WHY YOU SHOULD BECOME A
2010
NURSE
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Eva, age 9 Springdale, AR
EVA’S DREAM IS TO WORK AS AN ARTIST SOME DAY. Y O U R S I S T O W O R K F O R K I D S L I K E E V A , E V E R Y D A Y.
DREAM JOBS. Now hiring nurses at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Apply online at archildrens.org/dreamjobs today. ._XN[`N`¹ \[Yf ]RQVNa_VP URNYaU PN_R PR[aR_ A\] YN_TR`a PUVYQ_R[¹` U\`]VaNY V[ B@ 3\_ab[R /R`a 0\Z]N[VR` a\ D\_X 3\_ fRN_` V[ N _\d 5VTU aRPU R[cV_\[ZR[a OYR[QRQ dVaU P\Z]N``V\[ N[Q SNZVYf PR[aR_RQ PN_R =_\SR``V\[NY T_\daU N[Q QRcRY\]ZR[a \]]\_ab[VaVR` 0\Z]RaVaVcR `NYN_f N[Q OR[RÀa` ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO ARKANSAS TIMES
At St. Vincent nurses have been caring for Arkansans since 1888. Today, opportunities abound for nurses to carry on this sacred trust. We offer a professional, friendly and technologically advanced work environment. Our nurses embody the finest traditions of reverence, integrity, compassion and excellence - and receive competitive compensation and outstanding benefits in return. Find out more by calling 501-552-3738 today. StVincentHealth.com/Nurses
SOME CONSIDER NURSING A CAREER. WE BELIEVE IT’S MORE OF A CALLING.
St. Vincent - where shared governance gives every RN a voice.
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WHY YOU SHOULD BECOME A NURSE
JENAFER WRAY Recruiter/Pre-nursing Advisor Arkansas State University, Jonesboro Our student friendly environment offers multiple routes to become an RN. The AASN program is available on the Jonesboro campus and the distant site campuses of ASU Beebe, ASU Mountain Home and MidSouth Community College. BSN programs at Jonesboro include traditional, LPN to BSN, accelerated Second Degree and an online RN to BSN. Graduate courses are offered in traditional classroom, web assisted or online and options include Family Nurse Practitioner, CRNA, Adult Health Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse Educator and Nurse Administrator. ASU School of Nursing is looking for qualified applicants that have a passion for helping others. For information see the School of Nursing website, http://www2.astate.edu/a/ conhp/nursing/index.dot
Meet the Recruiters SCHOOLS
GAIL BURTON
BARBARA LANDRUM, PhD, RN, CNE
Practical Nursing Program Director Arkansas State University, Beebe
Nursing Department Chair Henderson State University, Arkadelphia
Where are U? Where would U like to be? If you would like to be a LPN, and have job security, good pay, be in demand and be respected, we are looking for U. The ASU-Beebe Practical Nursing Program is a student centered environment with state of the art technology to assist the student in becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse. We are looking for dedicated, enthusiastic individuals who enjoy a challenge, want to learn and become caring, capable LPNs. Our dynamic interactive simulation environment allows students to experience situations of the real nursing environment in a safe, classroom/laboratory environment. Learn more about our program, by going to www.asub.edu and choose Nursing under the A to Z section or go to: http://csntweb.asub.edu/atah-div/LPN/index.html .
The professional baccalaureate nursing program at Henderson State University combines a liberal arts education with theoretical and clinical nursing education. Smaller class size allows faculty to know students. Clinical experiences occur in a variety settings and locations to enhance student learning. Students are encouraged to engage in student nurse, athletic, and university activities. Nursing graduates are novice generalist nurses who incorporate holistic concepts of humanity, environment, and health in their practice. Henderson’s Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing program provides students with the scientific, theoretical, research, and evidence-based foundation necessary for graduate studies. The RN to BSN track provides flexibility with both face-to-face and online classes.
