies a basin of elaborately stratified earth, capped with pine trees and riven with water-worn gullies. Unlike its similarly nicknamed counterpart in the Ozarks, the formations here aren’t mountains, but scaled-down, dune-like cliffs of stone and alluvial silt lining a pool of water that, depending on what time of year you go, ranges from blue-green to a ruddy brown. Finding it can be tricky, though. From Bluff City, take state Hwy. 24 east toward Chidester. After about four miles, you’ll see signs for the White Oak Lake Public Fishing area. (This is not the entrance to the White Oak Lake State Park marina and visitor center, which are on the westernmost point of the lake.) Follow those signs down Ouachita County Road 332 to the large paved parking lot at the fishing area, then drive the long, narrow path across the levee and along a dirt road path until you reach a rocky hillside clearing where you can park. Head down the hill westward on foot and follow the spillway bed until you reach the “little canyons.” May your internet signal be as strong as your desire to Instagram their miniature beauty. SS
White Oak Lake State Park 563 State Hwy. 87, Bluff City 8 a.m.-5 p.m. daily
There’s a reason a good three-quarters of the inventory in White Oak Lake State Park’s visitor center is fishing tackle. And why a great egret lurked hungrily in the bog near the park’s entrance upon our arrival. And likely why, upon pulling into the visitor center parking lot, we found the bed of a ranger’s utility vehicle stacked with empty box-
es of live crickets. The 725-acre state park draws RV travelers from all over for its blue, channel and flathead catfish; largemouth bass; and several species of sunfish. There’s a large marina area with boats available to rent, and bicycle rental for those who want to try out the Fern Hollow Trail, a multiuse 9.8-mile loop. Walk-in tent camping is limited to four sites. Some may find them a little close together, but they are situated in a shady stretch convenient to the trailhead for three of the park’s four trails. SS
Juanita’s Candy Kitchen
47 Stephenwood Drive, Arkadelphia 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat. The closest thing Clark County has to a Willy Wonka factory is located just off the interstate — appropriately, perhaps, behind a Walmart. In 1974, the matriarch of Juanita’s Candy Kitchen, referred to only as “Ms. Juanita,” began selling nut brittles from a building behind her house, then around the state in her car, and eventually, as a full-time business that her sons now operate. She died in 2001, but the factory shop still bears her portrait. Our favorites: the cashew brittle and a sweet little square of the house-made cinnamon roll fudge. SS
Kream Kastle
15922 U.S. Hwy. 70, Lonsdale 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Wed.-Mon. About halfway between Interstate 30 and the tiny town of Lonsdale (Garland County) is Kream Kastle, a dairy bar that serves up patty melts, shakes and unceremonious nostalgia. The prices are as vintage as the sign that lists them, the burgers are reliably greasy and delicious, and the curbside window means you can safely place your order, pay for it and pick it up without ever venturing indoors. SS
SQZBX Brewery & Pizza Joint
236 Ouachita Ave., Hot Springs 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sun.-Thu., 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Fri.-Sat. Cheryl Roorda and Zac Smith were once known to most Central Arkansans as a duo of polka musicians, a helicon-accordion combo that held sway on the tiny stage at Hot Springs’ Steinhaus Keller turning the likes of Talking Heads’ “Stay Up Late” into beer barrel dance magic. Now, the pair are at the helm of a mini-entertainment empire on Hot Springs’ Ouachita Avenue that includes the rejuvenated Starlite Club; the solar-powered, volunteer-run radio station KUHS-FM, 102.5; and SQZBX, a pizzeria and brewery devoted to tank-to-tap beers brewed by Smith in the purist German Reinheitsgebot style. Highlights include The Vegan Dream pizza ($9-$26), crisp salads with house-made Greek and Caesar dressings, the Loaded Garlic Knots ($10), all served in the lovingly restored dining room, which was once a
piano shop. These days, SQZBX has devoted its efforts to delivery and curbside service, so you can grab a growler to take home or a pie to carry down to Central Avenue for a Spa City picnic. SS
Gulpha Gorge Campground
305 Gorge Road, Hot Springs National Park, Hot Springs Creekside camping with a shady tree canopy in the middle of a National Park, with close proximity to thermal hot springs and some of the best biking trails in the state? Yes, please. Gulpha Gorge has 40 sites, all equipped with full hookups for water and electricity and, in addition to its own 1.2-mile out-and-back trail, is minutes away from Hot Springs’ 1.9-mile West Mountain Trail, its 13mile Sunset Trail and the 15-plus-mile network of biking trails at Northwoods Trails. SS
DeLuca’s Pizzeria
831 Central Ave., Hot Springs 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Thu., 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat., noon-8 p.m. Sun. Anthony Valinoti’s take on New York-style pie is worth a 50-mile drive in and of itself. As a child, Valinoti would visit Di Fara Pizza in Brooklyn and watch pizza legend Dom De Marco make pies. When Valinoti decided to open a pizzeria, he traveled to Naples to learn the craft. The result is one of the best hand-tossed offerings Arkansas has to offer. The word on the street is that the DeLuca’s Burger rivals the state’s best as well. I drove there in a severe storm recently and should’ve pulled over. I watched as a street sign in the distance was blown from its post and drifted its way into my girlfriend’s car, smashing her headlight cover and then hitting the back bumper, causing it to detach and hang off. The clouds cleared as we pulled into DeLuca’s, dragging a section of the back bumper behind us. The pizza didn’t fix our car troubles, but it did lift our spirits. RB
BE RESTORED: The Postmaster’s Grill in Camden offers craft beer, duck tenders and risotto balls (above) from a remodeled historic post office; in Hot Springs, the owners of SQZBX (above right) rejuvenated a building on Ouachita to serve pizza and brews.
Red Light Roastery
1003 Park Ave., Hot Springs 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Wed.-Sun. The best coffee in Hot Springs is, luckily, served in a place perfectly situated for the sort of outdoor dining the pandemic has made us all prioritize. The restored 1881 bungalow in Hot Springs’ vibrant (and underrated) Park Avenue district is gifted with loads of porchside and deckside picnic tables. The beans here are sourced on a rolling and seasonal basis, so keep in mind that whatever you adore about your cuppa is, like all great food, an ephemeral delight, and may not be on the bean menu the next time you drop in. Keep your eyes peeled especially for Red Light’s tiramisu, made with locally sourced Ouachita Chocolate, and for the assortment of maps Red Light keeps on hand for planning caffeine-fueled adventuring in the area. Plus, the folks that run the place, Adam and Briana Moore, have made a habit of fostering the community in which it’s situated; anything you put in the tip jar will go to a different local nonprofit each month. SS
BE CONCATENATED: Link up with the folks at the Hoo-Hoo Museum in Gurdon; just a half hour south is the “Little Grand Canyon” of Ouachita County. Back in Hot Springs is DeLuca’s Pizzeria, always worth a trip to the Spa City.
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Wild Sweet William’s Bakery 304B S. Main St., Searcy 7 a.m.-noon Wed.-Sun.
SWEET AND HOT: Steer to Searcy for pastries at Sweet William’s Bakery; if it’s tamales you’re after, head to Arkansas Food Hall of Fame’s Rhoda’s Famous in Lake Village.
Lisa Ford, who owns Wild Sweet William’s Bakery with her husband, Bill, grew up in Missouri helping her mother in the kitchen, often making dozens of loaves of bread to give away to friends. “Quantity never scared us,” Ford said. When she got the opportunity as a teenager to travel to Europe as part of a high school program, she paid her way by selling baked goods in the lobby of a local bank. Years later, in search of a summer project to tackle with her daughters that would help teach them about commerce and community, Ford and her kids started selling baked goods they made together at the Searcy Farmers Market in 2015. “If we baked it, they would eat it,” Ford said of the reception. Opening a brick-and-mortar bakery the following year was a natural evolution. You can taste Ford’s background in Wild Sweet William’s scones, kolaches, cinnamon rolls, cookies and other treats. They’re the most delicious, elegant version of church bake sale fare, massive and moist and buttery. The scones and kolaches — a Czech pastry similar to a Danish that Ford, who has Czech roots, grew up eating — come in around a dozen flavors with savory options for each. The salted caramel pecan twist and cinnamon roll are as good as any decadent breakfast pastry in the state. We like picking up a loaf of the round country white every time my family stops in. (There are vegan, keto and gluten-free options, too.) Amid the pandemic, the small bakery will let a few masked customers in to look at the selection, but it also has a walk-up window and will do curbside by request. Wild Sweet William’s closes when it sells out. Friday through Sunday that can happen as early as 10 a.m. To ensure that you get what you want, Ford strongly encourages that customers call 501-593-5655, email order@wildsweetwilliams.com or order online at wildsweetwilliams.com the night before. LM
Whilma’s Filipino Restaurant 701 E. Race St. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tue.-Sat.
In 2004, in search of more opportunity for their children, Whilma and Jimmy Frogoso immigrated from the Phillipines to the U.S., eventually settling in Searcy. A few years later, Whilma opened Whilma’s Filipino Restaurant in a small strip mall next to the Guns Plus pawn shop and near Harding University. The college community, especially, embraced the small restaurant and Whilma’s lumpia (tiny fried spring rolls filled with pork or veggies), adobo and pancit (noodle stir fry). Then the restaurant got a big boost in 2019 when Searcy won the “Small Business Revolution” Main Street competition that landed it $500,000 in consulting and marketing help and a Hulu reality show. Whilma’s was one of six businesses chosen to get a makeover. You can find the episode on YouTube 26 OCTOBER 2020
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by searching “Whilma’s Filipino Restaurant.” It’s very charming. Amid COVID-19, the restaurant has only been doing takeout orders, but once life returns to normal, we’re eager to book a Kamayan dinner. It’s a traditional, Filipino family-style feast that you book 24 hours ahead of time. LM
Riverside Park
160 Riverside Park Road Searcy If you need a scenic spot to enjoy your pastries and pancit, you could do a lot worse than this 100-acre park on the edge of Searcy, overlooking the Little Red River. There are bluffs and crevasses and cave-like formations to explore. And there’s a lightly trafficked, mile-long, out-and-back trail to meander along. It may be an even better destination in the future: The city is trying to secure an adjacent 50 acres, and leaders have talked about building more trails and cleaning up a lake in the park for fishing. LM
LAKE VILLAGE Rhoda’s Famous Hot Tamales
714 St. Mary’s St., Lake Village 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Sat. (but definitely call in advance, 870-265-3108) Rhoda Adams, an inaugural Arkansas Food Hall of Fame inductee, is justifiably famous for her Delta-style hot tamales, filled with chicken fat, beef and secret spices. She’ll sell them in a coffee can frozen if you wanna take them home to heat and eat later. And get a burger or fried chicken or whatever other soul food she has to offer. But whatever you do, you must buy pie. I’ve yet to find a better slice of pie than where the sweet potato and pecan portions meet in one of her half-and-halfs. Generally, the first pies are out of the oven by 9 or 9:30 a.m. On weekdays, there’s sweet potato and pecan and mini and combo versions of each. On the weekend, she also cooks coconut and chocolate pies. Regular travelers to New Orleans or the Redneck Riviera know that Rhoda’s is an essential stop, but the pie is worth a trip to far southeastern Arkansas no matter how out of the way that is for you. Be warned: Rhoda’s has operating hours that aren’t easily divined, especially on weekends. Lately, she’s been taking off every other weekend. So call ahead and bring cash. That’s all that’s accepted. LM
Lake Chicot State Park
2542 State Hwy. 257, Lake Village Separated from the main channel of the Mississippi River centuries ago, 20-mile long Lake Chicot is the country’s largest oxbow lake. If you’re short on time, at least stop at the Lake Village Welcome Center along U.S. Hwy. 65 and spend a minute counting turtles from the center’s deck that overlooks the lake. But if you’re up for more of an adventure, Lake Village State Park has 14 cabins available for rent, dozens of camping spots and primo crappie, bass and bream fishing. LM
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for a memorable outdoor evening as we say farewell to one of America’s most beloved musicians! John Prine at MerleFest (2006). Photo by Ron Baker. https://www.flickr.com/photos/kingsnake/225426648/
Tips from State Parks and The Nature Conservancy. By Lindsey Millar
I
n April, my family set out from Little Rock to one of our favorite wild places in Arkansas, the Winding Stairs Trail in the Ouachita National Forest near Caddo Gap (Montgomery County). It’s two hours from Little Rock, requires bumping along on an U.S. Forest Service road for half an hour and leaves you without a cellphone signal. On past weekend visits, we’ve always seen cars, but rarely other hikers. This time, every primitive campground and possible place to park was full and ATVs were kicking up dust around every curve. It took us an hour to drive and hike to find a solitary place in one of the most remote public lands in Central Arkansas. State parks are crowded as well. Many of the 52 parks in the Arkansas State Parks system have been flooded with visitors since March, according to Parks Director Grady Spann. To manage parks more efficiently, the department started counting guests. Since March, state parks have seen 4.2 million visitors (for context, the population of the state is 3 million). Park rangers have had to patrol park parking lots like never before, Spann said. “When a parking lot is full, that means that part of the park is closed,” he said. The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas has had to take similar steps with the nonprofit’s most popular properties, Rattlesnake Ridge Natural Area near Pinnacle Mountain and the Smith Creek Preserve in Newton County, using volunteers to make sure visitors aren’t parking outside of designated spots. At Rattlesnake Ridge, volunteers monitor the parking lot and can remotely close a gate when it’s full. “We always wanted the experience [at Rattlesnake Ridge and other Nature Conservancy properties] to be a little more secluded and wild-feeling,” said Mitchell Allen, river restoration and recreational use project manager at The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas. Spann calls state parks an “essential service” amid the pandemic. Allen says he hopes that visitors who are taking advantage of parks and conservation areas remember their value in the voting booth or when they’re advocating politicians. Each offered tips for people who might be new to camping or hiking: *Leave no trace is a cardinal rule when visiting public lands. “What you take in, you take out,” Spann said. “These areas are protected areas; they’re special areas. We want to protect them from litter. We don’t want people to create new trails. That’s for public safety and the safety of the resource.” At Nature Conservancy lands, roaming around off the trail is usually allowed, but Allen asks that visitors follow guidance from volunteers or any signage. *Bring water and tell someone what you’re doing if you’re hiking solo, particularly in a remote location. At state parks, Spann encourages visitors to check in at ranger stations. Rangers can help point you to trails that match your skill level. *Wear orange or another bright color during hunting season. Some Nature Conservancy properties, including the popular Bluffton Preserve on the Archey Fork of the Little Red River near Clinton, are leased for hunting. Some state parkland or U.S. Forest Service property adjoins property where hunting is allowed and sometimes people hunt where they’re not supposed to. *Plan ahead. Spann encourages folks wanting to camp to make reservations as early as they can at arkansasstateparks.com. If there’s no availability listed, call the park; rangers may be able to help them find a spot. *Be willing to try something new and drive a little bit. You’re likely to find crowds at the state’s most popular parks: Pinnacle Mountain, Petit Jean Mountain, Devil’s Den, Lake Ouachita and Lake Catherine. So try another park or go early or late in the day. Learn about other parks at arkansastateparks.com. At Rattlesnake Ridge, Allen said the parking lot is often empty first thing in the morning. The Ranch North Woods Preserve in West Little Rock has seen an influx of visitors, but hasn’t been overrun like Rattlesnake Ridge has been, Allen said. Find trails, a fishing pier and canoes for floating the Little Maumelle River there. Visit The Nature Conservancy at nature.org and follow The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas on Facebook for more information about its conservation properties that are open to the public.
JOHN PRINE TRIBUTE CONCERT Sunday October 11 • 5-8pm SoMa Outdoor Dining Room
BENEFITING WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Featuring Amy Garland, Mandy McBride, Joe Sundell, Chris DeClerk, Dallas Smith, Steve Railey, Aaron Farris, Matt Clampett, Joey Barrett and more playing their favorite John Prine songs at the SoMa Outdoor Dining Room at 13th and Main Street in downtown Little Rock. Tented Reserved tables (max 6 people) $100 a table (20 available) 60 additional chairs (theater-style facing the stage from both sides) $12 per person Purchase food and drinks from any of the bars and restaurants in SoMa: Ester’s, Raduno, South on Main, Rock ‘n Roll Sushi, Mockingbird Bar & Tacos, The Root Cafe, Rock Town Distillery, Loblolly Creamery, and Community Bakery.
Get tickets at centralarkansastickets.com
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OCTOBER 2020 27
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PLACEMAKING WITH PUBLIC ART FROM SOCIAL JUSTICE TO JUST FUN, MURALS ARE ENLIVENING URBAN AREAS. By Leslie Newell Peacock
RISING IN THE BAKERY DISTRICT: Hilda Palafox’s silo murals welcome visitors to the new Fort Smith Coffee Co. in what was once the Shipley Bakery.
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MURALS WITH A MESSAGE: D*Face’s mural (left) of a weeping Native American refers to Fort Smith’s location on the edge of Indian Country; in Fayetteville, the year’s uprisings against racial injustice after the killing of George Floyd inspired artists to collaborate on “No Justice, No Peace” (center) and Octavio Paz to add Floyd’s face on his South Fayetteville studio’s exterior wall, which was being used as a backdrop for a dance troupe when the photograph was taken.
A
125-foot-long painting of a weeping woman who’s drawn back her bowstring to release, not an arrow, but a paintbrush: That’s the mural that welcomes people driving east into downtown Fort Smith on U.S. Hwy. 64. English muralist D*Face painted the beautifully realized work to reflect the town’s history as the gateway to the American West — where the country’s East Coast indigenous population was unhappily relocated — and its future as a place of art and culture. The African child who created a wind turbine for his village out of a bicycle parts, scrap metal and blue gum trees is at the center of a whirlwind in “Harvesting the Winds of Change,” Fayetteville artist Octavio Logo’s expression of hope on the side of the Grubs Bar & Grille in downtown Fayetteville. Logo’s painting of George Floyd on the exterior of his studio is a reminder of the American blight of racism and, recently, the backdrop for a group of dancers. And then there’s Jason Jones’ blue Bentonville octopus, a car in one of its tentacles. 30 OCTOBER 2020
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This bent to put vast fine art on urban Arkansas walls is a new move toward placemaking, offering lively messages, some contemplative, some whimsical, about a town’s culture. That was the idea during the Great Depression when the U.S. Department of the Treasury hired talented WPA artists to paint murals on the interiors of post offices across the country, including Arkansas. In 2015, progressive minds in Fort Smith saw murals as a way to “challenge perceptions we have of ourselves in Fort Smith and Arkansas,” said Claire Kolberg, director of the art initiative, named The Unexpected. “We want to position Fort Smith as a kind of destination for the arts.” Kolberg and Steve Clark, the founder of Propak logistics company in Fort Smith, came up with the idea to reverse Fort Smith’s declining fortunes. The Unexpected is what Kolberg calls the “sexy part” of development efforts spearheaded by the nonprofit 64.6 Downtown (the number refers to the square miles that the town encompasses). The Unexpected has
brought international artists to town to offer contemporary art in all its forms — musical and dance performances, installations, sculpture, lectures, painted houses and a “universal chapel” in addition to the murals — and is complemented by mural painting class at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith. “A lot of people think that with The Unexpected the whole mission was just ‘let’s throw up some art and see what happens,’ ” Talicia Richardson of 64.6 said on a recent tour of the murals. “It was so much bigger than that. [It was] ‘what can we do to draw positive attention to a community in need that has been somewhat left behind?’ ” A real attention grabber is Australian artist Guido van Helten’s 100-by-30-foot paintings creating a triptych on the feed mill at OK Foods. This monumental work features three people: Gene Beckham, a 70-year employee of OK Foods; Kristina Jones, a young Black entrepreneur who recently moved to Fort Smith from Atlanta; and Edward Paradela of Van Buren, a
Navajo member of the Lawbreakers and Peacemakers reenactment group. Two Matisse-like paintings by Mexico City artist Hilda Palafox adorn the silos in front of the Fort Smith Coffee Co. restaurant that has transformed the old Shipley’s Bakery. This new development in what Fort Smith is calling the The Bakery District includes event space, a food truck, an independent bookstore and the super hip coffee shop and roastery, which features outdoor and indoor dining spaces, including an area where folks can hang, bat-like, in suspended hammocks. The Unexpected’s 2020 events were canceled out of coronavirus safety concerns; organizers hope to be able to plan the 2021 festival soon. The most recent manifestation of the renaissance of muraling in Fayetteville came during the Sprayetteville Street Art Festival in July, when 11 artists, among them graffiti artists X3MEX and EATS of the Seventh Street mural fame, made their mark from Free Geek eRecycling on Ash Street on the north to the Washara-
ma on West 15th Street on the south. Some of the works, like the aforementioned works by Octavio Logo, are referential to important events; others, like Tommy Tropical’s jungle scene, are colorful fun. In June, artists Sharon Killian, Logo, Jody Travis Thompson, Hannah Newsome Doyle, Morgan Bame and Joelle Storet worked together on the brilliantly executed 50-by-18foot mural “No Justice, No Peace,” which was completed at the Fayetteville in Living Color event. The figures, painted in a social realism style in a palette of blue and orange, hold signs expressing such sentiments as “Black Trans Lives Matter” and “The Children are Watching” and quoting Dr. Martin Luther King’s “until justice rolls down” speech. One of the first of the artist-made murals in Arkansas was Morton Brown’s “Aurora Rising,” painted in 2007 on the back wall of Conway City Hall, facing Simon Park. Brown was an artist-in-residence at the University of Central Arkansas, and his “Aurora Rising” is a piece that features a jubilant child running, her blan-
ket-cape flying, in the foreground and Conway landmarks in the background. It remains a vibrant work. Conway artist Jessica Jones has contributed new works in the college town, including a painting of stylized peacocks at 1156 Front St. and a butterfly garden on the side of the Fretmonkey recording studio at Van Ronkle and North streets. Jones was also among the Sprayetteville team and is painting “The Heart of Cabot” on the Melikian building on state Hwy. 89. The Downtown Little Rock Partnership, seeing what Fort Smith had achieved, got in on the act in 2017, sponsoring such works as “Robot” and “Playtime,” both by Fayetteville artist Jason Jones, and Guy Bell’s “Migration” image of buffalos marching up the parking deck ramp at Sixth and Scott streets. X3MEX, signing his work by his official name, Jose Hernandez, created a tribute to workers with “Men of Iron” on East Sixth Street in the East Village. They are among many works downtown; the Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau has assembled a ARKANSASTIMES.COM
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WINGS: Robin Tucker adorned North Little Rock’s Flyway Brewing’s south wall with geese, ducks, a heron and a pelican in flight; Jessica Jones celebrated the beauty of the monarch butterfly with her mural at North and Front streets in Conway.
32 OCTOBER 2020
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BIGGER-THAN-LIFE CYCLIST: Kevin Kresse’s tribute to the Big Dam Bridge (above) at Seventh and Main streets in North Little Rock. Morton Brown’s 2007 “Aurora Rising” was one of the first artist-made murals in Arkansas.