TIFFANY TERRELL, COURTNEY MULLEN, BRANDIE GRIFFIN, CARA SLONE
DR. BERNADETTE FINCHER
Recruiters Arkansas Tech University, Russellville At Arkansas Tech, we believe nursing is a caring relationship that facilitates health and healing.
Chairperson, Department of Nursing Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia The Department of Nursing at SAU offers a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing (BSN), an Associate of Science degree in nursing (ADN), and an online completion program for registered nurses leading to a BSN. Nursing is one of the most challenging, rewarding and versatile careers available today. The faculty at SAU dedicates their time and efforts to support students in reaching their goal of becoming a registered nurse. If you have questions or would like to speak to a nursing advisor, please contact us at 870-235-4331.
JULIE WURM
BRIGET COLLINS
Enrollment Coordinator Baptist Health Schools Little Rock
Academic Counselor UALR Department of Nursing
BHSLR has nine programs of study in nursing and allied health fields. We feel like we offer something for everyone with our variety of programs ranging from one year certificates to a two year associates degree and several bachelors degrees in conjunction with our affiliates and universities and colleges. We are looking for qualified applicants who are mature, caring and want to make a difference in the lives of others. To find out more about our school please visit our website at bhslr.edu or email bhsrecruiter@baptist-health.org
The UALR Department of Nursing offers two Nationally accredited program options: AS in Nursing and an RN-BSN online completion program. Both programs will offer you a curriculum that is contemporary in focus and will give you the competencies you need for either beginning RN practice or continuing your career pathway. Our nursing programs are known nationally as models of ongoing program assessment and we are always looking at ways to improve your learning and success. For more information on the UALR ASN and BSN completion programs, please visit www.ualr.edu/nursing
Associate Professor of Nursing
KATHLEEN BARTA (left)
OSMONETTA MCRAE
ELIZABETH SULLIVAN, (right)
Education Recruiter University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Coordinator of Student Recruitment
College recruitment starts early. My mission as the recruiter is to serve as the primary point of contact and to provide educational presentations at various events around Arkansas and the surrounding areas. My purpose is to assist prospective students with the admissions process and make them better prepared and more competitive when it is time to apply to UAMS CON. Anyone interested in a career in nursing is encouraged to contact me at 501.296.1040 or by email at omcrae@uams.edu.
Eleanor Mann School of Nursing, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville At the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing at the University of Arkansas, we will teach you what you need for a rewarding career caring for others. To learn more about the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, contact Elizabeth Sullivan at 479-575-6655 or esulli@uark.edu. For practicing nurses, our advanced degree will take you to new heights. To learn more about the Master of Science in Nursing, contact Kathleen Barta at kbarta@uark.edu. ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO ARKANSAS TIMES
Ever wish you could hear first-hand from the people that are recruiting you? Meet the ones who make the world of nursing go round! College and hospital nurse recruiters tell what they’re looking for in a candidate, what they offer and more.
DEBBIE ROBINSON Nurse Recruiter Jefferson Regional Medical Center, Pine Bluff None of the successes of JRMC would have been possible without a strong nursing staff, and we’re excited to see the talented people joining the field today. Nursing has changed substantially, but some things remain the same. As JRMC pediatrician Tom Ed Townsend says, “Good nurses are a gift from God.”
HOSPITALS NURSE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION TEAM Arkansas Children’s Hospital
TONYA RINEY Employment Coordinator St. Bernards Medical Center, Jonesboro
As Arkansas’s only pediatric health care center and one of the largest children’s hospitals in the country, Left to right: Yvonne Pendergraft, RN Nurse we offer a wide range of opportunities for nurses Recruiter; Michelle S. Odom, RN, MSN Director of ranging from direct patient care to staff education, Nurse Recruitment and Retention; Barbara Johns, research and evidence based practice, administration, RN Nurse Recruiter; Brenda Trice, Nurse Recruiter; and nursing informatics. When you walk through and Denise Cook, Nurse Recruiter the main entrance, you see a statement, “Fear not illness…this place of Care, Love and Hope is for you”. This statement reflects our culture and guides our practice each and every day that we enter the halls. When interviewing applicants, we look for those individuals who have a true passion for the profession of pediatric nursing.