INTO THE WILD SIDE. Plan your visit to central Arkansas’ most popular fall attraction. Reserve your trip at LittleRockZoo.com
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guide at littlerock.com. On the north side of the Arkansas River, Little Rock artist Robin Tucker has sent birds winging down the Mississippi flyway — Canada and snow geese; shoveler, mallard, wood and pintail ducks; and an errant garganey — on the south exterior wall of Flyway Brewing and has giant bees buzzing at the Innovation Hub on Fourth and Poplar streets. A few blocks north, Little Rock artist Kevin Kresse has paid tribute to Central Arkansas’s Big Dam Bridge with his painting at Seventh and Main streets of larger-than-life cyclists. Murals, exposed to sun and rain, are somewhat ephemeral: Alex Diaz’s stunning and tow-
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ering mural of an owl, for example, has begun to spall from a wall on College Avenue in Fayetteville. There is man-made violence as well: In Fayetteville in mid-September, a white supremacist painted the racist slogan “14 words” and defaced a sign next to it that read “Love Unites Us,” changing it to “Love Weakens Us.” Sign painter and town booster Olivia Trimble went to work repairing the vandalism, as she always does with words of hate painted in public places in Fayetteville. In Little Rock, the fantastic grass-roots-evolved Seventh Street Mural Project has been the repeated target of people who apparently oppose its messages of social justice. Adaja Cooper’s work, “Ain’t I A Woman,” was obliterated with black paint just days after she completed it in September. Cooper restored it; it was painted over again. She repainted a third time but left a section of the damage visible as an example of hate-driven vandalism. Armed with brushes and spray cans, artists will fight back to deliver their messages of love.
OCTOBER 2020 35
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OCTOBER 2020 CACHE ME OUTSIDE
Talk about a power couple! AIS (Art Integration Services) and The Nature Conservancy have partnered to create Adventurers Art Club, which marries—yes!—art and nature. Notice the extraordinary in the seemingly ordinary as you paint and geocache your way through this art adventure. In four virtual sessions, AIS teaching artist Elly Bates and TNC’s Devan Schlaudraff will inspire your K-sixth-grade students to observe, enjoy and help protect the natural world through art projects and outdoor experiences on some of TNC’s beautiful land. Don’t miss it! Email artsintegrationservices@gmail.com with questions. With the registration fee of $100 ($25 per session) you’ll receive a fully supplied art box for two children.
BOO HOO? NOT NECESSARILY In the interest of safety, the Museum of Discovery wisely extended Tinkerfest, over four separate Saturdays. The last two are “Tinkering with Materials” on Oct. 10 and “Spooky Tinkering” Oct. 24, sure to get you in the Halloween spirit. To limit crowd size, tickets may be purchased in advance (members should reserve tickets) and are offered in two-hour increments, from 9-11 a.m., 11 a.m- 1 p.m. and 1-3 p.m. More Halloween fun can be found at the Historic Arkansas Museum. Its “Big Boo-seum Bash Dash!” starts at 6 p.m. Oct. 29 and is a free drive-by event. Get that treat bag ready!
Halloween isn’t called off, but it will look different. For instance, everyone will be wearing masks whether in costume or not. Boo at the Zoo is canceled this year, but look to these options for getting your treat on safely. “Shadows at Sixth Street,” Oct. 9-31, presented by the Little Rock Zoo and the Downtown Little Rock Partnership, is a haunted drive-thru event with ghostly ushers, witches, monsters and hungry alligators. In lieu of Boo at the Zoo, the Zoo is also offering “Laser Lights at the Little Rock Zoo,” Oct. 1-4, 2020. The only one of its kind, “Laser Lights” is a drivein show held in the Zoo’s parking lot featuring light displays, hit music and graphic effects. The 30-minute shows are at 8 p.m., 9:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. Limited to 116 vehicles per show. Tickets are $25 per vehicle and must be purchased in advance at littlerockzoo.com.
First Discoveries Camps are on at the Museum of Discovery! To limit the number of camps held this summer, the museum moved First Discovery Camps to the fall. Following the Arkansas Department of Health’s day camp directives and taking additional steps to provide a safe and fun experience for kids, the museum is offering a variety of one-day, inperson camps for children ages 4-6. They will be held on select Mondays (when the museum is closed to the public) 9 a.m.-noon. Tickets are $40 member/$50 nonmember per day. For more information, contact Beth Nelsen at bnelsen@museumofdiscovery.org. The schedule: Oct. 12: Superhero Science Oct. 26: Dino Discoveries Nov. 16: Little Builders
'SALINE, TAKES ME AWAY ...' There are a myriad of virtual happenings at the Saline County Public Library for kids of all ages: Teen D&D, Cuentos y Cánticos (storytime), Homeschool Creative Writing, Homeschool Art Zoom, Storytime Live!, Teen Discord Hangout, Tweens Read Book Club, Loose Parts Play, Rhythms & Rhymes, Online Gaming Club, a special Halloween Storytime, and the very cool SCL Theater: The Rising Star Players, to name but a few. There are weekly programs for each age group with a mixture of Facebook live and recorded video programs, as well as private Zoom calls to allow children and their families to interact with the librarians. Participants can register at SalineCountyLibraryCalendar.com. Special fall programs will be added each month.
SAVVY kids PUBLISHER BROOKE WALLACE | brooke@arktimes.com
EDITOR KATHERINE WYRICK | katherinewyrick@arktimes.com SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE LESA THOMAS ART DIRECTOR KATIE HASSELL
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he Pulaski County Special School District is offering a food stability program from the United States Department of Agriculture to help lower the financial burden on our families, while still ensuring our students are being provided necessities like food. Governor Asa Hutchinson and Education Secretary Johnny Key were granted a waiver to provide the Seamless Summer Option program in Arkansas. The program, which provides free meals for all PCSSD students, is being extended through December 31, 2020 to assure that all students have access to nutritious meals while the nation continues to recover from COVID-19. “At PCSSD, we understand the importance of providing healthy and nutritious meals,” said Regena English, director of student nutrition for PCSSD. “Taking away the burden of breakfast and lunch costs at the school-level allows families to focus on other important expenses at home. It also allows our kids the ability to focus on their education because they know they are getting breakfast and lunch at school.” Since September, all students at every school in the District have received free breakfasts and lunches from the school. The state also waived meal pattern requirements and allows parents to pick up meals for their students who participate in the blended and virtual learning options. This is something PCSSD already had set up for students and families prior to the program’s implementation.
Families can fill out the free and reduced lunch application in order to continue receiving free (or reduced) meals after December 31. This program is separate from the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program, which PCSSD announced prior to the start of the 2020-2021 school year. Twelve PCSSD schools were approved for the program which provides meals at NO CHARGE for all students at Cato Elementary, College Station Elementary, Crystal Hill Elementary, Daisy Bates Elementary, Harris Elementary, Joe T. Robinson Middle, Landmark Elementary, Lawson Elementary, Mills Middle, Oak Grove Elementary, Wilbur D. Mills University Studies High, and William Jefferson Clinton Elementary.
ABOUT PCSSD Pulaski County Special School District spans more than 600 square miles in central Arkansas and requires highly skilled and passionate personnel to adapt educational policies and personalization to 25 schools. Every school is accredited by the Arkansas State Board of Education. PCSSD has served schools across Pulaski County since July
pcssd.org 501.234.2000
1927. PCSSD is committed to creating a nationally recognized school district that assures that all students achieve at their maximum potential through collaborative, supportive and continuous efforts of all stakeholders. SAVVYKIDSAR.COM | SEPTEMBER 2020
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DECODING
The impacts of the learning disability can be wide-ranging. BY KATHERINE WYRICK
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ou might want to get him evaluated,” my cousin said out of earshot of our 5-year-old, Harrison (who was probably fashioning a robot out of whatever was close at hand). A learning disabilities specialist, she had noticed some early markers for dyslexia during her visit. His preschool teacher had recently recommended that he enroll in a transition year before kindergarten, so my cousin’s observation confirmed that something was amiss. When he was diagnosed with dyslexia soon after, his dad and I felt grateful to have found out while he was so young, but we were shocked. Harrison was articulate, an early talker who had an extensive vocabulary by age 2. His dad and I were both avid readers and read to him often. How could this bright, creative kid be dyslexic? What followed was a crash course in a learning disability that affects one in five people, or 20 percent of the population. This was just over 10 years ago, and much has changed since then — for the better — but there’s still a long way to go. Early screening and intervention remain key. Parents, too, need a lot of patience and support along this journey as they learn how to advocate for their children. Sounds like a tall order, but do not despair — help is at hand. In honor of National Dyslexia Awareness Month, we offer the following resources and information.
WHAT IS DYSLEXIA? First, let us dispel the commonly held belief that dyslexia results in seeing words, numbers or letters reversed or backward. Dyslexia is not due to a problem with vision. (An aside: Just because your first-grader still confuses his “b”s and “d”s doesn’t necessarily mean there’s cause for concern.) According to the International Dyslexia Association (IDA), dyslexia “is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective
classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.” In short, dyslexics process information differently.
WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF DYSLEXIA? The impact of dyslexia, different for each individual, can be significant and far-reaching; it depends on the severity of the condition and the effectiveness of remediation. The IDA says, “Some individuals with dyslexia manage to learn early reading and spelling tasks, especially with excellent instruction, but later experience their most challenging problems when more complex language skills are required, such as grammar, understanding textbook material and writing essays.” Our now college-aged son struggles with these issues in addition to having some problems around spoken language, like expressing himself clearly or confusing words that sound similar but have different meanings. Dyslexia can also affect a person’s self-worth, leaving one feeling discouraged, inadequate or less intelligent than others. As a parent, it’s tough to witness this. Our son suffered from both low selfesteem and anxiety. Because he had to work twice as hard as his peers, he also experienced constant frustration (and headaches) when at school or doing homework. Harrison also received a diagnosis of ADHD, which compounded his hardships. Therapy, both traditional and academic, helped. In a recent conversation, Kimberly Newton, MS, LPE-I and psychological examiner for ACCESS®, stressed: “There is a high rate of comorbidity, but that’s why a comprehensive evaluation is necessary. Sometimes what looks like ADD or ADHD is avoidance ... as examiners, we’re tasked with teasing that apart. Is it avoidance? Inattention? Anxiety? Maybe there’s all of that.” Dr. Elizabeth Speck-Kern, a neuropsychologist in Little Rock who sees a lot of dyslexics in her practice, says, “For individuals with
“Many people with dyslexia are brilliant in others ways, especially the arts and visuospatial skills.” - Dr. Elizabeth Speck-Kern 4
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EARLY WARNING SIGNS •Family history •Early childhood • • • •
Difficulty learning to talk and incorrectly pronouncing words Difficulty following directions and sequencing Difficulty retrieving names of things like letters of the alphabet Difficulty with time management and organization
•Preschool through first grade • History of a speech and language impairment (remediated or persistent) • Trouble learning common nursery rhymes • Difficulty learning and remembering names of the letters in the alphabet (Alphabet song) • Seems to be unable to recognize letters in his/her own name • Mispronounces familiar words; persistent “baby talk” • Doesn’t recognize rhyming patterns • Reading errors that show no connection to the sounds of the letters on the page • Will read “puppy” instead of “dog” because in the illustration there is a dog • Does not associate letters with sounds
•Second grade and beyond • • • • • • • • • •
Slow in acquiring reading skills. Reading is slow and awkward. Doesn’t have a strategy for reading new words Trouble reading unfamiliar words, often making wild guesses Avoids reading out loud Needs extra time to respond to questions Searches for a specific word and ends up using vague language such “stuff” or “thing” Pauses, hesitates and/or uses lots of “umms” when speaking Confuses words that sound alike “tornado” for “volcano,” “lotion” for “ocean” Mispronunciation of long, unfamiliar or complicated words Messy handwriting Source: The Hannah School
dyslexia, my job starts with diagnosis and description of the academic problems and identification of intellectual strengths and weaknesses so realistic plans are made. I also help the parents and child by steering them into areas for vocational development and getting them services to succeed in school. Sometimes changing schools is needed to find a better fit for the child. I encourage the parents to find emotional, physical and artistic outlets for the child, so they can experience success. It is very discouraging to fail in something as important as reading. So, they need other areas of success and to blow off steam and frustration. It is important to develop self-compassion to encourage persistence.”
DEVELOPING A PLAN OF ACTION If you suspect your child is dyslexic, the first step is to get an evaluation and diagnosis and follow up with academic support, and there’s a wealth of specialists throughout the state. Our son’s
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tutor was trained in the Orton-Gillingham method — a phonetic, multisensory approach for teaching reading — but there are others, including the DuBard method and Wilson Language Training (now used for all students in the Little Rock School District). To help you find your footing, it’s imperative to seek out parents who understand what you are going through. The Dyslexia Project — an organization that aims to raise awareness, empower families to support their children, and inform policy-makers on best practices to support students — is one excellent resource. There, you can connect with parents and find tutors and other specialists. There’s also the ACCESS Evaluation and Resource Center, which looks at the whole picture when assessing your child. ACCESS offers screening, evaluation and tutoring and serves students from a variety of different schools. Kimberly Newton, co-president of the Learning Disabilities Association of America’s Arkansas chapter, has been working with children and families for over 20 years. “It’s important to play to their strengths ... and tailor accommodations accordingly,” she says. “Not every dyslexic student has the same area of deficit.” And then there’s the Hannah School, Arkansas's first and only school solely devoted to educating dyslexic students. The school, which serves students K-12, has grown leaps and bounds since it began as a homeschooling group in a garage in 2016. “There was such a huge demand that we extended our services over the past four years,” co-founder Melissa Hannah said. Our son, Harrison, stumbled through private elementary school with some success but in middle school (also private) received little to no support in the classroom. Then came public high school, which presented its own set of challenges. Harrison got a 504 plan, an essential step that ensures the children with disabilities receive necessary accommodations. IPEs —
FAMOUS DYSLEXICS: • • • •
Albert Einstein George Washington Agatha Christie Walt Disney
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Steve Jobs Leonardo da Vinci Steven Spielberg Whoopi Goldberg
Individualized Education Programs — and 504s offer modified curriculums for K–12 students struggling in school. Yet, for him, it did little to ease his burden or anxiety. One unforeseen challenge in high school was encouraging him to use those hardwon accommodations — like getting more time on tests, not having to take a foreign language, not having spelling mistakes counted against him. During those tween/teen years, he became increasingly self-conscious about his learning disability, at times denying that he had one or claiming that dyslexia wasn’t “even a real thing.” This kind of behavior isn’t uncommon. A constant source of frustration for him was having to work twice as hard or harder than everyone else to get the same results. At some point, someone explained it to me this way: “You wouldn’t give someone who couldn’t walk ‘more time’ to make it up the stairs in a wheelchair; you’d build them a ramp.” In other words, though necessary, 504s only go so far, and there’s room for improvement. We still need a ramp. Fortunately, improvements have been made since our son was in school. Due to recent laws, public schools in Arkansas are now mandated to screen for and remediate dyslexia, and the Little Rock School District hired a dyslexia specialist, Clinton School
WHO WILL WHO WILL YOU BE THIS YOU BE THIS
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• • • •
graduate Chandle Devor Carpenter, in 2018. “As educators, our job is to teach so that all students can learn, but many of us didn’t know how,” Carpenter said. Her duties include building systems to address the needs of dyslexic students, providing professional development that addresses dyslexia awareness, offering support to dyslexia interventionists, and collaborating with the literacy team to develop a district-wide literacy plan. By all accounts, she has begun to implement a robust program; sadly, however, the pandemic has complicated matters, causing parents and teachers to worry that some students may fall through the cracks. Private schools are exempt from these laws, so screening and remediation vary school to school. Newton from Access strikes an upbeat note: “Having dyslexia doesn’t mean that there’s an inability to learn. … I try to show my families the silver lining.” It’s not an easy path and can be a lifelong battle, but heartening news is on the horizon. For one thing, neurodiversity is becoming a competitive advantage in the workplace. Major corporations like Microsoft at times actively recruit dyslexics and others with learning differences because of their ability to think outside the box. Our dyslexic, who railed against school for the entirety of his K-12 years, is now thriving in art school and at work. Even though Harrison is now considered a “compensated” dyslexic, it’s unlikely that he’ll ever enjoy curling up with a good book (unless it’s illustrated) — reading will always be slow-going — but we, his parents, can now see that silver lining with greater clarity. We’re starting to believe that it’s because of, not despite, that beautiful, imperfect brain of his that he’s living from a place of creativity and curiosity — and on the way to becoming his most authentic self.
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Meet the Parent:
HEATHER CHAPMAN-HENRY Heather Chapman-Henry is a licensed certified social worker and registered play therapist who has worked with adults, children and families for more than 20 years in homeless/youth shelters, schools, childcare settings and clinics in St. Louis, California and Arkansas. She has extensive experience working with young children, adolescents and adults addressing a variety of issues from anxiety disorders to depression to trauma-related behavior disorders. Her practice is LGBTQ-friendly and based on inclusion. Heather is also the mother of Maya Henry, 15, and Cora, 12, and the wife of Chris Henry. Other family members include Roxy the rescue dog and cats Gordy and Linley. What’s your biggest parenting challenge? Being present and attentive as much as I need to and being able to parent two girls who have very different personalities. How do you organize to balance work and family? We have a color-coded dry erase family calendar that helps us a lot. We put appointments and activities on that calendar and have it hanging where we can all see it. I have to put time off for myself on that calendar, too. It helps me make time for me. If I don’t schedule it ahead of time, it likely will not happen.
"I TRY TO LISTEN TO MY GIRLS. I TELL THEM THAT I LOVE THEM A LOT. I APOLOGIZE WHEN I HURT THEM. I TRY TO DO THE BEST I CAN EACH DAY AND SOME DAYS I DO BETTER THAN OTHERS." THAT'S HEATHER CHAPMAN-HENRY'S PHILOSOPHY WHEN IT COMES TO PARENTING DAUGHTERS MAYA HENRY (AGE 15) AND CORA (12). PICTURED HERE WITH HER GIRLS AND HUSBAND CHRIS HENRY.
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What does school look like for your family this year? I know this has been hard for everyone, especially for parents who have no option other than sending their kids to school full time. I worry about kids who don’t have access to WiFi or who have health problems and maybe should not attend in person but have no other choice. My mom and step-dad used to work for LRSD in special education, and they are both retired now. Luckily, they decided to do a “learning pod” with my seventh-grader and one of her friends. They teach them from their home. My 10th-grader is doing half of school in person and the other half online. My husband is a teacher, too, and has to go in person full time.
What are your favorite “family time” activities? We like to play games, watch movies and sing and dance in the kitchen. How do you manage your own stress? Honestly, I wish I did better with this. I used to do Jazzercise regularly before COVID. Now I try to take walks at least three times a week. I make it a point to work on deep breathing and like to let off steam by singing (loudly) when I can. It startles my family and scares the dog, but it helps. How do you recharge? What does your “me time” look like? I read daily meditations that keep me focused on something positive and help me forgive myself more often for mistakes I make. I like reading and taking naps on the weekend since the weeks are so hectic. I like to look at positive social media sites that remind me of the good in humanity. I also like to follow people on social
media who make me laugh and who inspire me to be actively involved in making this world better. I try to plan phone calls with good friends who make me feel good about myself and who make me laugh. How would you describe your parenting style? Maybe this is a question for my kids. … Being raised by a social worker is a hard road; I warn my girls too often about the harm of doing drugs, not ever going to jail (unless it is for being an activist in a worthy cause) and not having sex too young or without protection. Half the time, my girls look at me like I am crazy when I go on these rants. I remind them (maybe too often) of all those who are hungry, those who don’t get love and attention, and those who struggle to have their basic needs met. I try to listen to my girls. I tell them that I love them a lot. I apologize when I hurt them. I try to do the best I can each day and some days I do better than others.
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CULTURE
TELLING THEIR STORIES: The ensemble of the LatinX Theatre Project, now in its fourth year: (top row, left to right) Alex Nilsson, Jasper Logan, Martin Garay, Damian Dena, Gabriela Arroyo, Felicia Deatherage, Justine Ryan; (middle row, left to right) Michael Del Rio, M. Sativa Vela, Yesenia De Loera, Betty Brutus; (kneeling, left to right) Daniela Martinex, Gabriela Torres.
LATINX ON STAGE
THE TROUPE TELLS STORIES OF THEIR LIVES WITH ORIGINAL DRAMA, HIP-HOP, SONG AND POETRY. BY CHRISTIAN LEUS
46 OCTOBER 2020
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or the ensemble of the LatinX Theatre Project, telling heartfelt stories about the Latinx community in Northwest Arkansas is a way to spark conversations about the political and social issues that impact their lives. “We don’t typically try and simplify what’s going on, we just kind of tell our stories,” Rebecca Rivas, program director for the Northwest Arkansas company that is producing original works for the stage, said. “And then that ends up touching on really complicated issues in our country.” The project, created in 2017 by a group of young Latinx creatives and supported by a grant from the Walton Family Foundation and with help from TheatreSquared, is approaching its fourth season. Its productions are original works conceived and written by the ensemble, such as “Blanket Statements,” which explores the personal ramifications of immigration policy through spoken word poetry, song and comedy, and “The Crossroads,” about a young couple migrating to the United States and discovering how stories tie generations of families together.