We look for employees that live our Mission! Our Mission is “To provide Christ-like healing to the community through education, treatment, and health services.” At St. Bernards our expectations are high and our commitment to our employees runs deep. We are constantly looking for ways to improve operations, enhance employee experience, and also grow professionally. Please visit our website if you are interested in employment opportunities at St. Bernards. www.stbernards.info Thank you for choosing St. Bernards!
JAMES SCOGGINS, JD, RN (left)
REBECCA BROSIUS
BRYAN HALL RN, BSN, MS, (right)
Nurse Recruiter St. Vincent Health System
Director of Nursing
Assistant Director of Nursing Arkansas State Hospital
At the Arkansas State Hospital we are on the cutting edge of psychiatric nursing providing a trauma informed environment for patient care. We are seeking nurses with an attitude of compassion, enthusiasm and professionalism. If you’re seeking excitement and job satisfaction, then a career in psychiatric nursing may be for you. If you are looking to work in a great environment with competitive pay, benefits and a sign on bonus then we may be the place for you. To learn more about employment opportunities with the Arkansas State Hospital Nursing Department, please visit our website at arstatejobs.com or call 501-686-9400.
As the Nurse Recruiter for the premier faith based organization in Arkansas, I seek out nurses that exhibit our core values of reverence, integrity, compassion, and excellence. Whereas technical skills can be taught to an individual, it is very difficult to teach attitude. Nurses at St. Vincent Health System are at the core of the healing ministry of Jesus Christ that was started at this institution over 100 years ago. 501-552-3738, www.stvincenthealth.com
BOB STOBAUGH, RN
SUSAN ERICKSON, RN, MNSc, BC, CHCR
Nurse Recruiter Baptist Health
Nurse Recruiter University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences There is a Circle of Excellence that surrounds everyone who works at UAMS. It starts with respect and ends with excellence and it’s what we expect from those who chose a career at Arkansas’s only academic medical center. We offer unique opportunities combined with salary & benefits plus the personal satisfaction you receive working at UAMS – it’s hard to beat. That’s why more than 10,000 employees enjoy a Career for Life. To join our team, log onto: www.uams.edu/jobs.
Baptist Health realizes that we do a much better job taking care of patients if we also take care of our employees. That’s why we not only offer top quality healthcare, dental, and vision plans; we continuously offer additional benefits that reflect employee suggestions. We look for nurses who combine critical thinking with compassion, nurses who are truly extraordinary. We continually strive to maintain a friendly environment in which we care for our nurses the same way we care for our patients—with passion and concern.
MELANIE CRNIC
STEPHANIE SISK
Nurse Recruiter Conway Regional Health System
Employment Coordinator White River Health System, Batesville
We realize nursing isn’t just an occupation — it’s a calling. At the very center of patient care, our nurses seem to have superhuman strength and skills, often working behind the scenes expertly managing a number of tasks at once; discussing a patient’s plan of care with their physician, keeping accurate and detailed records, dispensing life-saving medications, recognizing critical changes in a patient’s condition. But the most important thing they do is take care of the families and loved ones of our community and make sure patients get the care they deserve. Conway Regional strives to recruit the best nurses in the area — offering benefits and wages that rival any in the Little Rock area. Check us out at www.conwayregional. org or call me at (501)513-5410 to discuss your options or arrange for a tour.
White River Health System’s mission is to promote healthier communities and provide quality, efficient healthcare in an atmosphere of compassion, respect, and dignity. We are looking for nursing professionals who want to make a difference in the lives of our patients. Successful candidates should have exceptional clinical skills and a desire to serve and impact the lives of our patients – to a make a difference. WRHS is looking for the best and brightest! ssisk@wrmc.com or 877-779-7774.