The Project has also created shorter educational pieces, like a workshop on rap that it led at the Fayetteville Public Library. Justine Ryan, a theater veteran who joined the ensemble in August 2019, said the LXTP is unlike any project she’s been a part of. “We’re not just acting in the pieces, we’re also creating them. We’re writing them, we’re talking about how one scene affects another, deeply talking about and really resonating with the work that we’re doing and how it affects the community,” she said. Each piece begins in one of the Project’s workshops, collaborative events that often welcome the community as well as the ensemble. “It’s a different process every time, depending on the subject matter or what happens to inspire us in the moment,” Rivas said. She recently relocated to Arkansas from El Paso, where she had taught in the theatre and dance department at the University of Texas. “It’ll start with anything from writing prompts to prompts that might be more active, like movement-based. Everybody starts at one table, breaks off, starts writing, then comes together at the end. We end up with a bunch of different puzzle pieces, then we start putting it together. And, little by little, it forms into something that had a whole lot of hands and heads making it.” A lot of those hands and heads belong to young people, who remain the focus of many of the Project’s operations. “I think because it began as a group of young adults writing,” Rivas said, “that ends up being the community that we definitely want to engage with and help encourage their ideas and their voices.” The works are dynamic and multifaceted, often combining mediums like hip-hop and poetry with more traditional forms. The ensemble, which started with nine people, aimed to “create adequate representation for the Latinx community in the Northwest Arkansas region,” said Martin Garay, a founding member of the Project and its design coordinator. Gabriela Arroyo, a recent graduate of Rogers High and an ensemble member since 2019, works with the Project to set up community workshops and writing sessions. “For me, hearing and reading poems and raps of people I know from around Northwest Arkansas motivates me to keep advocating for minority groups and sharing art,” Arroyo said. The workshops form the heart of the Project’s outreach and engagement work, Arroyo said, giving the community “a place to express their feelings in a group that understands their POV.” Ryan remembers being nervous at first about sharing her ideas in workshops. “I write privately; I don’t write to share. That’s one of the things that I’m working on in the LXTP,” she said. “I’ve just had to go ahead and do it, and people will be like ‘Oh my gosh! That’s really good!’ ” Having people connect with and understand her ideas in workshops have been some of her favorite moments with the LXTP. Creating a safe space for sharing and connection, Ryan said, is especially important for Black and Brown
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‘I DON’T THINK WE EVER IMAGINE THAT THE WORK IS GOING TO CHANGE THE WORLD, BUT I THINK IT HOPEFULLY WILL SHIFT A THOUGHT IN SOMEONE’S MIND OR MAKE THEIR HEARTS BEAT A LITTLE BIT FASTER OR SLOWER ABOUT SOMETHING THAT THEY HEAR AND SEE.’ artists, who may not otherwise have access to those resources. “It just reinforces that, you know, you’re not alone.” The process of creation is organic and ongoing, even after a work has made it to the stage. “We have new plays that continue to be developed for years and years,” Rivas said. In early March, the ensemble traveled to the Arkansas Theatre Festival to perform “The Crossroads,” which had entered development almost a year earlier after the concept emerged from their performances of “Blanket Statements,” and it took on a life of its own. Rivas said that next time the play is on stage, it may have evolved even further. “It just depends on where that show wants to go. That’s one of the great things about creating original work, is that it’s yours and the company gets to continue to mold it and shape it, fine tune it, make it more specific, make it more detailed. Or, on the other side, broaden it so that it encompasses more in some areas.” Over its four years, the Project has “expanded our range in storytelling and production. We have gained experience and knowledge to help us discuss bigger issues that affect Brown people nationwide,” Garay said. “Any time we do a show, we want to be able to sit down and talk or walk out into the lobby and talk with people about what they saw,” Rivas said. “I don’t think we ever imagine that the work is going to change the world, but I think it hopefully will shift a thought in someone’s mind or make their hearts beat a little bit faster or slower about something that they hear and see. Which will then hopefully influence how they treat somebody.” Ryan, who also does digital outreach for the LXTP, said that connecting with people outside of the Project is a big focus of her work. “A lot of times you don’t know how to engage with certain groups of people in general. If you don’t know them, how do you communicate with them?” Ryan, who is Black, said that while she’s not fluent in Spanish, she can see the impact of the Project’s Spanish-language performances on their audience. “That’s gonna feel like home,” she said. “That really does make a difference. We’re bringing home culture to the stage.” Since the coronavirus pandemic has placed a hold on in-person collaboration, development of the Project’s latest piece, “Heroes and Monsters,” has moved to the virtual workshop. The play, which premiered Sept. 25 at
TheatreSquared’s New Play Festival, looks at social media and its adversarial dynamics. Infused with elements from lucha libre wrestling, Latin American mythology and superhero lore, the piece illustrates how winning and losing in online life can translate to the real world. “We began to meet virtually for our rehearsals in March,” Rivas said, “which is actually a very appropriate place to create the work, since the world of ‘Heroes and Monsters’ takes place in URL, not IRL.” Virtual theater is not without its challenges. “It’s like trying to paint the Mona Lisa blindfolded,” Garay said. “Theater is very much a handson type of work. And to not be able to be there on stage and run lines organically without the lag of a Zoom call, or to physically be there with your team, it’s much more difficult.” But, even with the challenges, Garay remains undaunted. “Our whole lives have been about adjusting and working with what we got. This isn’t any different.” “A lot of our great ideas come from being in person and physically interacting, but since the pandemic, we have a different dynamic,” Arroyo said. “It has made us more motivated to think outside the box and try new things.” In lieu of in-person performances, the Project is looking forward to sharing its work online, Rivas said. It’s working with the audience, she said, that allows the Project’s plays to connect with the Latinx community, whose underheard voices they strive to represent. “When we do our shows, it’s kind of everybody. The whole community is out there,” she said. Even though most of the cast are young adults, the Project’s audiences are multigenerational. Speaking about the performance of “The Crossroads” at the Arkansas Theatre Festival, Rivas said, “We had some kids laughing in the audience, real little ones. And we had some moms and tias crying, also. So, I think it’s everybody, really. We want to be able to offer and allow them to get access to the work that represents them.” The Project hopes to have a physical space to call its own someday. “We started as this kind of traveling group,” Rivas said. “But I would love to see us be able to plant some roots, so people know where to find us and so that those doors are open to more of those young voices and just to the community at large, to come in and do the work and have the conversations and share the voices and share their stories. I think, ultimately, if we can find a safe space for people who have something to say and want to say it on their own terms, we’d like to be facilitators of that on a larger scale.” “We’re not rock stars or anything like that,” Garay said. “But that act of going out in the world and doing what you love to do, that’s not a common idea for us. And when our people see us do what we love and find success in it, I feel like it gives people that motivation to do it for themselves. To go out and truly live that life they want. Even if it’s hard. Even if the support you get is much less than the doubt you get. It’s worth it. Always will be. And I can only hope that that is what LXTP does for our community.”
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MARIJUANA MILLIONS STATE BENEFITS BY $13 MILLION, PLUS MORE NEWS ON THE POT RX FRONT. BY GRIFFIN COOP PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN CHILSON ‘WANTS MORE PRODUCT’: Dragan Vincentic backed the expansion of cultivator licenses.
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ince the state’s first dispensary opened about 16 months ago, Arkansas patients have purchased more than $131 million worth of medical marijuana. These sales have generated more than $13 million in state tax revenue, contributing to the state’s goal of achieving a coveted cancer institute designation for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. There are 80,000 medical marijuana patients in Arkansas and the number continues to grow. An increase in patients is expected to push associated state revenues higher. As of Sept. 11, patients have purchased more than 22,000 pounds of medical marijuana. “As of now, that number [of patients] continues to grow consistently, month by month,” state Medical Marijuana Commission spokesman Scott Hardin said in September. “At this point, there is no indication that that is slowing down anytime soon. We are close to 80,000 today, it certainly looks like 100,000 is going to be here before we know it.” With each medical marijuana purchase, patients pay a pair of state taxes: the state sales tax of 6.5 percent and a privilege tax of 4 percent. Purchasers also pay all applicable local taxes, such as city and county sales taxes. 50 OCTOBER 2020
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The state sales tax of 6.5 percent, which voters approved as part of the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment in 2016, has generated $8.25 million since May 2019. That revenue is divided among the three state agencies that manage the state’s medical marijuana program: The Medical Marijuana Commission, which handles licensing; Alcoholic Beverage Control, which regulates the medical marijuana industry; and the state Department of Health, which issues patient cards. The privilege tax of 4 percent, passed by the state legislature in 2017, has generated $7.7 million. In addition to the patients who pay the sales and privilege taxes, dispensaries also pay the 4 percent privilege tax when they purchase products from cultivators. Of the $7.7 million brought in by the privilege tax, $5 million is from patient purchases and $2.7 million is from dispensary purchases from cultivators. Dispensaries do not pay the 6.5 percent sales tax. Revenue from the privilege tax goes to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences to create the state’s first National Cancer Institute. Originally set to expire in July 2019, the tax has been extended to 2021.
According to the National Cancer Institute, NCI-designated cancer centers are “recognized for their scientific leadership in laboratory and clinical research” and “dedicate significant resources toward developing research programs, faculty and facilities that will lead to better and innovative approaches to cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.” *** Six of the state’s 29 medical marijuana dispensaries are getting into the delivery business, and several more say they hope to offer the service in the future. Dispensaries around the state have offered the service intermittently, but more are offering it as a regular service as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, commission spokesman Hardin said. “Some consistently offer delivery and some offer it for a few weeks or months and then pull it back, only to launch it again,” Hardin said. “That number [offering delivery] increased throughout the pandemic, which was understandable.” The dispensaries offering delivery are Greenlight Dispensary of Helena-West Helena, Fiddler’s Green in Mountain View, the ReLeaf Center in Bentonville, Purspirit Cannabis Co. in
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Fayetteville, NEA Full Spectrum in Brookland near Jonesboro and Natural Relief Dispensary in Sherwood. Another dispensary, 420 Dispensary in Russellville, has started delivery to a few customers but hopes to fully launch the service in a couple of weeks. Purspirit Cannabis has been offering delivery since May 14 to addresses in Fayetteville, and hopes to expand the delivery area. “We deliver to essentially the entire Fayetteville and Farmington area,” said Ben Driver, who handles the dispensary’s delivery operation. “We do plan to expand, but we’re trying to walk before we run.” The dispensary offers delivery five days a week and, most of the time, it has more customers using the service than it can handle. “We are seeing as much business as we can handle on 75 percent of the days that we deliver,” Driver said. The state requires deliveries be made in an unmarked vehicle without logos or indication that the vehicle is carrying medical marijuana. The vehicle must carry two employees during the delivery and the product must be locked down while it is in transit, Hardin said. “The goal is, one, to ensure that it’s not blatantly obvious that the vehicle is delivering medical marijuana or that there is no indication the vehicle is carrying medical marijuana,” Hardin said. “Two, we want to make sure that the product is safe throughout the process of transport.” The dispensaries have different requirements for minimum orders to qualify for delivery and charge different delivery fees. Customers also pay local taxes based on the location in which the delivery is made and not based on the location of the dispensary. Purspirit, for example, requires a minimum order of $100 and charges a delivery fee of $1/ mile with a minimum of $5. Greenlight Dispensary in Helena-West Helena delivers as far away as Little Rock. It posts its full delivery schedule on its website, including the cost. While a delivery in Helena-West Helena requires a $40 minimum order but has no delivery fee, a delivery to Little Rock requires a $200 minimum order and a $29 delivery fee. The ReLeaf Center in Bentonville requires a $100 minimum order and charges a delivery fee of $5 for the first 10 miles and a $15 flat fee beyond that. The dispensary’s delivery radius is 40 miles, which includes Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, Eureka Springs and Siloam Springs. The delivery fee is waived for orders of $300 or more. 420 Dispensary in Russellville has begun delivering on a trial basis to a few customers near the dispensary. The dispensary has not advertised the service yet, but hopes to have it up and running soon. Purspirit’s Driver says the delivery service has been helpful this year, especially for patients with health issues who are worried about COVID-19. “I would say it’s been really helpful for immunocompromised patients in the time we live in right now,” Driver said. [It’s been] helpful for
those who are a little bit less mobile.” Hardin said he believes most patients aren’t aware that delivery is an option. “Giving the patients the ability to go online and click a link and, in a matter of hours, have the product delivered to their door is extremely appealing in the timeframe we are living in right now,” Hardin said. *** The price of medical marijuana in Arkansas is too high, according to many patients and elected officials, but there isn’t much the state can do about it. Arkansas patients frequently complain to the state Medical Marijuana Commission about the high price of cannabis, but the state’s only controls over price are the principles of supply and demand, according to the spokesman for the state commission. “We receive calls daily about why we don’t do more on the pricing issue and the answer is we simply don’t have that authority,” commission spokesman Hardin said. In addition to patient complaints, the state commission received many arguments from state legislators related to price as it considered whether to issue additional licenses to cultivators and dispensaries on June 30. The lawmakers cited high prices as one of several reasons for issuing more licenses. One dispensary owner, Dragan Vicentic of Green Springs Medical in Hot Springs, says many dispensaries are facing a shortage of product, but they fear speaking out due to retaliation from cultivators. Vicentic says cultivators who have disagreed with his advocacy for additional growing licenses have targeted him. In June, Vicentic wrote the commission that three of the state’s cultivators were “colluding to put Green Springs out of business because we were honest enough to explain the shortage that every other dispensary has been afraid to voice.” Vicentic said the lack of availability of product has forced him to raise the price of his most affordable product from around $5 to $10. “Patients are getting hurt,” Vicentic told the Arkansas Times. Osage Creek Cultivation of Berryville said in a June letter addressed to Green Springs that it would not supply products to Green Springs due to a number of disagreements with Vicentic and threatened legal action if the dispensary owner continued to share pricing information with their competitors and the public. (The Times reached out to Osage Creek for comment and did not receive a response before press time.) The commission voted to issue three additional cultivation licenses to increase the number of cultivators to the maximum eight allowed by the Medical Marijuana Amendment passed by voters in 2016. The commission has also licensed five additional dispensaries this year, raising the number of dispensaries to 37 of the maximum 40 allowed by law. “With competition, the price will drop,” Har-
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“PATIENTS ARE GETTING HURT.” din said. “That’s our hope and remains our hope today.” The three additional cultivators are not expected to be ready to sell products to the dispensaries until next year. There are 29 dispensaries operating and eight more working toward opening. Among the lawmakers writing the commission about pricing was state Rep. Jay Richardson (D-Fort Smith), who told the marijuana commission he believed “more cultivators will lead to a greater variety of product at more affordable prices. “As a legislator whose district borders the State of Oklahoma, I’ve noticed the price for medical marijuana is much lower in Oklahoma where they have more than 3,700 cultivators,” Richardson wrote. According to industry source weedmaps.com, Oklahoma’s medical marijuana prices are lower than Arkansas. For instance, indica flower sells for $85-$225 an ounce at State Line Dispensary on the Oklahoma/Arkansas line at Arkoma, Okla., according to weedmaps.com; indica flower sells for $75 a quarter ounce or $300 an ounce at Fort Cannabis Co. in Fort Smith. The two dispensaries are 6 miles apart. Weedmaps shows other dispensaries in Arkansas with a per-ounce price for indica flower between $300 and $400. Oklahoma also has a smaller ratio of patients to cannabis businesses serving the public with 163 patients for each dispensary. Arkansas, on the other hand, currently has 2,710 patients for each dispensary. No border state other than Oklahoma has a comparable medical marijuana program to Arkansas’s, although some do allow for the sale of low-THC products in limited capacities. Dale Worthington, a cancer survivor and disabled veteran in Hot Springs Village, said the high price of medical marijuana has made it difficult for him to meet his health needs with the drug. Between his VA benefits and the money he makes from doing computer work, Worthington says he struggles to buy what he needs at the current prices and welcomes more cannabis businesses in the marketplace. “My VA disability is the only way I’m surviving,” Worthington said. “They’ve now cut into my grocery money.”
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MEET THE HEROES OF HEALTH CARE! PLUS... MODERN NURSING TURNS 200! THE ENDURING LEGACY OF FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT NURSING SCHOOL Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times ARKANSASTIMES.COM
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healing ministry. We provide quality patient care services to all Arkansans with a caring and comforting heart. That is why we are Arkansans’ choice for their health care needs. We have a variety of nursing opportunities, from a Level III NICU to a 90-bed Critical Care area. Baptist Health offers top quality benefits for employees. We look for nurses who think critically and are compassionate and service-oriented. We want to offer a “World Class” environment for everyone. Please apply online at baptist-health.com.
nities for nurses, from direct patient care to staff education, research, administration, nursing informatics and much more! To learn more about a rewarding career serving as a Champion for Children, visit www.archildrens.org or call us at (501) 364-1398
MEET THE SCHOOL & HOSPITAL RECRUITERS
Jessica Burks, M.A., BSN Education Counselor; Amanda Abramovitz, M.A., RN to BSN, MSN, BSN to DNP and Post-Master’s DNP Education Brenda Trigg, DNP,Wood, GNP, M.S., RN, CNE Counselor; Susan BSN Education Director of Nursing Counselor Ouachita Baptist University, Arkadelphia UCA SCHOOL OF NURSING Our innovative dual “The University of degree CentralRN-to-BSN Arkansas proSchool gram pairs is thecommitted strengths of of Nursing to Ouachita educatingBaptist students University with the strengths of Baptist levels Healthas at the undergraduate and graduate College in Little Ouachita is a nationalleaders theRock. delivery of quality health care ly-ranked liberal arts college founded in 1886 and the advancement of the nursing profession. withoffer a mission of fostering a love of God and We both online and on-campus program a accommodate love of learning. Baptist Health College to theAnd needs of our diverse popuLittle Rock a recognized leader in completion health lations: theison-campus BSN, online care education and anMSN integral program RN to since BSN,1920 the online Nurse part of Baptist Health, Specialty, the largestas health Educator with Clinical well care as the system in Arkansas. how you can earn Post-Master’s Doctor Learn of Nursing Practice (DNP) two degrees BSN) in 4 years at obu. and BNS to (AAS DNP & (Family Nurse Practitioner). edu/nursing or callPractice (870) 245-5110. Doctor of Nursing (DNP) students must come to campus for a few preplanned events. Whether students are looking for the traditional college experience or to advance their current degree, UCA School of Nursing is an affordable and high quality option. For more information, please visit www.uca.edu/nursing.”
Terri McKown, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC Terri McKown Professor of Nursing, Assistant Head Arkansas Tech University (ATU) Department of Nursing offers many options to acquire nursing ARKANSAS licensure. We work TECH with youUNIVERSITY and for you to Arkansas Tech University Department achieve the career choice you(ATU) desire. From Liof Nursing offers Nursing many options to acquire nurscensed Practical (LPN) or an Associate ing licensure. We work yousister andcamfor you Degree in Nursing (ADN)with at our to the tocareer choice you desire. of From pusachieve in Ozark, a pre-licensure Bachelor Licensed (LPN) or an AssociScience inPractical NursingNursing (BSN) Registered Nursing ate (ADN) at our sister cam(RN)Degree degreeininNursing Russellville. Want more? We pus Ozark, to a pre-licensure Bachelor offerin bridge programs for working men and of Science Nursinga (BSN) Nursing women toinachieve higher Registered level of educa(RN) degree in Russellville. Want campus, more? We tion: LPN to BSN at our Russellville offer for Come working and or ourbridge ADN toprograms BSN online. tourmen our Simwomen to achievehave a higher level SimNewB, of education: ulation Labs—we SimMom, LPN to BSN at our multiple Russellville campus, or and our SimBaby, SimMan, Nurse Anne’s, ADN BSNATU’s online. Comefaculty tour our much to more! nursing areSimulation experts Labs—we SimMom, SimBain their fieldhave adding breadth SimNewB, and depth to both by, multiple Nurseeducation. Anne’s, and much yourSimMan, classroom and clinical Come more! nursing faculty are experts in their join usATU’s at ATU...where “Every Student Counts.” fields adding breadth and depth to both your classroom and clinical education. Come join us at ATU...where “Every Student Counts.”
Candice Gigi FloryRhea, Senior Recruiter Tonya Toney, Senior Recruiter Nursing Recruiter Jessica Cedillo, Recruiter Jefferson Regional Medical Center, Pine Bluff Jefferson Regional Medical Center serves VINCENT a 10-countyCHI area,ST. so our nurses must be “CHI St.for Vincent is Arkansas’s first prepared a busyInfirmary and diverse patient hospital to achieve Magnet status for profesbase. From neurology to cardiology, from sional practice. As a health with surgerynursing to orthopaedics, JRMC has system a medical facilities throughout the state, our focus staff that located represents 25 different specialties, is andoffers well-being of Arkansans. sothe ourhealth program many different nursingWe have served Arkansas since 1888 with aWe histoopportunities for our staff to experience. ry of many firsts.on When you join CHIcare St. Vincent pride ourselves patient-centered and a you willatmosphere enjoy the career the qualfamily amongyou ourdeserve, employees, and ity looking for,nurses a comprehenweofgolife theyou’ve extra been mile to help our be the sive forprovides you andcompetitive your family, best benefits they canpackage be. JRMC continued education opportunities, and much pay and benefits, including additional compenmore! ourwith team of healthdegrees, care heroes, sation To for join nurses advanced and apply onlinenurse at chistvincent.com/careers.” a six-month residency program for nurses just out of school. Your success is our success, and it all benefits our patients, who are the reason we are all in the health care profession. If you’re interested in a nursing career at JRMC, contact me at florygi@jrmc.org.
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Belinda Nix, Academic Counselor
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS LITTLE ROCK
2020 NURSES GUIDE PUBLISHER
ALAN LEVERITT
NURSES GUIDE EDITOR DWAIN HEBDA
DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING PHYLLIS A. BRITTON
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
BROOKE WALLACE, LEE MAJOR, TERRELL JACOB, KAITLYN LOONEY
58 OCTOBER 2020
ARKANSAS TIMES
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For over 50 years, the UA Little Rock Department of Nursing has inspired and guided individuals toward the dynamic profession of nursing. Our faculty and staff are dedicated to improving the health care of all Arkansans by educating professional, thoughtful and compassionate nurses. We offer an Associate of Applied Science (AAS), BSN, LNP/Paramedic to RN and online BSN completion program. Our advice for students is to take ownership and get as much information as possible about the nursing profession and degree options. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Do this early and often! Visit: www. ualr.edu/nursing or email bknix@ualr.edu for additional informa-tion.
m in the state solely dedicated to caring for children, which allows our organizao uniquely shape the landscape of pediatric care in Arkansas. As Champions for ren, Arkansas Children’s Hospital has joined the elite 6 percent of hospitals in the d that have Magnet Status. Arkansas Children’s offers a wide range of opportufor nurses, from direct patient care to staff education, research, administration, ng informatics and much more! To learn more about a rewarding career serving Champion for Children, visit www.archildrens.org or call us at (501) 364-1398
Susan Erickson, RN, MNSc, BC-NA, CHCR Senior Nurse Recruiting Manager Caitlin Castellani, MSN, RN-BC, Nurse Recruit- Gigi Flory, Nursing Recruiter Gigi Flory er and Nurse Residency Program Coordinator
UAMS
“Whether just graduated, pursuing a second REGIONAL Nursing JEFFERSON Recruiter career or looking for a new work family, nursJefferson RegionalMedical Medical Center serves es are the heart of UAMS. Working side by Jefferson Regional Center, PineaBluff CONWAY REGIONAL 10-county area, so our nurses must be prepared “At Conway Regional Health System, weJefferson Regional Medical Center serves side with the very best health care providers, for a busy and diverse patient base. From neu- our nurses deliver compassionate care each McKownare accountable to the communities we servea 10-county area, sofrom oursurgery nurses be and every day to those in need. By joining the rology to cardiology, to must orthopaeto University provide high(ATU) quality,Department compassionate nsas Tech ofhealthprepared dics, JRMC has a medical staff that represents for a busy and diverse patient UAMS Team, you will get the unique experience care services. We are very proud to have reng offers many optionsawards to acquire nursing 25 different specialties, sotoour program offers From neurology cardiology, from of working in the state’s only academic medical ceived numerous and quality rankingsbase. many different nursing opportunities for our center. You and your immediate family can also sure. Weforwork withand youcompassion and for you to to oursurgery the care provided to orthopaedics, JRMC has a medical staff to experience. We pride ourselves on pa- enjoy a generous tuition discount of up to 50% patients.choice In 2020, recognized ve the career youwedesire. Fromover Li- 200staff that represents 25 adifferent specialties,throughout the UA System. In addition to comtient-centered care and family atmosphere employees as exceptional performers based ed Practical Nursing (LPN) or an Associate so among our employees, and we go the extra our program offers many different nursing petitive salary and benefits, including 11 paid upon their achievements in the field. In 2020, ee in Nursing at was our named sister cammile to help our be theto best they can be. We holidays with separate sick and vacation accruConway(ADN) Regional to the nation-opportunities fornurses our staff experience. JRMC provides competitive pay and benefits, als, UAMS provides up to a 10% match to retiren Ozark,al Modern to a pre-licensure Bachelor Healthcare’s Best Placesofto Workpride ourselves on patient-centered care and a in Healthcare forRegistered the third consecutive year, as including additional compensation for nurses ment savings – five times what many employers ce in Nursing (BSN) Nursing family atmosphere among employees, and To join the more than 10,500 team memwith advanced degrees, and aour six-month nurse offer. as Arkansas Business’ Best Places degree well in Russellville. Want more? We to Work program for nurses justour out of school.be bers go the extra mile to help nurses the who have made a career for life, check for the fourth consecutive year. Additionally,weresidency bridge programs for working mentheand Your success our JRMC success,provides and it all benefits out our website @ nurses.uams.edu or join our Conway Regional was named Best Hospi-best they can isbe. competitive our patients, who are the reason we are all in Facebook page @UAMSNurses!” en to achieve a higher level of educatal in Arkansas in AY Magazine’s Best of 2020pay and benefits, including additional compenAwards. We looking for exceptional the health care profession. If you’re interested LPN to BSN at ourare always Russellville campus, sation for nurses advanced in a nursing careerwith at JRMC, contact degrees, me at flo- and performers who areCome dedicated providing r ADN to BSN online. tourtoour Sim- ex-a six-month rygi@jrmc.org. nurse residency program for nurses cellent care. We offer a smaller patient-to-nurse n Labs—we have ratio than canSimMom, be found inSimNewB, most metro hospitalsjust out of school. Your success is our success, aby, SimMan, multiple Anne’s, and along with a familyNurse atmosphere, career growthand it all benefits our patients, who are the opportunities, and tuition reimbursement. more! ATU’s nursing faculty are experts Wereason we are all in the health care profesare also on the Magnet Positions ir field adding breadth and Journey. depth to both are available in a variety of areas including Criticalsion. If you’re interested in a nursing career at classroom andSurgery, clinicalOncology, education. Come Care, Medical/Surgical JRMC, contact me at florygi@jrmc.org. us at ATU...where “Every Student Counts.” and Women’s Services. If you would like to join the Conway Regional Family, please visit our website at www.conwayregional.org. You may also contact Caitlin at Caitlin.castellani@ conwayregional.org or 501-513-5198.”
Special Advertising Section
ARKANSASTIMES.COM
OCTOBER 2020 59
in activities and interprofessional partnerships BSN E across all UAMS colleges that promote scholarly Univer excellence, research and service to the university The Un nursing profession and society. Recruiting for studen UAMS College of Nursing is more than informing quality the prospective student about our programs. It is both o about introducing them to a career field that alstuden *use same photo Ken Duncan, Recruiter, lows Conway them to be lifelong learners and caregivers. BSN, Joni Stephenson, Recruiter, Manager We do more than just educate nursing students, as the Michelle S. Odom, RN, MSN (pictured, th April Robinson, Recruiter, Little Rock Hospitals we prepare them to care for the total patient and Director of Recruitment and Retention Practit Whitney Brewer, Recruiter, their families. Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Little a Rock few North Little Rock Hospital For more information on our programs, contact us Children are at the center of everything w experi Kelli Hopkins, Recruiter, Regional at 501-686-5224, by email at conadmissions@ system in the state solely dedicated to car afford Hospitals (not pictured) or visit our website www.nursing. tion at to uniquely shape the landscape of p Baptist Health Medical uams.edu Center please Children, Arkansas Children’s Hospital ha uams.edu. Our belief at Baptist Health is that we are a
MEET THE SCHOOL & HOSPITAL RECRUITERS
healing ministry. We provide quality patient care services to all Arkansans with a caring and comforting heart. That is why we are Arkansans’ choice for their health care needs. We have a variety of nursing opportunities, Talent Acquisition team (L to R) Evie Rodgers, Laura Spies (Manager, Arkansas Children’s from a Level III NICU a 90-bed Critical Care Northwest), Geo Cobb, Yvonne Pendergraft, Janise Sanders, Megganto Spicer area. Baptist Health offers top quality beneARKANSAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL fits for employees. We look for nurses who Children are at the center of everything we do. Since Arkansas Children’s is the only hospital think critically aretocompassionate system in the state dedicated solely to caring for children, weand are able uniquely shape theand landWe want offer aChildren’s “World scape of pediatric care in Arkansas, whichservice-oriented. is important now more than ever.to Arkansas Hospital has joined the elite 6 percent of hospitals the world that have Magnet Status. Arkansas Class”inenvironment for everyone. Please apply Children’s offers a wide range of opportunities for nurses, from direct patient care to staff educaonline at baptist-health.com. tion, research, administration, nursing informatics and much more! To learn more about a reward-
world that have Magnet Status. Arkansas nities for nurses, from direct patient care t nursing informatics and much more! To le Jan as a Champion for Children, visit www.a
Dea Na Na Cho wel Nu Par deg just can Jan to o love car Nu stud
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ing career serving as a Champion for Children, visit archildrens.org or call us at (501) 364-1398.
Janice Ivers, MSN, RN, CNE Dean of Nursing & Health Sciences
NATIONAL PARK COLLEGE
National Park College is in the business of changing lives, one student at a time! Choosing nursing as a career can change the trajectory of an individual’s life as well as their family’s lives. We offer a Practical Nursing program and a Registered Nursing program with a traditional Jennifer Yarberry, Chief Nursing Officer Brenda Trigg, DNP, GNP, RN, CNE track, as well as LPN to RN options. National McKown Director of Nursing ParkTerri College nursing programs have offered an Brenda Trigg, DNP, GNP, RN, CNE Belinda Nix Jennifer Yarberry PINNACLE POINTE BEHAVIORAL Arkansas TechinUniversity (ATU)since Departme Associate of Science Nursing degree Academic Counselor Chief Nursing Officer of Nursing HEALTHCARE SYSTEM Director OUACHITA BAPTIST 1976 and a Practical Nursing Certificateto since Nursing offers many options acquire nu UA Little Rock Pinnacle Pointe Behavioral Healthcare System, Pinnacle Pointe Behavioral HealthcareOuachita SysUNIVERSITY Baptist University, 1958. Whether you just graduated fromand highfor you over 50 years, the UA Little Rock DepartLittle is Rock licensure. We work with you tem committed to consistently delivering a ForOur innovative dual degree RN-to-BSN proArkadelphia school or are changing careers, National Park are ment of Nursing has inspired and guided PinnacleofPointe Behavioral Healthcare System system quality behavioral health care with gram pairs toward the strengths of Ouachita Baptist achieve theyou career youApplidesire. Fro College can help meet choice your goals. e high individuals the dynamic profession of is committed to consistently delivering a system Our innovative dual degree RN-to-BSN prointegrity to children and adolescents in concert University with the strengths of Baptist Health censed Practical Nursing (LPN) cation period for traditional entry begins or in an Asso ces. nursing. Our faculty andofstaff are dedicated to of quality health careguardians with integgram the strengths Ouachita Baptist with their behavioral parents, caregivers, and pairs College Little Rock. Ouachita is a nationallyJanuary and runs through the first Monday merimproving the health care of all Arkansans by rity to children and adolescents in concert Degree in Nursing (ADN) at our insister cam community professionals. The team at Pinnacle ranked liberal college in 1886 University with the arts strengths offounded Baptist Health March for fall admission. Please go to www. care educating professional, thoughtful and comwith their parents, caregivers, guardians and pus in Ozark, to a pre-licensure Bachelor Pointe Hospital is both passionate and highly with a mission of fostering a love of God and np.edu for more detailed admissions informaCollege Little Rock. Ouachita is Associate a nationals. In passionate nurses. We offer an of community professionals. The team at Pinnaexperienced. Our dedication to the highest a love of learning. And Baptist Health College Nursing Nurs We wouldinlove to meet (BSN) with youRegistered and get ees Applied Science (AAS), BSN,founded LNP/Paramedic cle Pointe Hospital is both passionate andly-ranked liberal college in care 1886 tion.Science standard of quality helped us attain the prestiLittle aarts recognized leader inprogram. health you on the degree path to meeting your education andmore? W (RN) in Russellville. Want heir to RNRock andisonline BSN completion highly experienced. Our dedication to the gious Governor’s Quality Achievement Award. with a Our mission offorfostering a love of God 1920 and part and of career goals. For more information our pro- men a been advicesince students is to an takeintegral ownership highest standard of quality helped us attain the education offer bridge programs foronworking This award recognizes Pinnacle Pointe Hospithe largest health care system a love Baptist of learning. And Baptist College Work and getHealth, as much information as Health possible aboutin prestigious Governor’s Quality Achievement grams please contact the Division of Nursing at tal’s commitment and practice of quality princi- Arkansas. Learn how you can earn two degrees women to achieve a higher level of educa Work the nursing profession andleader degree options. Award. This award recognizes Pinnacle Pointe (501) 760-4290 or email at jivers@np.edu. At Little Rock is a recognized in health ples through a thorough process of excellence. (AAS & BSN) in 4 years at obu. edu/nursing or tion:Park LPNCollege, to BSNstudent at oursuccess Russellville We are Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Do this early Hospital’s commitment and practice of quality National is our campu care education since 1920 and an integral our website to apply: pinnaclepointehospicall ers who Visit and (870) often! 245-5110. Visit: www.ualr.edu/nursing or principles through a thorough process of focus! or our ADN to BSN online. Come tour ou part ofemail Baptist Health, the re. We tal.com/career-opportunities/ bknix@ualr.edu for largest additionalhealth informa-care excellence. Visit our website to apply: pinnaulation Labs—we have SimMom, SimNew Special Advertising Section systemtion. in Arkansas. Learn how you can earn n can clepointehospital.com/career-opportunities/ SimBaby, SimMan, multiple Nurse Anne’s 60 OCTOBER 2020 ARKANSAS TIMES with two degrees (AAS & BSN) in 4 years at obu. much more! ATU’s nursing faculty are exp portuAshley Davis, MNSc, RN, PhD(c) edu/nursing or call (870) 245-5110. e also in their field adding breadth and depth to
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HEROES. #MORETHANEVER
Now more than ever, nurses are the heart of Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Join our team of Champions for Children. Nurses at Arkansas Children’s Hospital experience: • A focus on safety for employees, patients and families • Coordinated and collaborative teamwork that provides the highest level of family-centered care • Compassionate care for a wide range of patients, ages, diagnoses and severity of illness • A team that strives for excellence in a kid-savvy environment View job openings at archildrens.org/careers EOE, Drug-Free, Nicotine-Free, Inclusive Workplace
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2020: YEAR OF THE NURSE DISTINGUISHED PAST, UNLIMITED FUTURE By Dwain Hebda
UAMS College of Nursing students review simulation data.
N
urses are America. Comprising a melting pot of shapes, sizes, colors, ages and specialties, nurses are the first line of defense against the darkness of disease; they’re at your bedside, checking over you at night, the steadying hand on a loved one’s shoulder. Nurses are fearless: They are the first to stand a post in times of pandemic and the last to go home, bone-weary, at the end of a long shift. Nurses stand united; when one is attacked or overwhelmed by sickness or tragedy, their sisters and brothers in scrubs come running to the rescue. Nurses are tough: tough enough to turn a patient, tackle an emergency, look death in the eye. They are in schools, clinics and physicians’ offices; they work in factories and government offices and homeless shelters. They leave their children to watch over yours. They mourn the loss of your loved one as their own. They’ll get up and do it again tomorrow. When 2020 dawned, no one could have predicted the coronavirus sweeping America and what it would demand of this time-honored profession. And yet there were the nurses, parking fear at the door, walking every day into the teeth of the pandemic. Nursing had always been a dangerous and exhausting profession, 2020 just pushed it to the forefront for all to see. What we saw were heroes. No one wants the coronavirus, but since it’s here, let’s call it like it is: If ever there was a way
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to spotlight the necessity of nursing in this, the International Year of the Nurse, the pandemic is doing that and more. “From our first days in nursing school, nurses are taught two basic concepts of care: One, care for the whole person, and two, prevent the spread of diseases and infection,” Dr. Ashley Davis, executive director of the Arkansas Center for Nursing, said. “Nurses have made incredible improvements in care along the way, but all of them can be traced back to these two foundational principles. “In the polio epidemic, it was nurses who changed the standard of care and discovered the benefits of range of motion exercises and movement to improve the health outcomes of children with polio. It was also nurses who discovered that sunlight could cure jaundice in infants. And nurses were seen as mavericks for their holistic approach to caring for patients with AIDS. While these accomplishments have had industry-shifting impacts, they were achieved by nurses’ abilities to look at care from a wider lens and to understand the basics of infection control.” Many of the foundational concepts upon which nursing was built were established two centuries ago by Florence Nightingale, an English nurse who is considered the mother of the modern profession. “Florence Nightingale organized and formalized training of women to become nurses,” Catherine Buzbee, care manager at the Special Advertising Section
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, said. “Prior to her development of the professional nursing role, anyone off the street could call themselves a nurse. Her passion to create professional standards for education, behavior and performance of duties is the bedrock of the current nursing profession. “Nurses still recite the ‘Nightingale Pledge’ on graduation as a link to our professional heritage. Nurses hold themselves to this standard. We still think of Florence Nightingale and all those that came after her as modern nurses carrying out our duties. It inspires us to perform our duty to our patients as a calling and not merely a job.” So profound was Nightingale’s impact, in fact, that in other years, International Nurses Day is annually held on her birthday, May 12. International Year of the Nurse and Midwife 2020, as designated by the World Health Organization, coincides with Nightingale’s 200th birthday. Nightingale’s attitudes on patient advocacy and her courageous stance as the leading health care reformer of her day are still sources of admiration among today’s nurses. “Florence laid the groundwork for us, she gave us guidelines to follow,” Janet Smith, associate degree program director with National Park College in Hot Springs, said. “She was a statistician who used science to improve the outcomes of her patients. As a trailblazer, she laid the path for amazing nurses who broke down
WHO WAS FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE?
social barriers. “Today, we are not just order-takers or followers or who only apply bandages; we are professionals like any other group. We have a body of knowledge that is technical and based upon scientific knowledge. We are managed and held accountable by a community of peers, including professional organizations. And we are a service organization that abides by a code of ethics. That all started with her.” For all of its history and heroism, nursing has struggled for decades to attract enough new nurses into the profession. This matters because multiple studies have shown adequate, informed staffing is a key element in patient outcomes. And because nurses are the primary advocates for patient care and improved protocols, the low numbers stifles innovation as well. “As a result of the Nightingale legacy, nurses know the role they play in preventing illness and contributing to evidence that shapes policy,” Dr. Lisa Harless, associate professor of nursing at Arkansas Tech University, said. “This legacy is reinforced in both classroom and clinical settings. Students are educated on how to read, interpret and conduct research. They are challenged to implement evidence-based practices. In the workplace, nurses can contribute through application in patient care and education, producing evidence as a researcher, and participation in organizational committees to generate, modify and evaluate policy. “I am grateful to be a part of a noble profession and privileged to be able to educate both current and future registered nurses. We want our students to influence the communities in which they live and work. We teach them how to use nursing processes in any setting. Although COVID-19 has forced some significant changes in how we teach and learn, it will not change the legacy of nursing to serve others.” There has arguably never been a better time to become a nurse, from level of training to job opportunities and stability to options for building a meaningful career in virtually any environment and medical specialty. That is perhaps the most substantial legacy of Nightingale’s contribution, to see the profession reach the level of respect and professionalism that it has. “Florence was a trailblazer. She took a profession that was not for the respectable and turned it into one of the most respected and trusted careers ever,” Shelly Washburn, case manager for the Family Medical Center, UAMS Health, said. “Her integrity and drive lives on in all of us as we fight to help our patients get well with all the dignity we can provide for them. “All nurses want to perpetuate Florence’s dream. We want to learn everything we can. We want to try everything we can. And we want to teach everything we can. This legacy of knowledge passed down from Florence and all of her heirs is our gift to pass on to future nurses.”
When asked to describe the impact Florence Nightingale had on the nursing profession, Barbara Erby, nurse manager for CHI St. Vincent Infirmary in Little Rock, pulled no punches. “Florence Nightingale was a fire starter,” Erby said. “She opened the doors for nursing advancements that have elevated us to a level that makes nursing one of the most trusted professions today.” Considered the mother of modern nursing, Nightingale is one of the most famous figures the profession has ever known. She was born into British wealth and privilege on May 12, 1820, and grew up in the Victorian era, when women of a certain class were expected to live a domestic and quiet life. But from a young age, she determined her life would follow a radically different course. By the time of her death in 1910 at age 90, she had changed the course of medicine the world over in ways that are still foundational to health care today. At 16, Nightingale had a religious awakening and was convinced a God-given purpose for her life lay in helping others. She chose nursing, a decision that met with her parents’ disapproval, given the society of the day frowned on a nursing career for people in her social class. Nevertheless, Nightingale trained at the prestigious Kaiserswerth nursing school in Germany. She set an early example for health care for all, caring for governesses and prostitutes alike in her early nursing roles. The transformative event of her life was being dispatched during the Crimean War to the Barrack Hospital at Scutari, where British soldiers experienced abhorrent conditions. In three deployments over two years, Nightingale forced operational changes to reduce unimaginable suffering and death, including sanitation processes, reducing overcrowding, segregating contagious patients from the general population, insulating walls against the cold, increasing ventilation and improving food. These simple acts, commonplace today, were revolutionary and dropped the death rate in
Scutari from 43 percent to 2 percent in just a few months. In doing so, she set the template for modern nursing and hospital procedures. Despite these results, Nightingale was frequently at odds with her superiors, mostly because they didn’t like taking orders from a woman, especially one as headstrong and opinionated as she. But Nightingale did it anyway, documenting patient outcomes in mathematician-like detail. By the end of the war, she had compiled data that showed more British soldiers died from disease linked to sanitary conditions — as much as 10 times over — than from battle wounds. Her groundbreaking statistical analysis (which included the invention of the pie chart) led to widespread reform in the way hospitals were run in Britain and, over time, worldwide. Throughout her life, Nightingale would continue her statistical analyses on various aspects of health care as one weapon in her tireless campaign to improve health standards. She founded the first professional training school for nurses — the Nightingale Training School at St. Thomas’ Hospital — in 1860. Her graduates, dubbed Nightingale Nurses, were recruited to start additional nursing schools all over the world. She published more than 200 books, reports and pamphlets on hospital planning and organization, with innovations ranging from nurses’ uniforms to wards that helped in infection control. She also lobbied for nurses in wartime to be deemed noncombatants, allowing them to administer to the wounded on the battlefield, an effort that inspired the founding of the International Red Cross. Combined, her contributions helped shift the very image of nursing to the respected career it is today. Her constant push for quality, accessible health care for the poor, mentally ill and other societal outcasts changed the philosophical landscape of medicine as a human right. SOURCES: Smithsonian Magazine, History. com, Florence-Nightingale.co.uk
THE NIGHTINGALE PLEDGE I solemnly pledge myself before God and in the presence of this assembly to pass my life in purity and to practice my profession faithfully. I shall abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous, and shall not take or knowingly administer any harmful drug. I shall do all in my power to maintain and elevate the standard of my profession, and will hold in confidence all personal matters committed to my keeping and all family affairs coming to my knowledge in the practice of my calling. With loyalty will I endeavor to aid the physician in his work, and devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care. Source: Vanderbilt School of Nursing Special Advertising Section
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CHOOSING THE RIGHT NURSING SCHOOL
The key to producing the next generation of qualified nurses lies with top-quality education. Arkansas is blessed with many nursing schools, but how do you know which one is right for you? Donna Gullette, associate dean for practice at the UAMS College of Nursing, offers these suggestions.
ASK QUESTIONS This is vital in selecting any institution of higher learning. Some good questions to ask are: Does the curriculum match my career goals? How long does it take to complete the program? How large are the classes? Does the school offer scholarships? Are resources available for students who are having trouble passing courses? What is the student-to-faculty ratio? Nursing education is demanding, so you need to find a place that fits your needs and meets your criteria. VITAL CREDENTIALS One good measurement of a nursing school is its graduation pass rate on the NCLEX or other professional certification exam. These tests are necessary for nurses to be licensed, and if the pass rate is high, it means the quality of in-
struction is, too. Also, ask about the school’s accreditation; you should always choose a school accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or Nursing Education Accreditation. A school should be fully accredited and not on probation. CHECK THE TECH New technology arrives almost every day, from new simulation equipment to new Blackboard formats for courses. Textbooks now are available online. All exams are taken online instead of with paper and pencil exams. Faculty and students are always trying to stay ahead of new technology, which can sometimes be difficult. Keep in mind, online courses have some hidden issues to consider. Timeliness of instructors responding to students’ questions can be slow-
er, and online courses may take more hours than originally advertised. Also, some courses require a lab component to learn skills that can be very difficult to complete digitally. THINK LONG-TERM An associate or bachelor’s degree can serve a person well, but many nurses opt to continue their education to learn more skills, increase pay and provide more opportunities for advancement. Nationwide, the move is toward graduate school, transitioning from a master’s degree to a doctorate of nursing practice (DNP). The UAMS College of Nursing offers a pathway from MNSc to DNP to allow students a seamless transition to become a DNP-prepared nurse practitioner.
I am a St. Vincent Nurse. Nancy has been a nurse for 30 years and continues to choose CHI St. Vincent as her work family.
Join Nancy and become part of our work family as a St. Vincent nurse! Sign-on bonuses available!
“I’m St. Vincent strong because I have found a place I can call part of my family. I truly love my work and being a part of the CHI St. Vincent vascular team has been the most rewarding position of my career so far!”
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WHY NURSING? Throughout this magazine, you will read about the many career directions a nursing education can take you. But why should you really consider nursing? We asked a panel of experts to weigh in on the 10 most compelling reasons to make nursing your life’s work.