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WHY YOU SHOULD BECOME A NURSE
An Arkansas Children’s Hospital nurse plays UNO with a dialysis patient.
The economy and nursing MAKE IT WORK FOR YOU
T
oday’s economy has changed everything. Unlike a few years ago, when experts talked about critical shortages for nurses, today’s market is tight. According to the National League for Nursing, the market is flooded with experienced but unemployed nurses. As if that wasn’t bad enough, many returned from retirement while others put off their retirement plans for the foreseeable future. Making matters worse, the number of patients seeking elective medical treatment has also dropped. Ouch! Alengo Crook, an RN at St. Vincent Health System-North says she has seen slowdowns before, but instead of worrying about it, she recommends adapting to change. “Remain eager to try or learn new things,” she says. Maria Whitt, director of nursing excellence and education at St. Vincent Health System, says, “While nursing provides a wide variety of opportunities for the individual, the slow economy ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO ARKANSAS TIMES
has made it more difficult to find a job.” As a matter of fact, she’s fielding employment inquires and applications from around the country. Last month, she received calls from Florida, Texas and Louisiana. “These were [calls] from experienced nurses asking about jobs,” she says. That makes for stiffer competition in central Arkansas.
AREAS OF NEED Susan Erickson, RN, nurse recruiter at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, says for both new graduates and experienced nurses, there are pockets of need all over the country, including central Arkansas. UAMS is also receiving resumes from around the country, Erickson says, and suggests that job-hunting nurses check out listings of resources such as the Arkansas Healthcare Human Resources Association (AHHRA). It can be found at Arkansas Hospital Association’s Website at http://www.
arkhospitals.org. “It provides some great leads,” she says. For those who had their heart set on a larger hospital but aren’t finding a job, experts suggest widening your search. “My advice is to keep your options open,” Whitt says. “Don’t focus on a single area; instead keep your sights on your long-term goal.” In addition to health care facilities, there are a large number of employers looking for RNs. For instance, consider doctor’s offices, clinics, schools, large corporations or even a clinic setting like the one run by St. Vincent inside the Walmart Supercenter on Maumelle Boulevard in North Little Rock. “We continue to get calls from clinics and long-term care facilities, and while it may not be that dream job on the day shift in an intensive care unit, it will give the new graduate experience,” says Dr. Ann Schlumberger, dean of the nursing department at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
The obvious places are easy, but the down-side is that a large number of people are applying for a small pool of jobs. For instance, psych nurses continue to be in demand. “Don’t overlook jobs in places or institutions off the beaten path,” says James Scoggins, nursing director at Arkansas State Hospital. “It’s hard at times, but very rewarding.” Tammy Hawkins, director of the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House at St. Bernards Regional Medical Center, says it’s good to keep your options open. “When I went to school, I never heard of hospice care, but as the number of baby boomers who need health care increases, I see employment opportunities. More nurses will be needed in hospice and home care, and I believe this is a growing area with lots of possibilities for nurses,” Hawkins says. Whatever happens, you shouldn’t give up on your dream nursing job. Mary Daggett, assistant
A R K A N S A S S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y vice president of patient care services at Jefferson Regional Medical Center says although they have few open positions at their Pine Bluff facility, you never know when something will open up. When looking for a job, leave no stone unturned, Erickson says. Talk to your instructors. Ask them for references or to put in a good word for you with any contacts they have. Don’t be shy. Contact the nurse recruiter at any health care facility you would like to work in, and let that person know that you’re interested in working there.