1. EARNING POTENTIAL According to Nursesalaryguide.net, average pay in Arkansas for a licensed practical nurse is $38,000; for a registered nurse it’s $59,000; and for a nurse practitioner, $95,000. “How much you make will vary, depending upon the type of nursing you go into, the work environment and the shift you work. But, in general, for the cost of a two-year program, the earning potential for nurses can provide a household with a stable income.” Janet Smith, director, Associate Degree Program National Park College 2. FLEXIBILITY OF SCHEDULE “Nurses can choose any schedule they want. If you are a 9-to-5 kind of person, you got it. If you would rather work nights, done. If you want to stay home during the week and make really good money working two shifts on the weekend, no problem. The possibilities are endless.” Melissa Drake-Rowe, clinical assistant professor UAMS College of Nursing 3. VARIETY OF WORK/TASKS “In nursing, you are frequently multitasking, learning new skills, educating yourself and patients. There are many different areas you can work in, such as floor nursing, clinic nursing, travel nursing, home health, hospice, rehabilitation hospitals, nursing homes, management, education, schools, infusion clinics, etc. During any given day, I use many work skills, including starting IVs, drawing labs, accessing ports, calculating medications prior to administration, administering a variety of IV medications including chemotherapy, educating patients on medications, dressing changes, wound care and much more.” Eryn Zimmerebner, Short Stay Outpatient Unit Conway Regional Health System
4. JOB STABILITY “There is a shortage of nurses and advanced practice nurses that remains in our state and nation. We need nurse leaders in the hospital and community to fill this gap. Additionally, we continue to face a significant primary care shortage in our state, especially in rural communities. We need more nurses to fill the primary care gap and improve health for all Arkansans.” Teresa Whited, associate dean of Academic Programs UAMS College of Nursing 5. PERSONAL SATISFACTION “Nursing is a profession where you are valued and trusted by families, parents, doctors and co-workers. Every day you have an opportunity to be the difference in patients’ and families’ lives. What could be more satisfying than to give to those who need it most? Smiles, laughs, praises, hugs and cards are only the beginning of the cherished moments that happen on a daily basis.” Kayla Harrington, RNV-Neonatal ICU UAMS Health 6. EMPLOYEE BENEFITS “There are always job perks and benefits. These will depend on the job, but as a nurse educator, I have off every holiday, spring break, Christmas vacation and during summer vacation. It is a great job!” Janice Ivers, dean of Nursing & Health Science National Park College 7. RESPECTED PROFESSION “Nurses are the backbone of any medical facility. We’re on the front line. We learn about patients’ medical and psychological health, make a care plan to better their health, and assist with other medical personnel to let the patient feel at ease. Everyone remembers their nurse; we either make or break a patient’s stay as a good experience or a bad one.” Nancy Haese, Vascular Access CHI St. Vincent
8. LOCATION OPTIONS “Clinics, hospitals, surgery centers, schools, educational settings, courtrooms, sales offices, conference centers, political arenas and corporate America are common places to find nurses. In nursing, you can know what you want to do and achieve it, or you can see where the career takes you. Either way, you’re in for an adventure.” Holly Langster University of Central Arkansas 9. CONTINUING EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES/LIFELONG LEARNING “Nurses have several ways to continue learning throughout their careers. Obtaining national certification in your area of specialty demonstrates your dedication to excellence in practice and provides a wealth of continuing education credit opportunities. Attending professional conferences allows you to network with experts on a particular facet of nursing or medicine. Being a member of a professional nursing organization, particularly if it is associated with your area of practice, will give you access to contemporary research findings.” Kayla Bond, Cardiac Nurse Conway Regional Health System 10. OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADVANCEMENT “Traditionally, one would have thought nursing was for the bedside only, taking care of people inside a hospital who are very sick. Over the last 10 years or so, nursing has been given new opportunities for not only the bedside nurse, but also for nurses who want to work in a clinic, with medical technology or many different specialties. The options are endless; being a nurse, you can work anywhere.” Rhonda Reed, quality management coordinator UAMS Health
1783 JAMES DERHAM, A SLAVE FROM NEW ORLEANS, BUYS HIS FREEDOM WITH MONEY EARNED WORKING AS A NURSE. HE WOULD LATER BECOME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN PHYSICIAN IN THE UNITED STATES. 1859 FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE PUBLISHES NOTES ON NURSING, THE WORLD’S FIRST NURSES MANUAL. Sources: University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Women’s Achievements in Medical History, Harris School of Business, NursingOnPoint.com, American Sentinel University, Nurse.org, University of California San Francisco
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NURSING NEWS
Stop the Bleed Instructors from Arkansas Tech University in Russellville (left) teach high schoolers life-saving skills. UAMS Health personnel (right) pose with the organization’s new COVID-19 mobile testing van. ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY More than 290 Russellville School District students are certified in bleeding control techniques thanks to a fall 2019 initiative led by two members of the Arkansas Tech University faculty. Dr. Cheryl Monfee, professor of nursing, and Dr. Carey Laffoon, associate professor of nursing, worked with community partners and ATU alumni to help the Russellville School District meet the provisions of Act 245 of the 92nd Arkansas General Assembly, requiring Arkansas students in grades 9-12 to receive this training. “Stop the Bleed” is a national program launched by the White House in 2015 in recognition of the fact that bleeding is the leading cause of death from injury. Fifteen ATU Bachelor of Science in Nursing students completing their leadership and management clinical rotation participated in the training as associate instructors. Additional community service efforts and educational outreach are in the works to aid school districts in their pursuit of Act 245 compliance. CHI ST. VINCENT HEALTH CHI St. Vincent Infirmary ranks first in cardiology, heart surgery and orthopedics among Arkansas hospitals, according to the latest Best Regional Hospital rankings released by U.S. News & World Report. The magazine also ranked the Little Rock hospital first in gastroenterology, geriatrics and pulmonology among Arkansas hospitals. The Mission: Lifeline® Gold Plus Receiving Quality Achievement Award has been presented to CHI St. Vincent Infirmary for implementing specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association for the treatment of patients who suffer severe heart attacks. CHI St. Vincent Infirmary’s protocols reestablish blood flow to blocked arteries in heart attack patients coming into the hospital directly or by transfer from another facility, a critical step to prevent death. CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs has been named 66 OCTOBER 2020
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as one of the 2020 Best Places to Work in Best Companies Group’s eighth annual survey and awards program. The program identifies, recognizes and honors the best employers in Arkansas, benefiting the state’s economy, workforce and businesses.
northwest corner of the state. Arkansas’s Marshallese population is second only to that of the Republic of the Marshall Islands itself, and has grown exponentially over the past few decades after enactment of the Compact of Free Association between the United States and the RMI.
CONWAY REGIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM Conway Regional Health System has partnered with the University of Central Arkansas to provide tuition assistance to registered nurses interested in pursuing a bachelor’s degree. The RN-to-BSN Advancement program pays 100 percent of tuition upfront, eliminating all out-ofpocket tuition costs for the student.
UAMS HEALTH UAMS Health recently put into service a van to perform community COVID-19 testing. The vehicle was purchased with a $61,000 grant from the Blue & You Foundation, the charitable arm of Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and is operated by the UAMS Office of Population Health. The Bank of America Foundation also awarded $76,500 to UAMS to equip and supply the mobile unit. The mobile clinical team consists of trained and experienced nurses and medical professionals from UAMS’ COVID-19 triage program in the Integrated Medicine Service Line. They register, swab and collect testing specimens for up to 200 community members at each site visited. Patients do not have to get out of their vehicle, and all mobile unit staff and volunteers wear appropriate personal protective equipment. UAMS was recognized by U.S. News & World Report as the top hospital in the nation for ear, nose and throat care. It was also cited as the best hospital in Arkansas in several areas, including COPD, knee and hip replacement, colon cancer and lung cancer surgery and heart failure treatment. The UAMS Health Women’s Center opened in August. Many services for lifelong women’s care are now located under one roof, including care for routine and high-risk pregnancies; Arkansas’s only Centering Pregnancy program; gynecology services, including routine checkups, labs, ultrasounds and a uterine fibroid clinic; menopause treatment services; genetic and nutritional counseling; and behavioral health services.
UAMS COLLEGE OF NURSING UAMS recognized recipients of the Dr. Edith Irby Jones Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Awards. These awards honor the legacy of Dr. Jones, who demonstrated ongoing courage in breaking racial and gender barriers in her commitment to provide health care to those in need. Two College of Nursing members were nominated for the award — Jessica Ellis, Ph.D., associate dean of Administration and Finance; and Ava Coleman, assistant director of Student Enrollment — for their achievements and personal commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. In addition, Mary Davidson, a UAMS College of Nursing student, was nominated in the student category. Dr. Laura Hays, an assistant professor within the College of Nursing Science Department, heads two piloted research studies investigating the role of genetic variants in the disproportionately higher rates of diseases in the Marshallese population in Arkansas. Hays has two funded pilot research studies: one by the UAMS College of Nursing and one by the UAMS Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation. Future National Institutes of Health grant funding is pending. There are an estimated 15,000 Marshallese individuals living in Arkansas, mostly in the Special Advertising Section
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS LITTLE ROCK The success of nursing students is the highest priority of UA Little Rock. All UA Little Rock School of Nursing courses have a faculty/student mentor component. The nursing school also makes various study tools available to students through a lending library. These resources assist students with study and test-taking skills. In addition, study sessions and workshops are offered outside of scheduled class times based on student needs. These measures have been effective in boosting student retention. The Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas presented UA Little Rock with a $68,357 grant to support continuing education for health care professionals. UA Little Rock welcomed six new nursing faculty members: Hunter Spence, Shelia Brooks, Carolyn Hunter-Layne, LaKeisha Falls, Judy Staley and Ferrin Michalek. Meanwhile, Cindy Gilbert retired in May after 22 years of service to the Pat Walker School of Nursing. Instructors Janet Fletcher, Kimberly Porter and Josh Young were nominated for the Arkansas Nurse Educator of the Year Award.
The School of Nursing is represented by faculty members on 13 university- and college-level committees, including several leadership positions. Faculty members are also represented and active in various national and state nursing organizations. In 2019, nursing school faculty were invited to present at local, state and national conferences in Canada, Kentucky, Georgia, Missouri, Arizona and Arkansas. UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS University officials and guests gathered to break ground last fall on UCA’s new Integrated Health Sciences Building. The 80,000-squarefoot, four-story facility will be home to the School of Nursing and the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, along with the Nabholz Center for Healthcare Simulation and Interprofessional Teaching Center to be utilized by the entire College of Health and Behavioral Sciences. The integrated design of the building aims to foster an interprofessional educational environment that is most conducive to replicating real-life health care scenarios. The third-floor Nabholz Center for Healthcare Simulation offers a state-of-the-art simulation lab that will
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more than double the space of the current simulation lab, providing students with lifelike training scenarios. Primary funding for the project is provided through a $37.7 million bond appropriation by the UCA Board of Trustees, plus an additional $5 million to be raised through a capital campaign. The university’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing to Doctor of Nursing Practice (BSN to DNP) program was ranked among the top programs in the nation by rntobsnprogram.com. The award recognized both the school’s online and on-campus curriculum. UCA’s Doctor of Nursing Practice to Nurse Practitioner program (DNP to NP) has been noted for affordability, including Top 5 Affordable Online DNP-NP Programs, and Top 20 Affordable Online Post-Master’s NP Certificate Programs, both by npschools.com. The UCA School of Nursing donated PPE items to Conway Regional Health System in April to aid in its efforts to protect nurses and other staff during the coronavirus pandemic. The donated items included 150 isolation gowns, 100 surgical masks, 11,600 gloves and 200 surgical caps.
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NURSING SPECIALTIES IN DEMAND Bedside care is only one application of a nurse’s skill. The range of jobs and specialties nurses occupy are many, probably more than you realize. Every year the Arkansas Times Nurses Guide surveys working nurses and nurse educators to identify a few of the fulfilling careers that are in particularly high demand.
Nurse educators are in high demand and essential to creating the next generation of nurses, like those in this class at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia. NURSE EDUCATOR At the very basic level, nurse educators are responsible for teaching future nurses. However, these professionals also fulfill a variety of roles in designing, implementing and evaluation nursing curriculum. “Nurse educators serve as leaders and advocates for both the nursing profession and the patients and families they serve,” Pamela Ashcraft, a professor at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, said. “The goal of all nurse educators is to teach skills and disseminate knowledge necessary to providing the best possible patient care.” Nurse educators play a vital role in ensuring the nursing profession continues to move forward. They enjoy dynamic career options for where they work and what audiences they teach, Dr. Larronda Rainey with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Nursing said. “Nurse educators are employed primarily in hospitals and educational institutions; however, their education and training allows them to work in various locations,” she said. “A few of the nurse educator responsibilities include teaching, advising, mentoring, inspiring, leading and serving others. “Nurse educators are essential in preparing future nurses. Without nurse educators, the number of nurses overall would decline, creating deficiencies in patients’ health care services.” Basic qualifications in this field generally take 68 OCTOBER 2020
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the same amount of time to earn as it takes to become a registered nurse, but most instructors choose to expand their credentials. “At minimum, you must be a registered nurse; however, most nurse educators complete a master’s degree in nursing,” Dr. Julie B. Meaux, professor and Undergraduate Program coordinator for UCA, said. “Many nurse educators who teach in colleges and universities have a terminal degree, of which there are two in nursing. The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) is a research-focused degree and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is a clinical-focused degree.” With the retirement of many baby boomer-age nurse educators, job opportunities are at an all-time high. “Yes, there are jobs!” Janice Ivers, dean of Nursing and Health Sciences for National Park College in Hot Springs, said. “A nurse educator can wear many hats, so the potential to earn a good paycheck is certainly there. As with other professions, the further you advance in your education, the better your chances for an increased salary.” Brenda Trigg, director of nursing at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, said demand is particularly high right now as the medical field strives to attract more nurses to all segments of the health care industry. “As the nursing shortage continues across the nation, the work of the nurse educator in the university setting is even more important,” she said. “According to AACN Baccalaureate and Special Advertising Section
Graduate Programs in Nursing, tens of thousands of qualified nursing students are turned away from nursing school, in part, due to a shortage of nursing faculty. “Nurse educators who teach at the baccalaureate level have the privilege to prepare nursing graduates for entry into professional practice as generalist nurses. Now more than ever, the nursing profession needs these educators.” ADVANCED PRACTICAL PSYCH NURSE A psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who provides mental health services to individuals and families. These health care professionals work in a wide variety of settings, including outpatient clinics, community health centers, private practices, emergency departments, hospitals, schools, prisons and substance abuse programs. They may also serve as consultants or educators. “Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners assess, diagnose, treat and manage mental health problems and psychiatric disorders such as anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and substance use disorders,” Carol Campbell, clinical instructor with UAMS College of Nursing, said. “They may conduct psychotherapy, prescribe medications, order and interpret labs, and provide a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic services. With a focus on improving mental health care across the lifespan, PMHNPs are committed to promoting mental health through
preventive health care.” To become a PMHNP, students first earn their RN license and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. In addition, completion of an approved Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Master of Nursing Science (MNSc) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program is required to become a PMHNP. “Completion of an approved PMHNP program qualifies a graduate to take the PMHNP certification examination to become board certified through the American Nurses Credentialing Center,” Campbell said. “After successfully passing the certification exam, the PMHNP may apply for an APRN license and prescriptive authority through their state board of nursing. “As a PMHNP myself and co-coordinator of the PMHNP Program in the UAMS College of Nursing, I would highly recommend candidates gain experience working as a psychiatric nurse before applying for a PMHNP program. Obtaining experience in mental health is critical as it prepares you for future PMHNP practice.” As more attention is paid to mental health issues in general, the important work of mental health care workers has become increasingly more visible. “One of the major concerns for individuals with mental health issues is access to mental health care professionals,” Campbell said. “Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners are well-equipped to provide that care, as well as preventive strategies. And, PMHNPs are essential advocates for individuals and families in need of mental health services.” COMMUNITY-BASED NURSING Like many nursing specialties, community-based nurses are in very high demand and enjoy a variety of work environments. Practitioners in this area of nursing also get the additional self-satisfaction of directly helping improve health conditions and wellness for the entire community. “A community-based nurse is a specialty nursing profession, focusing on providing care to families and individuals within the community where they live, work and function,” Dr. Stephanie Trotter, clinical professor with UAMS College of Nursing, said. “A CBN manages acute and chronic conditions of families and individuals from birth to end of life, and places an emphasis on disease prevention and health promotion. They achieve this in person and through the use of telehealth. “A CBN can work in a wide variety of unique work locations. Some examples include a local health department, client homes as a home health nurse, schools, prison facilities, client workplaces as an occupational health nurse, even places of worship and community centers. When telehealth is available and utilized, it can
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HERO SPOTLIGHT
THEN AND NOW
Dr. Patricia Cowan, dean UAMS College of Nursing It is crucial that nurses commit to lifelong learning in order to improve the health of our citizens. You will definitely learn more after you graduate from nursing school than you learned while in school. During my undergraduate nursing education, I’d never heard of HIV or AIDS. As a new graduate, “clean technique” was commonly used for dressing changes. Gloves were sparsely used, and I had no concerns about an exposure to body fluids, whether caring for a patient post-operatively or going back to the delivery room to care for a premature baby. About that time, we were just starting to hear about a new disease with no cure that was being diagnosed in San Francisco. Six years later, as I was working in New Jersey, I witnessed whole families and neighborhoods being lost to AIDS. There was no treatment. I cared for HIV-infected newborns who were “boarded” in our medical center, because we did not know whether they would develop AIDS and it was considered too risky to place them in foster care. And I cared for young adults who were isolated from families who were afraid to touch them. Now, advances in HIV treatment and prevention are considered to be one of the major health care accomplishments of the last 35 years. All I ever learned about HIV and AIDS, I learned after graduating from nursing school. Nurses will always be on the front lines, therefore we need to be diligent in protecting ourselves while still providing the best evidence-based care possible. We see the need for that today as we learn how the novel coronavirus is transmitted and effectively treated. If I had one thing to say to the nurses of today and the generation that is to come, it’s: Be committed to lifelong learning. Throughout your career as a nurse, you need to expand your knowledge and skills for the good of your team and the benefit of your patients.
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further decrease barriers to care, such as lack of transportation and lack of access.” A bachelor’s degree in nursing is preferred for community-based nursing jobs, along with a few years of nursing experience. Experienced nurses within this specialty can attain a certification in public health nursing. RNs with advanced degrees in either community health or public health are also needed, and can attain advanced public health training and certification (APHN-BC). Trotter said an emphasis on wellness and greater attention to providing health care access in underserved neighborhoods are pushing demand for these nursing specialists “The future is bright for CBNs, because there is a growing societal emphasis on the importance of health promotion and disease prevention across the lifespan,” she said. “CBNs working in a variety of community settings will help decrease individuals’ and communities’ risks of developing chronic diseases and improve the quality of life over time. “CBNs are vital to health care, because they work to preserve, protect and promote the health of those within their community. Working with families and individuals, a CBN ultimately helps clients develop autonomy and identify ways to care for themselves. Healthy persons within a community can, in turn, positively improve the community as a whole.” SCHOOL NURSE One familiar role within community-based nursing is also one of the most familiar. School nurses provide essential health care that enhances the ability of students to be academi-
cally successful and develop the life skills and attitudes of healthy, productive members of society. “School nurses work in both private and public schools, pre-K to high school,” Rochelle McFerguson, clinical instructor with UAMS College of Nursing, said. “There are also nurses who work in college and university student health clinics.” School nurses help provide health care services to students in a way that minimizes disruption in their education day. Many times these services can be provided onsite at the school rather than pulling the student out and having them miss class for an outside appointment. And in a growing number of cases, the school nurse is becoming the most accessible health care option a child’s family may have, particularly among low-income populations. “School nurses provide screenings, treatments, physical assessment and, in some cases, diagnosis and prescriptions,” McFerguson said. The qualifications of the school nurse depend on school district hiring requirements. They can be a licensed practical nurse, registered nurse or an advanced practice registered nurse. Even in the era where coronavirus is disrupting school operations and keeping many kids home, the school nurse is a vital member of the faculty. “The need for the school nurse is in every school district, but not always the funding. This means that in some districts one nurse may be responsible for as many as 1,000 students,” McFerguson said. “That means there is a particularly desperate need for school nurses, especially in rural or poorer school districts.”
1909 UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA NURSING SCHOOL OPENS, THE FIRST CONNECTED TO A UNIVERSITY RATHER THAN A HOSPITAL. 1949 YALE UNIVERSITY OFFERS ADVANCED PROGRAM IN PSYCHIATRIC NURSING ALONG WITH CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS IN MIDWIFERY AND PUBLIC HEALTH. THE ONE-YEAR PROGRAM GRANTS A MASTERS OF SCIENCE IN NURSING. 1996 THE HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT (HIPAA) BECOMES LAW. 2002 SPECIALIZED MEDICAL MANIKINS ARE IN PLACE AT 66 NURSING SCHOOL NATIONWIDE. LESS THAN A DECADE LATER, NEARLY 1,000 SCHOOLS EMPLOY THE COMPUTERIZED GENDER-SPECIFIC DEVICES. Sources: University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Women’s Achievements in Medical History, Harris School of Business, NursingOnPoint.com, American Sentinel University, Nurse.org, University of California San Francisco
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HERO SPOTLIGHT
WONDER WOMAN
Hannah Ray University of Central Arkansas/Conway Regional Health System I came into college having never really thought about nursing. My intentions with starting nursing school my junior year of college was so I could become a pediatric nurse. A year later, 2016, I took a job as a patient care tech in the critical care unit at Conway Regional Health System and fell in love with intensive care. I graduated in 2017, joined a critical care unit here and I absolutely love it. I joined the unit because I wanted to be challenged. I am the type of person who loves to learn, so I wanted to step foot in my job every day and learn something. I think that’s what I love most about critical care — I come to work every day and something is different. I have worked full-time in the COVID unit since March. I volunteered to work in the unit the minute that the virus started appearing in Arkansas. I’m not going to sugarcoat it: It still, to this day, is just as challenging as Day One was. Our lives at Conway Regional have changed over the past six months. We have gone from working in one unit with nurses from all over the hospital to now just working in our home critical care unit with mainly just the critical care team. We’ve had to go through relocations, new staff members, new training. It has been incredibly challenging, but we’re making it and we’re doing it. My husband and I both work at the hospital and we’re both nurses. It’s a calling; I don’t think everyone is called and I think it’s perfectly fine that not
MASTER YOUR CRAFT
Pursuing a master‘s degree in nursing may seem like a daunting task, particularly with the long hours that a nurse already puts in on the job and at home. However, having an advanced degree opens multiple career possibilities, including higher pay and greater opportunities to lead. Here are a few things to consider, per Teresa Whited, associate dean of Academic Programs for UAMS College of Nursing: WHY A GRADUATE DEGREE? The Master of Nursing Science (MNSc) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees open many doors for a nurse to become a leader in health care. These graduate degrees allow advancement, autonomy and the opportunity to improve health care through quality improvement, research and preventative care. WHAT DO THESE PROFESSIONALS DO? The work of an advanced practice nurse is rewarding. It allows you to see patients and families throughout the lifespan and through the ups and down of their health care journey. It requires dedication to detail, a commitment to lifelong learning and an ability to provide excellent care with patient advocacy.
everyone is. I know in my heart a patient that has the coronavirus deserves just as much care as any other patient that comes into the hospital and I know I can provide that type of care. Our patients know we’re here for them and they rely on us to give them the best medical care and treatment we’ve got. It speaks volumes about Conway Regional in general that our patients feel secure in us that we’re going to walk in every day and say, “No matter what happens today, I’m going to do my 100 percent best I can.” That makes a difference. It also takes a toll. You wear down and just become exhausted with the amount of physical exertion your body goes through taking care of COVID patients three, four, five days a week. I’m not going to say our spirits are down, because we’re still motivated. But there’s days where we feel defeated because we’ve given every ounce of energy we have to help people recover and while many of them do, some don’t and that’s what’s defeating. But you also have days like when the very first COVID-19 patient was discharged from Conway Regional. That very first patient was with us for a little over a month. We rolled him out in a wheelchair, but as soon as we got outside, he said, “Can I get up? Can I walk?” When he was able to walk out the door, hug his family for the first time in a month, we shed tears. The patient cried and we cried. That moment right there was like, yes, this is why I do what I do. As hard as this has been, this makes it all worth it.
HOW DO I BECOME ONE? Pursuing an advanced practice registered nurse role takes about two additional years of study after becoming a registered nurse and requires additional licensure and prescriptive authority. There are four roles of the APRN, including: Certified nurse midwife, who provides primary and specialty health care for women. Certified nurse anesthetist, who administers anesthesia and provides care to patients before, during and after therapeutic, surgical, obstetrical and diagnostic procedures. Clinical nurse specialist and nurse practitioner are two very distinct specialties. Clinical nurse specialists often lead a department of nursing either at a private practice location or in a hospital setting, with the education and expertise to lead the nursing staff in education and improving the patient care process. Nurse practitioners work under the indirect supervision A graduate degree enables nurses of a physician and use their expertise to to shape educational curriculum and consult on patient care, diagnose chronic serve in other leadership roles. illnesses, manage acute episodes, promote disease prevention, perform health assessments, and order and interpret diagnostic tests. Special Advertising Section
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TECHNOLOGY THE NORM IN TODAY’S NURSING WORKPLACE
Arkansas Tech students receive training on the latest technological tools of the nursing trade.
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o matter where a nurse ultimately chooses to spend his or her career, it’s a certainty that technology will be part of everyday work life. The days of mercury thermometers and hot water bottles are long gone, replaced by an array of technological tools that help nurses do their job with more precision and accuracy than ever before. “Technology has changed so much since I began my career in 1991,” Nancy Haese, a nurse in Vascular Access with CHI St. Vincent, said. “It has become more complex. When I started nursing, even taking a blood pressure was done by a machine only in intensive care areas. On the floor, it was taken by hand. “The nursing field I work in now has changed. Back then, doctors were the only ones to place central catheter lines, as peripherally inserted central catheters weren’t even around. Now, because of technology, I am able to place PICC lines.” Given that technology has expanded the tasks that nurses are able to accomplish, most see these advances as a positive, Haese added. “I appreciate advances in technology,” she said. “It gives nurses more opportunities to advance their knowledge of nursing care and, most importantly, helps nurses like me have more options and take better care of our patients.” The steady march of technological progress means nursing schools have had to evolve in how they educate students to keep up. In many cases this means investing in training and simulation tools that are themselves leaps-andbounds ahead of previous teaching models. “Our nursing program has grown from using static manikins and low-fidelity task trainers to high fidelity, lifelike manikins,” Shellie Maggard, assistant professor and simulation coordinator for Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, said. “Our high-fidelity simulators include a Sim-Man, two Sim-Man 3Gs, a Sim-Mom, a Sim-Newby and a Sim-Baby. We currently use
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a dedicated debriefing room that enables students to view simulations concurrently or previously recorded, reflect on their experiences and connect theory to actual practice. “In addition, ATU has added an IV Arm virtual computer program that enables students to practice their IV skills and access a simulated ventilator, a chest tube manikin trainer and a defibrillator/EKG trainer. These technological advancements have enabled our program to transform nursing students into the practice-ready nurses they need to become for a seamless transition into the workforce.” Jennifer Gernat with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Nursing said other technology has found a place in the classroom. “We use technology in a variety of ways to enhance classroom and clinical experiences for our students,” she said. “Undergraduates utilize iPads to provide an interactive environment that enhances learning. The ability of the students and instructors to interact in real time allows for good communication and learning to take place. Students retain more from lectures and the clinical experience because of this interaction.” Gernat said the customization features available through today’s technology allow students to receive and process information in a manner that best suits them. “Online applications are used to provide students with quizzes to help with learning and studying. Students have more control over their learning and can tailor classroom and source materials to their learning style,” she said. “They also have access to a large variety of online learning materials at their fingertips. Plus, at-risk students can be identified more quickly so that instructors can help them put a plan in place to help them succeed.” One of the most visible and exciting developSpecial Advertising Section
ments in the medical field overall has been wider use of telemedicine. Dr. Nicole Ward, clinical assistant professor with UAMS College of Nursing, said the advancement not only helps connect people in remote areas directly from their homes, it allows nurses and other medical professionals to expand their reach and opens up new career options for nurses in rural areas. “For nurses, the challenge is usually deciding which job they would like to take rather than having the challenge of finding a job,” she said. “Nurses who work in a large, urban setting have access to the most advanced medical technology and usually care for the sickest patients. This gives them unique experiences that nurses practicing in rural areas may not encounter. “At the same time, one big need in the state of Arkansas is primary care providers in rural areas. This is a great opportunity for nurses who would like to live and serve patients in rural areas. With the advancement of telemedicine, sick patients who once had to travel to large urban centers are now able to receive care in rural locations. This is fundamentally transforming the environment within rural hospitals in Arkansas.” The future promises even more remarkable advancements, but no matter how science fiction things get, Maggard said, high-touch will remain the foundation for excellent nursing care. “Although our program has advanced technologically, we still embed the foundational nursing core concepts throughout our curriculum that are necessary to produce safe, qualified nurses,” she said. “ATU Nursing strives to remain current with advancements in health care while upholding the ‘high-touch’ relationship necessary between nurse and patient. It is essential to maintain that personal, trusting relationship with patients and their families.”
HERO SPOTLIGHT I was assigned to the Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, which had roughly the same bed capacity as the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, where I work. Before COVID-19, Brooklyn Methodist had around 30 intensive care unit beds; two weeks after its first COVID-19 positive case, 120 patients were on ventilators. At one point, over 90 percent of the patients in this 500-bed hospital were COVID-19 positive. At the time of my arrival, Brooklyn Methodist had moved its pediatric ICU and psychiatric patients to sister hospitals and converted both units to adult COVID-19 ICUs. Before our arrival, the ICU nurse-to-patient ratios had been as high as 1:5. These patients had extremely high acuities, they were vented and sedated with multiple organ involvement. The shifts were long and hard with the added stress of wearing personal protective equipment. Luckily, ICU care is universal. A nurse may not know the charting system or how a certain pump works, but a competent ICU nurse can usually jump right in to care for the patient, which is what we did. One thing that stuck out the most to me was the Brooklyn Methodist staff. In one of the
A NEW YORK STATE OF MIND
Richard Milam, Critical Care Division UAMS Health Earlier this year I got the opportunity to be part of a group of nurses and respiratory therapists participating in an outreach program to assist the New York-Presbyterian Health System. As most people are aware, New York City had high numbers of COVID-19 cases, and I knew before departing it was going to be shocking. It was everything I expected and then some.
hardest-hit COVID-19 areas, they had been at ground zero, landing in the worst possible scenario from a nursing standpoint. Yet they handled it with determination and an attitude that was awe-inspiring. These nurses and staff put their critical thinking and expertise to work to meet the daily challenges. Eight weeks into this pandemic, they were still so helpful, upbeat and caring. Even though they kept calling all of us visiting health care workers “heroes,” the real heroes were the New Yorkers who were there in the beginning, at the peak and after all the relief travelers were gone. They truly are incredible—a shining light and an example we could all learn from in this challenging time. With so many COVID-19 cases reported in our own state, I’m sure health care workers and Arkansans as a whole wish this would all just go away. I’m happy to report that I reached out to the ICU manager at Brooklyn Methodist and they are doing much better, down from 120 patients on ventilators to around 30. They are a testament that, if we work together and stay “UAMS Strong,” we can make it through these challenging times, too.
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Apply now to the Jefferson Regional School of Nursing! You can receive an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing degree in just 17 months at the Jefferson Regional School of Nursing! High fidelity training, small class size and easy access to hospital experience combine to develop a well-rounded educational background. Tuition assistance is also available. Application deadline for the January class is November 1, 2020.
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OCTOBER 2020 73
HERO SPOTLIGHT
HOMETOWN HERO
Aaron Baxter, RN to BSN online student UA Little Rock/UAMS By Angelita Faller, UA Little Rock Nurses quickly get used to the fact that much of what they do goes unnoticed and unrecognized. It’s just part of the job. But one health care professional, Aaron Baxter of Benton, recently was the exception in a big way, being recognized before the U.S. House of Representatives with the Hometown Hero Award. “Aaron’s superiors say that he is a team player who stands out due to his high regard for patient care and safety,” Arkansas 2nd District Rep. French Hill said in his remarks while presenting Baxter for the award this summer. “I thank Aaron for his dedication to protecting the health of Arkansans during this time. He and frontline workers like him are vital to us overcoming COVID-19 as a nation.” “I’m definitely honored by this recognition and I hope that everyone understands that, as nurses, we have to rely on each other,” Baxter said. “Nursing is a team occupation. I could not do what I do without the people I work with. To me, this is an honor for all the folks that I’ve worked with.” Baxter got his first taste of health care as a volunteer emergency medical technician. He
joined UAMS Health in 2015 as a patient care technician after nearly two decades working in the energy and manufacturing sectors. While at UAMS, Baxter attended nursing school at UA Little Rock in 2017, obtaining his associate degree in nursing in 2018. “UA Little Rock has an accelerated option for the nursing program,” Baxter said. “My goal was to get into the accelerated program so I could quickly get back to work. As a working adult, that was my deciding factor.” Baxter, who will graduate from UA Little Rock with his bachelor‘s degree in nursing next spring, took on additional responsibilities during the pandemic, working as both a COVID nurse and a D-officer. In the latter role, he helps colleagues make sure they are properly using and removing protective equipment. “Working in any kind of critical care unit is stressful,” Baxter said. “Adding the coronavirus and all the unknowns to that has been stressful, but we’ve had a lot of support. As a team, my unit has done the best job we could in order to provide exceptional care. That hasn’t changed because of the coronavirus.”
We Our Students
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HERO SPOTLIGHT
FROM THE HEART
Daniel Melendez, Medical ICU CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs I worked my entire adult life as a landscape designer and project manager. After the housing market crash in 2008, I had to go from doing residential projects, where I had a lot of artistic freedom, to managing commercial and municipal projects. I kind of lost my love for it. As I started looking into different careers, I had a little checklist of things I absolutely had to have in a career. I wanted to do something where I could stay on my feet, because I didn’t want to sit behind a desk all day. I’m not too good at that. I wanted to do something where I could interact with people, something where there was always something new to learn and always something different to do. The biggest part of it was, I wanted to do something positive within the community. Before I officially went back to school, my wife had been working on her nursing degree, so I got to see firsthand everything that she was doing. Nursing pretty much checked all the boxes. I went to nursing school at National Park College in Hot Springs and graduated in 2015.
I started out working at a nearby hospital in inpatient psychiatric care. My wife, Jacqueline, was working in a surgical intensive care unit and once again I got to see what she did every day. I thought, man, this is something that I can definitely get into. It’s difficult work, but it keeps you on your toes. There’s a great supportive team and it just seemed like a good fit for me, so I decided to make the move to more traditional nursing as opposed to psychiatric care. Now, I’m part of the medical ICU at CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs and she works in the emergency department after working in the surgical ICU for quite a while. That’s put us at the forefront of COVID-19 cases. People ask me what that’s like and I tell them we always manage extremely sick people in the medical ICU. A ton of our patients are already critical in nature. This adds some new methods and some new protocols. It’s an extremely difficult illness to manage and it’s something everybody’s still getting accustomed to. One thing I can say is our facility is really
doing everything that they can. The communication’s been great when things change. Everybody works together to make sure that we can enact the new policy changes as they happen. It might sound kind of crazy but, if anything, [COVID-19] taught us how to be more effective at our job, working together. One thing I’d tell the next generation of nurses would be the absolute most important part of nursing is to maintain the focus on compassion. We get sick people, some of whom don’t recover. We do our best to provide them with the best possible experience and outcome that we can. We play a lot of different roles in the process. You really have to remember what the end goal is. Nursing takes patience. Nursing school is difficult — very, very difficult. It takes a whole team to get one person through nursing school. And, man, you’ve really got to be motivated. The thing is, if you can make it through the trials of nursing school — and you survive your first day at work — it’s one of the most rewarding jobs you’ll ever do. That’s worth it.
Choose the Best. Choose UAMS. Whether you’re looking for the right place to further your education or the right place to start your nursing career, UAMS is the best choice for you.
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Arkansas’ most comprehensive nursing college ■ Baccalaureate Degrees – BSN Little Rock, RN to BSN*, RN to BSN/MNSc* ■ Advanced Practice Degrees - MNSc*, DNP*, BSN to DNP*, DNP Nurse Anesthesia ■ Research Degrees - PhD*, BSN to PhD* *Offered primarily online or through distance education
Already a nurse and looking for the best place to work? Nurses are the heart of UAMS. ■ Statewide opportunities for growth in many areas ■ Market competitive salaries ■ Tuition discounts at U of A System colleges for you and your family
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ARKANSAS DHS PROVIDES FULFILLING, VARIED CAREER POSSIBILITIES
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he Arkansas Department of Human Services is a far-reaching state agency tasked with ensuring the health and welfare of Arkansas families. Nurses are needed across a variety of job specialties and facilities that serve children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, adults and seniors with disabilities, and more. Two departments in which nurses can play a substantial role include the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services (DDS) and Division of Aging, Adult and Behavioral Health Services (DAABHS). The Division of Developmental Disabilities Services provides quality services for children and adults with developmental disabilities and delays. Providing clients and their families choices when selecting appropriate services in the local community, DDS provides an array of services through Medicaid-funded programs and federally funded grants. Among these services are: • Developmental screenings, therapy and care plans for infants and toddlers;
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Day treatment programs for children and adults; • Community-based services and supportive life skills; • Applied behavior analysis for children with autism and specialized autism services; • 24-hour care in human development centers and private intermediate care facilities; • Occupational therapy, speech therapy and physical therapy; • Helping coordinate care needs and case management services. The Division of Aging, Adult and Behavioral Health Services ensures an integrated system of publicly funded mental health care and alcohol, tobacco and other drug prevention and treatment services to Arkansas residents. DAABHS provides the majority of state-funded behavioral health services by contracting with community providers in multiple regions to ensure statewide coverage. These community health partners provide a full array of traditional and specialized ser-
vices, including (but not limited to) crisis screenings, drug and alcohol assessments, diagnostic evaluations, medication management, case management and a variety of counseling services. State-funded mental health and substance use/misuse treatment services are available in all 75 counties, serving adults and children with varying levels and stages of mental illness, including those who have been previously incarcerated or admitted to the Arkansas State Hospital and other treatment facilities. Certain Arkansas populations within DAABHS are identified as priority populations, served through substance use/misuse treatment contracts, including: • Pregnant women using drugs by injection; • Pregnant women using drugs/alcohol; • Intravenous drug users; • Clients with the greatest clinical needs; • Clients from the designated region. Visit https://humanservices.arkansas.gov to learn more.
OUR SUPERHEROES WEAR MASKS AND SAVE LIVES, TOO. Providing education, advocacy, community and resources to Arkansas’s hospitals and health systems for 90 years.
501.224.7878 | arkhospitals.org Special Advertising Section
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OCTOBER 2020 77
SETTING THE STANDARD FOR PEDIATRIC CARE : ARKANSAS CHILDREN’S
Arkansas Children’s is one of the premier pediatric health systems in the country.
F
or more than 100 years, Arkansas Children’s Hospital has continuously evolved to meet the unique needs of the children of Arkansas and beyond. Arkansas Children’s first opened its doors in 1912 as The Arkansas Children’s Home Society, a safe haven for orphaned children. A little over a decade later, Dr. Orlando Christian led the effort to open a children’s hospital at the present site of the current hospital. Since then, philanthropy has played an essential role in how Arkansas Children’s serves the 700,000plus children of Arkansas. In 1983, the organization became the primary Children’s Miracle Network Hospital for the region. The accomplishments of Arkansas Children’s are rivaled only by the health needs of the state’s children, continuing through to present day, as Arkansas ranks 40 out of the 50 states in overall children’s health and well-being. To create a healthier tomorrow for Arkansas’s children, ACH has evolved from a single-site hospital in Little Rock to a comprehensive pediatric health system that includes two pediatric hospitals, a pediatric research institute and USDA nutrition center, a philanthropic foundation, a nursery alliance, statewide clinics and many education and outreach programs — all focused on fulfilling a promise: Unprecedented child health. Defined and delivered. The flagship hospital, Arkansas Children’s 78 OCTOBER 2020
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Hospital (ACH) in Little Rock, is a 336-bed, Magnet-recognized facility. It offers the state’s only Level I pediatric trauma center; the state’s only burn center; the state’s only Level IV neonatal intensive care unit; the state’s only pediatric intensive care unit; the state’s only pediatric surgery program with Level 1 verification from the American College of Surgeons (ACS); the state’s only magnetoencephalography (MEG) system for neurosurgical planning and cutting-edge research; and the state’s only nationally recognized pediatric transport program. Additionally, ACH is nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report in pediatric cardiology and heart Surgery, nephrology, pulmonology and urology specialties. Arkansas Children’s Northwest (ACNW) is the first and only pediatric hospital in the Northwest Arkansas region. It opened in Springdale in early 2018 and operates a 24-bed inpatient unit; a surgical unit with five operating rooms; outpatient clinics offering over 20 subspecialties; diagnostic services; imaging capabilities; occupational therapy services; and Northwest Arkansas’s only pediatric emergency department, equipped with 30 exam rooms. The health system also includes two clinics in Little Rock, a clinic in Jonesboro and is in the process of opening a clinic in Pine Bluff. ACH’s mission is carried out every day by a diverse team of more than 4,500 employees Special Advertising Section
who operate daily within an inclusive culture, to fulfill the goals of an ambitious five-year strategic plan. That plan focuses on solidifying Arkansas Children’s as a destination for pediatric care, strengthening the continuum of care, addressing and improving the whole health of the child and acting boldly to develop safer, healthier communities. These pillars of care are made possible through three core drivers: • Digital transformation, which will harness the power of technology and systems to extend reach, efficiency and engagement. • Focusing on partnerships that build mutually beneficial, well-defined relationships to galvanize networks. • Continuously advocating for children, promoting a child-first agenda that reprioritizes child health and advances public policy and community action. Each of these priorities and pillars make up the foundation Arkansas Children’s is building on for the next five years. The organization is dedicated to delivering on its promise of a healthier tomorrow for the children of Arkansas. Learn more about the outstanding career opportunities available through Arkansas Children’s at www.archildrens.org.
Your Voice. Arkansas Our Fight.
nursing homes—can vote safely whether they choose to vote from home or in-person.
HERO SPOTLIGHT
NEVER TOO LATE
PAID FOR BY AARP
For more information on how you can vote safely PAID FOR BY AARP and make your voice heard, visit aarp.org/ARVotes
Arkansas
Your Vote. Your Vote. Your Vote. YourVoice. Vote. Your Voice. Your Your Voice. Your Voice. Our Our Fight. OurFight. Fight. Our Fight.
facebook/AARPArkansas | @ARAARP | aarp.org/AR As our nation battles a pandemic and economic DeeDee Moline PAID FOR BY AARP CHI St. Vincent Infirmary downturn, the health and financial security of voters Arkansas Master’s degree candidate at UAMS PAID FOR BY AARP over 50 are on the line. That’s why AARP Arkansas is I always wanted to be in health care, but I Arkansas fighting for your voice to be heard. was unsure of which capacity I wanted to be in. I grew up in Camden and I’d always been very AARP Arkansas wants to make sure that you know all science-oriented. At one point I even started a business where I worked from home in medical of your voting options and that all Americans—from transcription. In my own way I nurtured that sciworking parents to family caregivers to seniors in ence nerd part of me. nursing homes—can vote safely whether they choose to I was a mom for 27 years at home, during which time I raised five kids. Then, when they vote from home or in-person. got older and didn’t need me all the time, I went back and started nursing school in 2014 at UA For more information on how you can vote safely Little Rock. As our nation battles a pandemic and economic and make your voice heard,PAID visit aarp.org/ARVotes FOR BY AARP There were a handful of us, what you’d call As our nation battles a pandemic and economic downturn, the health and financial security of voters “mature” students. It was really interesting to facebook/AARPArkansas | @ARAARP | aarp.org/AR downturn, the health and financial security of voters As our nation battles a pandemic and economic over 50 are on the line. That’s why AARP Arkansas is see; there were some really young nursing stuover arevoice on thetoline. That’s why AARP Arkansas is dents who’d done a lot with concurrent credit fighting for50 your be heard. downturn, thebattles healthaand financial security of voters fighting for your voice to be heard. As our nation pandemic and economic in high school and lots of people my children’s AARP Arkansas wants to make sure that you know all age. I didn’t realize how diverse nursing was, over 50 arethe on the line. That’s why AARP Arkansas is know all AARP Arkansas wants to make surevoters that you downturn, health of but that showed me there really was a place for ofand your financial voting optionssecurity and that all Americans—from of your voting options and that all Americans—from everyone in this profession. There is a way to working parents to family caregivers to seniors fighting for on your voice to be heard. over 50 are the line. That’s AARP is in in workingwhy parents to familyArkansas caregivers to seniors develop the talents that you have as an individnursing homes—can vote safely whether they choose to nursing homes—can vote safely whether they choose to ual in nursing, no matter what they are. fighting for yourwants voicevote tofrom be heard. or in-person. I’m a cardiac nurse. I wanted to specialize in AARP Arkansas to make that you know all votehome fromsure home or in-person. that because the heart has always intrigued me For more information on how you you can can votevote safely Forthat more information on how safely of your voting options and all Americans—from and I was drawn to learn more about it. Heart AARP Arkansas wants to make sure that you know all and make your voice heard, visit aarp.org/ARVotes and make your voice heard, visit aarp.org/ARVotes disease is plaguing our society right now; heart working parents to family caregivers to seniors in attacks and heart health are a top medical priof your voting options andfacebook/AARPArkansas that all Americans—from | @ARAARP | aarp.org/AR facebook/AARPArkansas | @ARAARP | aarp.org/AR ority. I really enjoy being able to perfect that nursing homes—can vote safely whether they choose to working parents to family caregivers to seniors in education, familiarize myself so much with that particular part of the body, and bring it down vote from home or in-person. nursing homes—can vote safely whether they choose to to the patient level. I started working at CHI St. Vincent Infirmavote from home or in-person. ry in Little Rock when I graduated from nursFor more information on how you can vote safely ing school in 2017 and I went through the same learning curve As as any new nurse. and make your voiceon heard, aarp.org/ARVotes ourother nation battles a pandemic and economic For more information how visit you can vote safely I learned that, number one, you have to overthe health andand financial security of voters come your fear. Whatdownturn, I tell new nurses today make your voice heard,| visit aarp.org/ARVotes facebook/AARPArkansas @ARAARP | aarp.org/AR is, do not be afraid to realize that you have to over 50 are on the line. That’s why AARP Arkansas is perfect your skills. Have confidence in yourself, follow the rules, don’t take shortcuts and be willfacebook/AARPArkansas | @ARAARP | aarp.org/AR fighting forwilling yourtovoice to be heard. ing to learn from anyone. If you are collaborate and nurture, you can flourish in any multidisciplinary team.AARP Arkansas wants to make sure that you know all One thing I remember very clearly was, because of my age, patients assumedvoting that I’d been of your options and that all Americans—from a nurse for 300 years. There could be a younger nurse that’s been a nurse for longer parents than me andto family caregivers to seniors in working my patients would still look to me first. I was very well-trained at UALR and I felt like I had very good nursing homes—can vote safely whether they choose to knowledge, but that was heavy on me. I felt that vote home extra burden until the very firstfrom patient of my ownor in-person. said, “You are one of the best nurses I’ve had. How long have you been doing this?” I said, “You Forshemore on how you can vote safely are my first patient.” And said, “I information do not believe you.” That gave me such confidence. and make your voice heard, visit aarp.org/ARVotes I’m in school now at UAMS working on my master’s of nursing administration and education because I believe nursing is facebook/AARPArkansas a practice, we | @ARAARP | aarp.org/AR never perfect it, we can always get better. Approach it with a sense of excited humility. Realize that people look to you to ease their minds and their hearts. They look to you for strength. They look to you for education, for compassion, for help.
Arkansas
Your Vote. Your Voice. Our Fight.
NURSING NEEDS YOU.
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OCTOBER 2020 79
TEAMWORK: THE HEART OF ALL NURSING SUCCESS
Teamwork makes the dream work at Arkansas Children’s.