FROM AROUND THE STATE “If you have to, put your future career goals on hold, but pay attention and get as much experience as you can. You never know where a job will lead you, and don’t overlook opportunities at smaller facilities,” Erickson says. Despite the economy, rural Arkansas is experiencing a real need. “Our nursing graduates are finding jobs, especially if they’re willing to broaden their search to the surrounding areas,” Schlumberger says. White River medical Center in Batesville is currently hiring and has RN positions available. In fact, there are RN positions open in almost every area of the hospital, and new graduates and experienced nurses might be able to find their dream position, says Michelle Bishop, nurse director at White River Medical Center. Dr. Sue McLarry, school of nursing chair at Arkansas State University at Jonesboro says her graduating students—most of whom remain in the area—aren’t having trouble finding jobs at nearby facilities. Dr. Rebecca Burris, head of the nursing department at Arkansas Tech University at Russellville, reports the same, as does Gail Burton, “Health care RN, the practical reform will require nu r s e p ro g ra m more nurses with director at Arkansas advanced degrees, State University at Beebe. and we’re still “Once our students graduate, they are not producing the finding jobs in Searcy, number of nurses Jacksonville, Cabot, we need to replace Conway as well as closer to home,” those who are Burton says. retiring.” Besides, there are advantages to working at a smaller hospital—you’re exposed to more units and you might find an area that suits you, Burris says. Whether they’re returning to their hometown or looking for a spot in the big city, Baptist Health Schools’ graduates are finding jobs. “Our graduates are finding jobs in almost all areas of health care,” says the school’s enrollment coordinator Julie Wurm. Despite the fragile economy, she says she hasn’t seen a flood of unemployed nurses in the market. For many, she believes this is a great time to enroll in a nursing program. Just because you’ve been out of school for a while, don’t think that the educational ship has sailed. “Our students’ average age is 28,” Wurm says. At Conway Regional Health System there was a slowdown in 2009. That is now turning around, says the hospital’s vice president and chief nursing officer Caren Lewis.
Their patient volume was down throughout the year and Lewis thinks it was related to the economy. At the same time, there was virtually no turnover. “Our people were staying put,” Lewis says, “but we’re starting to see a shift.” Not only is patient volume picking up but they’re seeing some turnover. “We feel we’re on the brink of getting back to operating normally,” she says. For new graduates in Northwest Arkansas, the job market looks good. Nan Smith-Blair, director of the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville says all of her graduating students have found jobs. “They may not get the shift or area they want, but they are finding jobs in hospitals, clinics, school systems and even health departments,” she says. About one-third of her students remain in the Fayetteville area after graduation, and many return to their homes in Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee and central Arkansas. Like many other experts in the health care field, Blair believes the future for nursing is bright. “I think we’ll see more jobs opening up. Health care reform will require more nurses with advanced degrees, and we’re still not producing the number of nurses we need to replace those who are retiring,” she says.
DON’T EXPECT THE SLOWDOWN TO LAST LONG According to Schlumberger, “Nationally the industry is asking, ‘Do we decrease the nurses coming out of school?’” She believes the answer to that question is a resounding, “No.” First, she believes the economy will stabilize and many of the nurses who put off retirement will go ahead and step down. Second, the retirement of baby boomers is likely to have a continued effect. Already the first wave of retirees is applying for Social Security, and increased retirement will create a demand for more medical care, and naturally, more nurses. Whitt says this offers the next generation a wide variety of opportunities, but only if they can meet demand for a more skilled, well-trained workforce. This might be the perfect time to return to school for additional training. For those in school, it might be wise to stay and get more education. ASU, counting on a future demand for more skilled RNs, has tailored a program for future health care needs called the Healthy Ager Project. “It will give our students an extra edge,” McLarry says. ASU students can receive training in physical therapy, social work, health education, testing and assessment and more. They’re also making it easier for people who already have a four-year nursing degree to get a second one through their Second Degree Accelerated Program. Getting a four-year nursing degree is another way to get ahead of the other applicants. “There is a growing trend toward hiring RNs with four-year degrees,” says Burris. Arkansas Tech and UALR have added online programs that allow RNs with a two-year degree to complete a four-year degree in a shorter period of time. “We will see a growing need for nurses in the future,” Schlumberger says. ■