O
f all the skills a new nurse must develop, the ability to work within a team is arguably the most critical, especially in a hospital setting. And, as the nursing profession continues to work to expand inclusiveness and diversity in the ranks, the ability to work with people of varying backgrounds is more important than ever before. “Looking back over my 27 years as a nurse, it was never a surprise to see that every nurse has a strength that they bring to the team,” Barb Erby, nurse manager in orthopedics/neurology for CHI St. Vincent Infirmary in Little Rock, said. “People of all backgrounds, genders, ages and different personalities bring their talents to the table along with their unique work and life experiences. No one on the team is just a secretary, just a tech or just a nurse. We are a nursing team from different backgrounds, but our common goal is to carry out our mission as health care providers to serve those in need of our care. “Diversity is needed because it builds a united front in your community to display the teamwork that is maintained in a world of uncertainty.” As any veteran nurse will tell you, no nurse can do it alone in health care, and for new nurses, teamwork is particularly crucial as they work to familiarize themselves with the job and find their stride in a world that’s very different from classroom simulations. “The most difficult aspect of working in the team environment for new nurses is being over-
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whelmed,” Delia Litan de los Reyes, clinical supervisor of Float Pool/Clinical Registry at CHI St. Vincent, said. “There are unique challenges in coming on board and not knowing everyone on the team, the processes to follow, how to communicate with physicians and other departments, and how to adjust to rapidly changing situations. “The most important thing for brand-new nurses to remember as they come into that work environment is to reach out to other members of the team and to their leader. They should not feel alone. We always work together as a team. We have resources and tools that can guide them to achieve their maximum potential and be successful in this profession.” Nurses have developed a reputation over the years for “eating their young,” but today’s health care professionals say much of that attitude is a thing of the past. Nursing shortages and the high level of accountability for patient outcomes have seen nursing teams evolve to be more supportive of newcomers. “My organization promotes collaboration among nurses with all levels of experience,” Taylor Steele, clinical instructor with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Nursing, said. “Currently, I am the least experienced faculty member in the college, but that does not deter my co-workers from listening to my plans or ideas. I have been extremely fortunate to work with amazing nurses over the past seven years, and I truly believe you get out of your team what you put into it.” Special Advertising Section
Such is not to say that teamwork comes naturally to everyone. Steele said it’s not solely on incumbent members of the team to be inclusive; the new nurse must work hard to fit in and work well with others, too. “A 12-hour shift is an extremely long time, but it’s especially long when you have to spend it with toxic co-workers,” she said. “A team member who exhibits a sense of entitlement can definitely interfere with the cohesive team environment. These particular team members expect everyone’s help, but they are nowhere to be found when their co-workers are in need. During these times, it is important to use effective communication skills to possibly break down that barrier between you and a difficult co-worker.” A cooperative spirit is all the more essential when differences in race, gender or ethnic background are added to the mix. Michelle Gonzalez, director of the Nurse Anesthesia Program and clinical associate professor at UAMS College of Nursing, remembers the challenges of fitting in. “When I was in my undergraduate nursing program, I was the only Hispanic student in the entire college, which was approximately 2,000 students,” she said. “Because there was no one else like me, I tended to make friends with other minorities. Looking back on it, we had a unique microcosm in our friend group, consisting of one Black male, one LGBT male, an Italian and a Latina. “I felt very different and separate from the
THREE STEPS TO BEING A GOOD TEAMMATE
Often the most complicated relationships boil down to the simplest elements. So it is with being a good teammate. We asked Joan Tackett, a member of the faculty at UAMS College of Nursing, for three good ways to be a productive member of the team. majority of white females that attended my nursing program. Living off-campus due to affordability also intensified that feeling of being an outsider. I didn’t feel connected to the university or university life.” Gonzalez said going through that experience created in her a default attitude of seeking diversity and inclusiveness, something that has only intensified today as she sees more men and people of color entering nursing school. “I tend to look at people for who they are, as well as their contributions and insights,” she said. “I’m very curious by nature and tend to ask a lot of questions, particularly if I’m not familiar with someone’s culture or customs. “My frame of thought is, if I can increase my knowledge and awareness of people who are different from me, then I can extend that respect and acknowledgment and be an example for others. Oftentimes we never know what others have been through, but they have overcome and achieved, and those are insights they can bring to benefit the team.”
HERO SPOTLIGHT
MAMA BEAR Courtney Stepp National Park College
DEVELOP SOLID COMMUNICATION SKILLS Good communication skills are imperative in nursing. As a nurse you need to possess good communication skills so you can interact with your patient and their family members and friends. Learning as much as you can about good communication skills and practicing them will produce positive outcomes. You should always feel free to ask appropriate questions or speak up to increase your understanding and knowledge, and when advocating for your patient it is your duty to speak up in an appropriate manner. FOCUS OUTWARDLY AS YOU DEVELOP INWARDLY If you keep in mind that what you’re doing is for someone else, and that it’s not about you, that often helps keep your emotions positive and frustrations minimal. Singing, even if it’s in my head, helps me stay positive. Smiling
I was one of the first ones at National Park Medical Center, where I work, to be exposed to the coronavirus. My health nurse called me at home and said, “Courtney, you need to start taking your temperature.” Now, I’m a mom; I have two sets of twin boys who are 7 and 8. It’s like raising quadruplets. And all I could think about was how I’d been around my kids for the last 36 hours before anybody told me this. I know I hugged them. We watched a movie together. They were so much closer than 6 feet. It really scared me. It was the first time in my life that I felt like I had complete lack of control over my situation. Something had threatened my life, and my children’s lives, that was beyond my means. I never wanted to be a nurse growing up. My mom’s a nurse and my whole life I remember how she smelled like a hospital. I liked to argue and I liked to stand up for people, so I said I was going to go to law school. As I started my journey doing all that, I got an internship at a law office that was a big eye-opener. Yes, I did want to help people, but I didn’t want to do it through law. When I became a mom, my education got put on the back burner, but I discovered how much I enjoyed caring for them. So it hit me that maybe my mom was right all along, and in 2017 we moved to Hot Springs for me to go to nursing school at National Park College. I graduated with my LPN in 2018 and I graduated with my RN in Special Advertising Section
is contagious, so I practice that as well. Asking others about themselves and sharing stories that are appropriately funny can help everyone stay positive, even on a more challenging day. Praising others for a job well done usually produces a smile as well. LET THINGS GO Nursing is a most rewarding field, as we have the opportunity to serve others. However, because most individuals are sick during that time, they are often not at their best, or normal self, and may be grumpy. Do not let that influence you negatively; smile and continue to provide appropriate care. And, by the way, caring for someone in the last moments of their life is a great privilege. Thinking of it in that way has helped me deal with the loss of patients for whom I have provided care, and for whom I cared very much. Always remember, you are only one person and can do only so much.
2020. So, now, here I was, not knowing what to do and faced with a really hard situation. I had to ask myself some tough questions. You see, as a nurse, I’m an essential worker. We don’t get to stay home and quarantine for two weeks just for exposure. (I never became symptomatic, thank goodness.) When I was exposed, I was confused. This was March and COVID-19 was all brand new. I was scared, but I was essential. At first, it was “I have to be there for my patients.” Then it became less of a have-to and more of a want-to because the number of cases was growing. I didn’t want to be one of those people who said, “I’m throwing the towel in when times get hard.” Now I’m mad that it’s here. I’m mad that it happened to someone. I hate cancer, I hate COVID, I hate it all, so I’m here to help minimize it. If me going to work and caring for somebody and putting myself out there for somebody else makes a difference, then I’m going to do it. I don’t regret anything about my life as a nurse. Not at all. Through the fear, the pissed-off, the excitement, the need, it all gives me satisfaction that what I do is worth it. There are lives that we have lost and that’s something that you live with. You don’t ever forget. But for the ones I know that I made a difference, who I know that I helped, it makes it where it’s worth it for me to go in and clock in for my next shift. I’m not scared anymore.
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WHAT I’VE LEARNED “The physical, mental and emotional demands of this profession are significant. It is stressful to be responsible for someone else’s life. But you are never alone. Seek help from other nurses when you need it, take 3 minutes of quiet if you need it. And then, take a deep breath and get to work.” Allison Tucker, nursing faculty University of Central Arkansas “New nurses in the field should know that nursing is not just a job to get paid. It’s a career that is full of great satisfaction. You must be passionate about doing what’s ethical for your patients. New nurses should remember that all nurses have that same idea about doing what’s right by their patients so everyone is on the same page.” Nancy Haese, Vascular Access CHI St. Vincent “Being a patient advocate means being able to give high-quality care and give a voice to the patient for their safety and rights. Help them make informed decisions when they may not understand and help them speak up when they might have concerns.” Johnna Askins, cardiac nurse Conway Regional Health System “Nursing is ever-changing to meet the needs of our society and culture. We have been the ones to hold the hands of the first AIDS patients in the 1980s without judgment, and we have fearlessly gone to other states to take care of COVID-19 patients with limited supplies and knowledge of the disease itself. We accept all and provide care with all we have to give.” Janet Smith, Associate Degree Program director National Park College “The saying ‘silence is golden’ doesn’t apply when something wrong is going on or a patient’s life or health is being compromised. It comes to a point when a person has to look within themself and know when to speak up or stay quiet. If there is a strong urge to speak up because something wrong is going on, speak up.” Veneine Cuningkin, clinical assistant professor UAMS College of Nursing “Nursing is not a static profession. Patient situations are constantly changing. It is important that you know the standards of the profession, but then you must also analyze a particular situation and make decisions regarding how to best meet the needs of the patient. You must be able to problem-solve and develop a plan to implement.” Leslie Blackwell, instructor University of Central Arkansas “Nursing, no matter which specialty, can be very challenging on one’s mental and physical health. You spend so much time taking care of 82 OCTOBER 2020
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your patients that you have to remember to take care of yourself! It is very important to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Make sure to take mental health days, limit overtime and stay positive.” Jennifer Yarberry, chief nursing officer Pinnacle Pointe Hospital “Bottom line: You will make mistakes! When a mistake occurs, own it, notify all parties involved, do what you can do to rectify the situation, learn from it and forgive yourself. Remember, you are only human.” Lori Reynolds, Short Stay Outpatient Unit Conway Regional Health System “Nurses are the best at adapting and overcoming. There has been confusion, emotions, frustrations, and some tears have been shed, but we are keeping our heads up, working as a team and doing the best we can. If we can make it through a pandemic, we can make it through anything.” Carrie Knauer, Emergency Department UAMS Health “When dealing with difficult patients, stay calm and focused! Just because you think it doesn’t mean you should say it.” Rebecca Gray, APRN University of Central Arkansas “We need to support families through the process of losing a loved one, but know that it takes a personal toll on nurses as well. Be prepared to acknowledge the pain or sadness you might be feeling and do some self-care measures following a loss. Sometimes you just need a good cry or sometimes you need something more. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help; you can’t care for others if you don’t have anything left to give.” Teresa Whited, associate dean of academic programs UAMS College of Nursing “Difficulties and stress will always be present to distract nurses, but this also gives us strength and an advantage in every challenging situation. I handle stress by focusing on the reasons why I chose nursing not only as a profession, but a vocation. It always brings me back to being there for people who need someone in a time of need, when they are feeling weak. I have learned that every opportunity has a noble reason why it’s happening.” Delia Litan de los Reyes, clinical supervisor CHI St. Vincent “None of us go into nursing for the accolades. We do this because we have a heart for helping others. The public oftentimes has no idea what the role of the nurse is. This pandemic has shed some light on what our job is publicly, and Special Advertising Section
I do feel that people have become appreciative of what we do overall.” Sarah Launius, Intensive Care Unit/E4 UAMS Health “You are not only a team player within the nursing profession, but within a multidiscipline team of doctors, respiratory therapists, physical therapists, dieticians, radiologic technologists; the list goes on and on. No matter what is going on in your personal life, you must check it at the door. You are a nurse, you are there to care for sick people; they are not there to hear about you or your ‘sickness.’” Janice Ivers, dean of nursing and health sciences National Park College “You can never be too prepared. There are many aspects of care and many products that we have taken for granted. Are you consistently caring for patients in the safest manner? Are you thinking of everything? Will you always have products available, even when everyone needs greater quantities of the same supplies? Suddenly, we have had to think creatively every day.” Jeff Crowson, infection prevention specialist UAMS Health “Find a mentor! One skill I believe my mom’s generation of nurses possessed moreso than the newest generation is the ability to connect on a personal level with patients. Newer nurses are trained with incredible technological advances, but high-level listening and communication skills are not gained through texting and social media platforms. They are passed down from seasoned nurses and taught through mentoring relationships.” Ashley Davis, executive director Arkansas Center for Nursing Inc. “There is always something new to learn in this profession and you have to be open to learning new things. I love that our team is always looking for ways to improve care for our community.” Mindy Moore, Short Stay Outpatient Unit Conway Regional Health System “The nursing profession is one of the most diverse professions there is. You can find a place to grow your strengths within the profession no matter what they are. You can perform patient care, inpatient, outpatient, generalized or specialty. You can teach, you can perform research, you can enter administration or manage a clinic, hospital or private industry. There is a place here for everyone.” Dr. Laura Hays, assistant professor UAMS College of Nursing NOTE: Kate Franks, director of clinical communication for UAMS, contributed to this article.
UCA NURSING START A REWARDING CAREER The School of Nursing at the University of Central Arkansas is committed to educating undergraduate and graduate students to become leaders in delivering quality health care and advancing the profession of nursing.
DEGREE PROGRAMS Pre-licensure BSN RN to BSN*
• Flat rate tuition of $285/credit hour with no additional fees • Complete in 12 months
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Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) • BSN to DNP (Family Nurse Practitioner) • Post-master’s DNP
Our BSN to DNP (FNP) and Post-master’s DNP graduate programs have been ranked in the top 5 most affordable in the country (NPSchools.com and OnlineU). *100% online programs.
INTEGRATED HEALTH SCIENCES BUILIDING Opening fall 2021
uca.edu/nursing Speak with our nursing education counselor (501) 450-3119
Arkansas College/University
Yrs/Public Private
Calendar
Degree Offered
Length Of Program
Living Arrangements
Aid Deadline
Arkansas State University - Jonesboro • 870-9723074 (nursing) • 870-972-3024 (admissions)
4 yr public
Semester
Traditional A.A.S.N. LPN-to-AASN LPN - AASN (Online) RN-to-BSN (Online Program - must have an RN license) 2nd Degree Accelerated, B.S.N. Traditional B.S.N.
varies
on campus housing for Jonesboro; off campus for online RN-BSN
July 1st; Online students pay apply year around
Arkansas Tech University, Russellville • 479968-0383
4 yr public
Semester
BSN, LPN to BSN, RN to BSN, MSN, RN to MSN
BSN-4yrs, RN to BSN-1yr, MSN-2yrs
on campus housing
varies
Harding University, Searcy • 1-800-477-4407, 501-279-4682
4 yr private
Semester
BSN, MSN FNP, Post Graduate
BSN 4 yrs; MSN FN - 2yrs, PG - 2yrs
on campus housing
February 1st
Henderson State University, Arkadelphia • 870-230-5015
4 yr public
Semester
BSN (traditional); RN to BSN online; RN to BSN online enrollment both fall and spring; LPN to BSN on campus; MSN online,Online HSU Nursing Education Certificate
4 yrs for the Traditional BSN and LPN to BSN on Campus; RN-BSN Online in 1 year (3 semesters)Online MSN has two different tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner and Nursing Administration, both take 2 years to complete. Online HSU Nursing Education Certificate take 1 summer or 2 summer options.
on/off campus
June
Ouachita Baptist Univeristy, Arkadelphia • 870-245-5000
4 yr private, faithbased
Semester
Dual Enrolled RN to BSN Completion (Ouachita Baptist University and Baptist Health College Little Rock), RN-BSN Online
Dual Enrolled RN-BSN 4 yrs, BSN Online Full or Part-time: 9-12 months
Dual Enrolled RN to BSN: On campus housing at Ouachita first 4 semesters; commuter campus while attending BHCLR; off campus for final semester online, RN to BSN Online, off campus
Priority Dec. 1
Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia • 870-235-4040
4 yr public
Semester
BSN, Online RN-BSN Completion
4 yrs BSN, 1-4 yrs online RNBSN Completion program
on campus housing
July 1st
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville • 479-5753904
4 yr public
Semester
BSN, RN-BSN (online program), MSN (online program), DNP (online program)LPN-BSN (online program)
4 years for BSN, 3-5 semesters RN to BSN, 2 years part-time MSN, 3 years full-time / 4 years part-time post-BSN-DNP, 2 years part-time post-MSNDNP
on campus housing for BSN students
March 15th
Univeristy of Arkansas, Little Rock, Department of Nursing, Little Rock • 501-569-8081
4 yr public
Semester
AAS, BSN, RN-BSN Completion
AAS program 18 to 24 months, RN-BSN online 12 or 18 month track
on/off campus housing
April 1st
University of Central Arkansas, Conway • 501-450-3119
4 yr public
Semester
BSN, RN TO BSN, MSN (Nurse Educatior with Clinical Specialty), Post-Master’s DNP and BSN to DNP (Family Nurse Practitioner)
BSN 4 yrs, RN to BSN 12 mos 100% online, MSN 5 semesters, 100% online, PMC varies, DNP 2yrs, BSN to DNP (FNP) 4 yrs part-time
on campus housing available
July 1st
University of Arkansas - Fort Smith • 479-7887841, 1-888-512-LION
4 yr public
Semester
BSN
4 yrs for BSN/Varies for RN-BSN
on campus housing
Priority Oct. 1st
University of Arkansas at Monticello • 870460-1069
4 yr public
Semester
AASN (LPN-RN), BSN, RN-BSN, LPN-BSN
2 to 4 yrs
on campus housing
contact financial aid (870) 460-1050
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, College of Nursing, Little Rock • 501-686-5224
4 yr public
Semester
RN to BSN, BSN, MSNc (APRN and Admin), BSN to DNP (APRN), DNP (Leadership), and PhD. Post Masters options available.
BSN generic: 2 full calendar years/ RN to BSN: 1 yr full time/ MNSc, DNP & PhD: students have up to 6 yrs to complete degree requirements.
on campus housing
varies, visit nursing.uams.edu. Click on Financial Assistance under Future Students
Arkansas Northeastern College, Blytheville • 870-780-1228
2 yr public
Semester
AAS Nursing
2 year
commuter campus
Priority April 15
Arkansas State University - Jonesboro • 870-9723074 (nursing) • 870-972-3024 (admissions)
4 yr public
Semester
D.N.P., M.S.N., B.S.N., AASN (LPN to AASN and Online LPN to AASN offered at A-State Jonesboro;Traditional and LPN to AASN offered at ASU MidSouth, and ASU-Mountain Home)
varies
on campus housing for Jonesboro
July 1st
Arkansas State University - Mountain Home • 870-508-6266
2 yr public
Semester
AAS in RN- LPN/Paramedic to RN
30 hrs pre-req courses, plus 1 yr LPN/Paramedic, Plus 1 yr RN
commuter campus
Nov. 1
Arkansas Tech University - Ozark Campus, Ozark • 479-667-2117
public
Semester
AAS in Allied Health-Practical Nursing and AAS in Registered Nursing
3 semesters-PN; 2 semesters - RN
commuter campus
Priority April 15
College of the Ouachitas, Malvern • 800-3370266 ext 1200
2 yr public
Semester
Technical Certificate in Practical Nursing (PN), Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (LPN/Paramedic to RN), Certified Nursing Assistant, Medication Administration Program
12 months
commuter campus
open
East Arkansas Community College, Forrest City • 870-633-4480
2 yr public
Semester
AASN
2 yrs
commuter campus
April 15th
Mississippi County Community College, Blytheville • 870-762-1020
2 yr public
Semester
AAS in Nursing
2 yrs
commuter campus
Priority April 15 - Rolling
National Park College, Hot Springs • 501-7604290
2 yr public
Semester
Associate of Science in Nursing (RN) traditional & LPN to RN, Technical Certificate in Practical Nursing (PN)
2 yrs RN, 1 yr PN
commuter campus
open
North Arkansas College, Harrison • 870-7433000
2 yr public
Semester
AAS in Nursing-traditional. LPN, RN Bridge
RN-2 yr; RN Bridge-1yr; PN-1yr
commuter campus
Pell Grant June 30
Northwest Arkansas Community College, Bentonville • 479-636-9222, 800-995-6922
2 yr public
Semester
AAS, RN
68 credit hours
commuter campus
June 1st and November 1st
Ozarka College, Melbourne • 870-368-2024 (Admissions) 870-368-2077 (Nursing)
2 yr public
Semester
Associate of Applied Science in Registered Nursing
12 mos
commuter campus; limited housing units available on campus
none
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas, Helena-West Helena, Stuttgart • HWH 870-338-6474 x1254; Stuttgart 1-870-6734201 x1809
2 yr public
Semester
AAS
63 credit hrs, 5 semesters
commuter campus
Federal and state deadlines observed.
Southeast Arkansas College, Pine Bluff • 870543-5917
2 yr public
Semester
AAS: RN, Generic RN & LPN/Paramedic to RN. Technical Certificate: PN
PN-1 yr, Generic RN-5 Semesters
commuter campus
open
University of Arkansas, Little Rock, Department of Nursing, Little Rock • 501-569-8081
4 yr public
Semester
AAS/LPN to RN/BSN
4 semesters
on/off campus housing
April 1st
BACCALAUREATE
ASSOCIATE DEGREE
84 OCTOBER 2020
ARKANSAS TIMES
Special Advertising Section
Scholarship Deadline
Required Exams
Application Deadline
Comments/Home Page Address
February 15th
ACT, SAT, COMPASS, or ASSET; HESI A2 Nursing Admission Exam or HESI LPN to ADN Mobility Exam
varies
Nursing programs are accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. www.astate.edu
varies
BSN-ACT or COMPASS, TEAS, RN to BSNNone, MSN-GRE or MAT
BSN: Mar 1, Oct 1; RN to BSN: Mar 1, Aug 1, Oct 1; MSN: Ongoing
RN to BSN can be completed in as little as 1 year. Excellent Faculty. www.atu.edu/ nursing
Rolling
ACT or SAT
Rolling
Quality nursing education with a focus on Christian service and professionalism. www.harding.edu
varies
ACT, SAT, or COMPASS
August ( August 1) and January ( apply by January 1)
The school with a heart. Small classes. CCNE Accredited. www.hsu.edu
Priority Dec 1
ACT or TEAS (BHCLR)
Dual Enrolled RN to BSN: Priority Dec 1 (OBU); November 30 (OBU & BHCLR), RN to BSN Online, Ongoing,
Dual Enrolled RN to BSN: Earn two degress in four years in this innovative, affordable program (AAS from BHCLR, BSN from OBU).RN to BSN Online: Small classes, Can be completed in 9-12 months, Entry into program 5 times per year.
Priority March 15, Final August
ACT, TEAS at least 60%
BSN Spring: Jan. 15-Mar. 1 for Fall Admission, Sep. 10 - Oct. 31 for Spring Admission; RN-BSN Completion Program Aug. (prior to classes beginning for Fall Admission, Jan. (prior to classes beginning for Spring Admission)
www.saumag.edu/nursing
November 15th
SAT, ACT, and BSN-DNP
Varies
We offer generalist and advanced nursing degree programs to prepare nurses to meet the health needs of the public in an ever-changing health care environment. The DNP offers two options: family nurse practitioner and acute-geriatric nurse practitioner. nurs.uark.edu
February 1st
ACT/SAT for students with less than 12 credits.
AAS application Jan 5-February 28 classes start during the summer semester, RN-BSN online program rolling admissions
BSN completion for current RNs or recent graduates of an accredited nursing program. UA-Little Rock students can earn an AAS and ladder into the online BSN and graduate within 4 years. www.ualr.edu/nursing
February 15 - University Scholarships | March 9 Foundation Scholarships
No entrance exam required for nursing major.
varies by program, see website for dates
Student-centered, NCLEX-RN 1st time pass rates are consistently above state and national average. All programs are CCNE Accredited. www.uca.edu/nursing
June 1st
ACT/Accuplacer
Oct 1st for Spring/ March 1st for Fall
RN-BSN is an Online Completion Program. Http://health.uafs.edu/programs/rnto-bsn; health.uafs.edu
March 1st
Entrance
March 1st
Achieve your nursing goals with us. http://www.uamont.edu/pages/school-of-nursing/degree-programs/
varies, visit nursing.uams. edu. click on Financial Assistance under Future Students.
TOEFL for int’l students, ATI TEAS V for BSN applicants.
RN to BSN: Jan. 1, Mar. 1, Jun. 1, Sept. 1, Nov. 1/ BSN generic: Mar. 1/ MNSc: Sept. 1 & Feb. 1/BSN to DNP: Feb 1/ PhD: Mar.1, Jun. 15, Nov. 15
conadmissions@uams.edu • www.nursing.uams.edu
Priority April 15
ACT, SAT, COMPASS, or ACCUPLACER and PAX-RN
RN- March 31
ANC offers the RN, LPN, and LPN to RN programs of study. www.anc.edu
February 15th
ACT or SAT or COMPASS or ASSET; HESI A2 Nursing Admission Exam or HESI LPN to ADN Mobility Exam
varies
The mission of the School of Nursing is to educate, enhance and enrich students for evolving professoinal nursing practice. Nursing programs are accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. www.astate.edu
varies
ACT, ACCUPLACER plus HESI LPN-ADN or HESI EMS-ADN
Oct. 15, March 15 (ASUMH starts a second cohort in Summer 2020)
Application packet and program requirements online. www.asumh.edu
varies
PN: TEAS, RN: HESI
March 15th, October 1st-PN; March 15-RN
Clinical experience in hospitals of varying size, physicians’ offices and geriatric facilities. www.atu.edu/ozark
Fall-May1, Spring-Dec 1
COMPASS/ACCUPLACER for the PN Program & Kaplan for RN Program
2nd Friday in Sept. for Jan. admitance; 2nd Friday in Feb. for May admittance to RN program
www.coto.edu for additional information.
varies
ACT, ACCUPLACER / Nursing Pre-entrance exams
varies
Allied health program offering RN-Nursing degree (basic students, LPN completion). www.eacc.edu
Priority April 15
PAX-RN
March 31st
www.mccc.cc.ar.us
open
ACT, SAT or College Entry Exam & TEAS
First Monday in March
Options for LPN and new High School seniors. www.np.edu
June 15th
ACT, ACCUPLACER
varies with program
Northark’s students receive excellent healthcare education leading to rewarding careers in nursing. www.northark.edu/academics/areas-of-study/health-and-medical/index
April 1st
HESI A2
Track I: May 1st, Track II: Dec. 1st, LPN to RN: Nov. 1st
The college of the NWA community, member of Northwest Arkansas Nursing Education Consortium. www.nwacc.edu/academics/nursing. The NWACC Nursing program is ARSBN approved and ACEN accredited
April 1st
NACE test
Aug. 31/Spring entry (application window: Jan 1- Aug 31)
Providing life-changing experiences through education. www.ozarka.edu
none
Nelson Denny Reading Test 10th grade level and 55 on the ATI Critical Thinking Exam
June 1st
ACEN accredited. www.pccua.edu
none
ACT, COMPASS, PAX for PN,KAPLAN Admission Exam
Second Friday in March
Changing lives…one student at a time! www.seark.edu
February 1st
ACT/SAT/Compass for students with less than 12 credits.
Priority Application Deadline Feb 28/ Applications accepted until class full.
LPN/Paramedic to RN (1 year). Traditional AAS (2 years). Accelerated AAS (18 months). See above for BSN information. www.ualr.edu/nursing
Special Advertising Section
ARKANSASTIMES.COM
OCTOBER 2020 85
University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville • 870-612-2000, 800-508-7878
2 yr public
Semester
AAS-Generic RN, AAS-LPN-to-RN Online or Traditional, TC-Practical Nursing
AAS-Generic RN 16mos, ASS-LPN-to-RN 12 mos, TC-Practical Nursing 11mos
commuter campus
varies
University of Arkansas at Hope-Texarkana • 870-777-5722
2 yr public
Semester
Associate/RN; LPN (Hope); LPN (Texarkana)
12 months (excludes prerequisites)
commuter campus
July 15th
Baptist Health College Little Rock • 501-2026200, 800-345-3046
private, faith-based
Semester
diploma/PN, Associate of Applied Science in Nursing/RN
RN traditonal track 3 semesters + general education courses PN 1yr. RN Accelerated 1yr (LPNs or Paramedics).
commuter campus
March 1st priority
Jefferson Reg. Med. Center School of Nursing, Pine Bluff • 870-541-7858
private
Semester
Associate of Applied Science in Nursing
79 weeks
off campus only
none
Arkansas Northeastern College, Blytheville • 870-780-1228
public
Semester
Technical Certificate of Practical Nursing
13 months
commuter campus
Priority April 15th
Arkansas State University - Beebe • 501-2076255
public
Semester
Certificate LPN
11 mos
commuter campus
varies
Arkansas State University - Mountain Home • 870-508-6266
public
Semester
Technical certificate in PN
11 mos
commuter campus
varies
Arkansas State University - Newport • 870680-8710
public
Semester
Technical Certificate in Practical Nursing
11 mos
commuter campus
contact financial aid
Arkansas Tech University - Ozark Campus, Ozark • 479-667-2117
public
Semester
AAS in Allied Health-Practical Nursing
3 semesters
commuter campus
Priority April 15
ASU Technical Center, Jonesboro • 870-932-2176
public
Semester
LPN
11 mos
commuter campus
none
Baptist Health College Little Rock • 501-2026200, 800-345-3046
private
Semester
diploma/PN, Associate of Applied Science in Nursing/RN
2 semester PN
commuter campus
Priority March 1st
Black River Technical College, Pocahontas • 870248-4000 ext. 4150
2 yr public
Semester
AAS/RN, Certificate/PN, Certificate of Proficiency/Nursing Assistant
AAS/RN 3 semesters, Certificate/PN 3semesters, Certificate of Proficiency/Nursing Assistant 5 weeks.
commuter campus
contact financial aid office
College of the Ouachitas, Malvern • 800-3370266 ext 1200
2 yr public
Semester
Technical Certificate in Practical Nursing
12 months
commuter campus
Spring-November;Summer-April
University of Arkansas - Cossatot, DeQueen and Nashville • 870-584-4471, 800-844-4471
2 yr public
Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters
LPN Technical Certificate, RN Associate of Applied Science
LPN DeQueen Day Program 11 mos, LPN Nashville Evening Program 18 mos, RN (transition from LPN) Nashville Evening Program 11 mos.
commuter campus
varies
Crowley’s Ridge Technical Institute • Forrest City • 870-633-5411
public
Semester
LPN
LPN: 40 wks
commuter campus
Please call 870.633.5411 for more information
National Park College, Hot Springs • 501-7604160
Public
Semester
Certificate in Practical Nursing
11 mos FT
commuter campus
none
Northwest Technical Institute, Springdale • 479-751-8824
public
Semester
diploma/PN
3 sem. & 1 Summer session (includes Pre-Reqs)
commuter campus
July 1/Fall, December 1/Spring
Ozarka College, Melbourne • 870-368-2024 (Admissions) 870-368-2077 (Nursing)
2 yr public
Semester
Technical Certificate in LPN, LPN-RN track offered
11 mos. track or 18 mos. track
commuter campus with limited housing units available on campus
none
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas, Helena-West Helena, DeWitt • HWH 870-338-6474 x1254; DeWitt 1-870-946-3506 x 1511
2 yr public
Semester
Technical Certificate
42 credit hrs; 3 semesters
commuter campus
Federal and state deadlines observed.
University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College, North Little Rock • 501-812-2200
2 yr public
Begins in early August and ends in mid-June of each school year
Technical Certificate in Practical Nursing/PN
11-month traditional track/22month non-traditional track
commuter campus
April 15 for upcoming fall semester
University of Arkansas Rich Mountain, Mena • 479-394-7622
2 yr public
Semester
Associate of Applied Science in Registered Nursing, Technical Certificate in Practical Nursing, CP in Nursing Assistant
11-12 mos
commuter or on-campus housing available in 2020
varies, contact financial aid office
SAU Tech, Camden • 870-574-4500
2 yr public
Semester
Technical Certificate
11 mos
commuter campus and on-campus
N/A
South Arkansas Community College, El Dorado • 870-864-7142, 870-864-7137
2 yr public
Semester
ADN,LPN
11 mos
commuter campus
June 1, November 1, April 1
University of Arkansas at Monticello College of Technology, McGeHee • 870-222-5360
2 yr public
Semester
Technical Certificate in Practical Nursing
January to December
commuter campus
varies
University of Arkansas Comm. College at Morrilton • 501-977-2000
2 yr public
Semester
Practical Nursing (PN) Technical Certificate; Registered Nursing (RN) Associate of Applied Science degree
PN is 12 months; RN is 12 months after prerequisites are met
commuter campus
prior to semester
University of Arkansas at Hope-Texarkana • 870-777-5722
2 yr public
Semester
certificate/PN
10.5 or 12 months (excludes prerequisites)
commuter campus
July 15th
PRACTICAL NURSING
*** for Basic nursing education; Varies with previous coursework or nursing license; MSN program = 2 yrs
86 OCTOBER 2020
ARKANSAS TIMES
Special Advertising Section
March 1- High school Academic; July 15- Others; Nursing Scholarship- Dec. 1
ASSET, ACT, SAT or ACCUPLACER, and KAPLAN Nurse Entrance Test
TC-PN and AAS-Generic RN May 1; AAS-LPN-to-RN July 15
Prerequisite courses and KAPLAN entrance testing must be completed prior to entry into a nursing program. www.uaccb.edu
April 15 and November 15
ACT or ACCUPLACER or LPN license
August 31st
www.arnec.org, www.uacch.edu
varies
ACT or SAT; TEAS
RN traditional track/PN program: July 1st & December 1st , RN Accelerated: December 1st
www.bhclr.edu
none
ACT
Oct. 15 for Jan. class; Apr. 15 for June class. $35 application fee.
www.jrmc.org/schoolofnursing
Priority April 15th
ACT, SAT, COMPASS, or ACCUPLACER and PAX-PN
PN-March 31st
Variety of clinical experiences. www.anc.edu
June 15th
ACCUPLACER and WONDERLIC
April 15 and November 15
Application packet and program requirements are online. www.asub.edu
varies
ACT, ACCUPLACER plus HESI A2
Oct. 15, March 15
Application packet and program requirements online. www.asumh.edu
varies
Accuplacer, ATI TEAS
August class (Newport/Jonesboro)-June 1, January class (Marked Tree)- Oct 15
Application packet and program requirements online. www.asun.edu
varies
TEAS
March 15th, October 1st
Clinical experience in hospitals of varying size, physicians’ offices and geriatric facilities. www.atu.edu/ozark
none
ASSET, NET
June 1 & November 1
Combines classroom instruction with clinical experience. Graduates eligible to take NCLEX.
varies
ACT or SAT; TEAS
Dec 1st & June 1st
www.bhclr.edu
April 15th
ACT or Accuplacer for BRTC Admission and NA Applicants; TEAS for PN Applicants, NACE for RN Applicants.
NA - Contact Nursing department, PN April 1 for following fall acceptance and October 31 for following spring acceptance, August 31 annually for following Spring RN acceptance.
BRTC: A college of vision. BRTC has a 95% plus boards pass rate. www.blackrivertech.org
Spring-November;Summer-May
HESI Entrance Exam
2nd Friday in Oct. for Jan. admittance; 2nd Friday in March for May admittance to PN program
www.coto.edu
April 1st
ACCUPLACER or ACT; TEAS for LPN; NACE for RN
LPN Day Program-De Queen: March 1st, LPN and RN Evening Program-Nashville: August 31st
Prerequisites required prior to admission. www.cccua.edu/MedEd
varies
ACCUPLACER
CRTI is currently in the process of merging with East Arkansas Community College. Call for more information.
www.crti.ar.tec.us
none
College Entry Exam, TEAS
First Monday in March
Do you want to make a difference? Then nursing is for you! www.np.edu
June 1/Fall, December 1/ Spring
NET, COMPASS
November 1st
Bilingual scholarships available- www.nwansged.org
April 1st
PAX Test
April 1/Fall entry, November 1/Spring entry
Providing life-changing experiences through education. www.ozarka.edu
none
Nelson-Denny Reading Test 9th grade level and 47 on ATI Critical Thinking Exam
June 1st for fall admission and Oct. 1st for spring admission
www.pccua.edu
varies
ACT or ACCUPLACER and Kaplan Admission Test
April 15th
Call the Allied Health Advisor to discuss eligibility requirements. www.uaptc. edu/programs_of_study/nursing/practical_nursing.asp. Allied Health Advisor: 501-812-2745. Allied Health Administrative Specialist: 501-812-2834. INTERNET HOME PAGE ADDRESS - www.uaptc.edu
Nov. 15 - Priority; Apr. 1 - Pending funds available; Foundation Scholarship Deadlines: Fall - Apr. 1 & Jul. 30; Spring - Dec. 1
RN: NACE; LPN: PSB and ACT or Accuplacer
LPN-March, RN-August
www.uarichmountain.edu
March 1st
ASSET. TEAS. Practical Nursing
March 31st
Two Applications required: admissions and nursing. www.sautech.edu
Priority April 1st
ACT, ASSET, or COMPASS
open
SouthArk: Where students come first. www.southark.edu
March 1st
ACT, Accuplacer, ASSET, COMPASS, or SAT - TABE and TEAS
Early October
Approved by Arkansas State Board of Nursing, Accredited by the Higher Learning commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
April 1st
TEAS, NACE
PN deadlines are Oct. 1 & Mar. 1; RN dealine is Aug. 31
Enrollment in PN program on Morrilton campus limited to 24 in spring semester and summer. Enrollment in RN program limited to 48 for classes beginning each January. www.uaccm.edu
April 15 and November 15
ACT or ACCUPLACER
May 1st and November 1st
www.uacch.edu
Special Advertising Section
ARKANSASTIMES.COM
OCTOBER 2020 87
A Growing Health System for a Growing Community
Discover Why We Are a “Best Place to Work” At Conway Regional, we're more than coworkers, we're family. We invite you to join our growing team and see first-hand why we have been named a “Best Place to Work” by Modern Healthcare (2018-2020) and Arkansas Business (2017-2020).
Text "OneTeam" to 97211 for more information about our current job openings or visit ConwayRegional.org/Jobs to chat with a recruiter. We’re not just growing—we’re growing together.
MARKETPLACE UAMS
Healthcare Informatics Analyst – Senior: Little Rock, AR: Analyze/
EAT, DRINK & BE LITERARY
PUB-or-PERISH
It’s time for
Presented annually by Arkansas Times in conjunction with the CALS Six Bridges Book Festival
WITH:
Tasha Moore, Ron Mc, Kara Bibb, Zachwary Crow, Tru Poet, EJ SPEAKS, Emily Roberson, Kat Robinson and more to be announced. Come and enjoy the company of others who value writing and expression.
Saturday, Oct. 10
Stickyz Rock-n-Roll Chicken Shack 107 River Market Avenue Doors open at 6, performance 7-9
HOSTED BY
CHRIS JAMES
Poet and writer extraordinaire, rapper and entertainer.
STICKYZ HAS A GREAT FOOD AND DRINK MENU TO ENJOY DURING THE PERFORMANCE. Casual, fun, entertaining and you can finally get outta the house. All social distancing rules apply including wearing a mask. Stickyz dining room is abiding by all social distancing rules
CHECK WWW.ARKTIMES.COM FOR EVENT UPDATES!
arktimes.com
Apply online at https://jobs.uams.edu Requisition ID: 2020-68926. .
TICKETS ARE FREE - BUT MUST BE RESERVED ON THE TICKET SITE: CentralArkansasTickets.com - this is just a step to measure safety guidelines. Arkansas Times Pub or Perish is a related free event of the Six Bridges Book Festival, hosted by Central Arkansas Library System and presented October 8-18, author panels and special events: wsixbridgesbookfestival.org
TO ADVERTISE IN THIS SECTION, CALL LUIS at 501.492.3974 OR EMAIL LUIS@ARKTIMES.COM
arktimes.com
design/develop/test/implement custom data software applications to solve complex healthcare business, patient care, healthcare regulatory, quality and medical research problems using state of the art software development tools and methods; Lead project tasks such as software development/implementation/upgrades/testing/application maintenance/ troubleshooting/custom report writing in individual and team member roles; Define user requirements with process-mapping methodology and design/implement/enhance clinical research data application systems utilizing database programming and big data software development technologies (e.g. SQL, Python, NoSQL and R) on various application servers (e.g. Tomcat, JBoss and Clarity); Conduct data analysis/integration/extraction/component/reporting modules using data analytics and visualization tools; Build friendly user interface using front-end development technologies (e.g. Power BI, Business Objects, Crystal and SAP); Maintain the application security; Manage multiple projects and work closely and effectively with technical team and end-users. Req.: Master of Science in Computer Science, Information/Data Quality or a related field; Sound knowledge of Business Intelligence, ETL, data quality, information quality, data mining & integration process, rational databases and software development lifecycle, web development technologies (e.g. JavaScript, HTML, CSS, XML); Strong skills in data analytics/ visualization, Power BI, SSRS, Crystal and Business Objects creating dashboards and reports; Proficient in programming languages SQL, ETL, Python, NoSQL, R, C++, Oracle and Sybase.
CHI ST. VINCENT IN SHERWOOD, AR SEEKS TWO MEDICAL TECHNOLOGISTS. Requires BS in Medical Technology or equivalent and current certification by ASCP or equivalent. Apply to meforeman@ stvincenthealth.com
UAMS is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer of individuals with disabilities and protected veterans and is committed to excellence.
RESEARCH TECHNOLOGIST
sought by University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, AR. Bachelor’s or equivalent in Biology, Chemistry or related field plus 1 year exp. Review complete job description and apply online at
https://jobs.uams.edu
ARKANSASTIMES.COM
OCTOBER 2020 89
THE OBSERVER
BOO
H
ere we find ourselves in October again, dear reader, The Observer still hanging in there and you still hanging in there the best we all can. October is The Observer’s favorite month and has been for as long as we can remember. Not just for the costumes and free candy from any stranger well-off enough to leave a porch light burning on Halloween, either. We also love October for the sort of cultural permission slip America gives itself one month out of the year to consider darkness and dark things, witches and spooks, moonlit gardens where every leaf is spotted with blood and a werewolf prowls. Other than in October, we find that most people don’t like being reminded of their own mortality. Most don’t like to dwell on those sorts of things. The Observer, however, is different from most. Your correspondent is a moody old fart and was one waaaay before we got our official Old Fart Card. Given that, we are prone to loving spooky things, shadowy corners, horror films and the like, not just in October but year-round. Our clothing options range from black to slate, and, like Stevie Nicks, we wear our boots all summer long. All our favorite writers growing up were horror novelists and they clearly warped The Observer good: Stephen King and Graham Masterton, Ira Levin and Robert Bloch, Dean Koontz and Anne Rice, all of them weaving their black baskets full of snakes. We simply had no time for fantasy’s sword and sorcery nonsense or sci-fi’s spaceships and crystal-domed moon bases. Not when Mr. Dark’s evil carousel was already beginning to turn in Ray Bradbury’s “Something Wicked This Way Comes.” Not when Manly Wade Wellman’s Silver John was out there, stalking the hills with his silverstrung guitar, a young Johnny Cash doing battle with all manner of Lovecraftian horror set loose by human folly from the innards of the earth. 90 OCTOBER 2020
ARKANSAS TIMES
Not when Rod Serling told us we could have the keys to a fifth dimension, beyond that which is known to man, the middle ground between light and shadow. In time, we came to know the sometimes wonky guts of the dark rides our literary horror heroes built, the often-clumsy tricks and gags that a writer plays on you to push those crude buttons marked “fear” and “apprehension.” We eventually turned to other writers — Will Shakespeare, Cormac McCarthy, Toni Morrison, Emily Dickinson, Mary Gaitskill, Tobias Wolff, George Saunders, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and many more — who showed us that what can lurk in a human heart can be so much more terrifying than any vampire or ghost. But even so, we find that in this distant and uncertain future, we have come back around to some of the old horror novels and films we loved as a kid. They still hold their charms for us, all these years later. Stephen King, for one, is a better writer than we gave him credit for in the depths
of our 20-something book snobbery. The difference now, of course is that we are reading and watching all these films and books having grown to an adult mind. Now, we know there is no leathery horror lurking in the shadow-strewn attic of The Observatory, among the boxes of old dishes, winter sweaters and Christmas tree ornaments. We know there is no black-eyed thing just inside our bedroom closet at 1 a.m., the door standing three inches ajar and that void as dark as a closed casket. We know that no matter how much you might imagine it, if your hand dangles off the edge of the bed in your sleep tonight, no icy claw, corpse-white, yellow nails soft as rind, will emerge, slowly, to clamp your sleeping wrist and pull you screaming into a murderous netherworld. Right? See what we mean about tricks and gags writers play? Maybe The Observer just played one on you. Whatever the case, we bet you won’t be letting your hand dangle over the edge of the bed tonight. What is it about some of us that wants to be scared? What part of us wishes to experience seeing the eyes of a leopard in the tall grass, or the dark torpedo of a crocodile cutting through the murk an instant before the strike? Something primeval, no doubt. Primordial. The same thing that makes you glance behind you at night as your key goes into the lock of your dark abode. The same thing that makes us ready to believe everything from hook-handed maniacs on lover’s lanes to Satan making deals for souls to dead prom queens flagging rides down on Woodson Lateral Road south of Little Rock. Which is to say: something mysterious, that maybe we are not meant to understand, lest it prove too appealing to resist. A fine October to you, dear Reader. Don’t eat too much candy. And be sure to tuck that hand under the covers tonight, lest you meet the downstairs neighbors. They’re friendly, but always so hungry. Happy Halloween!
ELECTION 2020
Before casting your ballot this fall, get to know the
Monday, Oct. 12
Candidates in four races have agreed to participate in
2nd District Debate Streams at 2 p.m., airs at 7 p.m. Joyce Elliott (D) *French Hill (R)
“Election 2020: Arkansas PBS Debates,” which will tape and
Tuesday, Oct. 13
candidates and their stances on important issues.
air on Arkansas PBS Oct. 12-14. All debates will be held at the Arkansas PBS studios on the University of Central Arkansas campus in Conway. Debates will also stream live on myarkansaspbs.org. In addition to keeping viewers informed about the candidates, Arkansas PBS will also produce “Election 2020: Ballot Initiatives.” The proposed initiatives that have reached the ballot will be discussed in this 30-minute program produced in conjunction with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service.
4th District Debate Streams at 10 a.m., airs at 7 p.m. Frank Gilbert (L) William Hanson (D) *Bruce Westerman (R) 3rd District Debate Streams at 3:30 p.m., airs at 8 p.m. Michael Kalagias (L) Celeste Williams (D) *Steve Womack (R)
Wednesday, Oct. 14
U.S. Senate Streams at 3 p.m., airs at 7 p.m. *Tom Cotton (R) (Not scheduled to appear) Ricky Dale Harrington Jr. (L) *Incumbent
myarkansaspbs.org/elections Major funding for “Election 2020: Arkansas PBS Debates” is provided by AARP Arkansas.
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