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e are committed to represent a positive image of nursing, to educate those who desire to pursue a
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WHY YOU SHOULD BECOME A NURSE
Magnet myth-buster WHAT MAGNET STATUS REALLY MEANS FOR ARKANSAS’S NURSES
A
Magnet Recognition Program® is a big benefit to patients, but what does it mean for the nursing staff of Arkansas’s handful of hospitals striving for the coveted designation? “Unfortunately, there’s misinformation out there, and it’s too bad many nurses don’t fully understand the benefits to our profession,” says Tammy Jones, Ph.D., RN, director of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Center of Nursing Excellence. The program was developed by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to recognize health care organizations devoted to nursing excellence. There are 370 ANCC Magnet Designated Hospitals in the United States, representing 6.41 percent of all health care organizations. Arkansas is one of five states without a single Magnet health care facility. Maria Whitt, director of nursing excellence and education and coordinator of the Magnet program at St. Vincent Health System, says they started working toward Magnet status a couple of years ago. Before that, however, they were working toward developing a more professional staff. “Nursing is the foundation of our hospital, so
we had already changed our focus, empowered our nurses and built a shared governance structure, so much of the work [needed to qualify for Magnet status] was already done,” Whitt says.
MAKING THE GRADE One of the biggest misconceptions about Magnet status is that all nurses must have four-year degrees. Typically in Magnet designated hospitals, 46 percent of the RNs on staff have a four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. “We’re close to that target now,” Jones says. Currently, about 44 percent of nurses at UAMS have their BSN. Direct-care unit nurses are not required to go back to school if they work in a Magnet hospital. That’s not the case for nurses in management or administrative positions, where they’re required to obtain not only a BSN but are expected to seek advanced degrees. In order to help their nurses achieve their educational goals, whether for personal satisfaction or professional reasons, UAMS offers employees a helping hand. “We want highly educated nurses and have a nice
incentive package,” Jones says about a program that currently gives employees a tuition discount on classes taken in the U of A System. They also have a tuition forgiveness program that will repay up to $5,000 over a two-year period for a commitment to UAMS for a certain period of time. Departments work with employees when it comes to scheduling their work around their classroom obligations. St. Vincent is also offering scholarships, grants and flexible work schedules. Whitt says, “This is an opportunity for our nurses to develop professionally.”
STATUS ISN’T EVERYTHING “We look at it like a cookbook, Whitt says, “put in excellent ingredients and the outcome is even better. So it’s not so much the designation as the preparation behind it.” That means the program will ultimately benefit all involved, whether a new hire or an experienced nurse, a unit supervisor, a manager or a patient seeking treatment. In addition to the educational benefits, nurses are given a voice at UAMS.
“They are directly involved in decisions that affect their practice through a shared decisionmaking structure that starts with the nurse at the bedside and extends to the administration,” Jones says. For this program, UAMS came up with a new motto: Be informed, heard and empowered. Not all suggestions are life-changing, but sometimes a small suggestion by a nurse on the floor can make a big difference, such as a new food service that includes condiments with the sandwiches delivered to patients in the middle of the night. “It’s really nice for patients to have mustard or mayonnaise available,” Whitt says. UAMS is striving to involve nurses in organizational processes. “Nurses need to be at the table, working side-by-side with doctors, administrators and the entire health care team,” Jones says. She adds that they’re making progress through their Professional Nursing Organization (PNO), and she believes nurses who are engaged in the process tend to be happier and more satisfied with their jobs. “We want to create an environment that supports our nurses in providing excellent patient care,” Jones says. At Magnet hospitals, not only does overall patient safety and quality increase, but fewer nurses—which can make up to 70 percent of a facility’s staff—leave their jobs. And lower attrition rates make for a more experienced staff. In turn, this means better care for patients. Besides, Jones says about her belief in the program, “It’s the right thing to do.”
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EMBRACING THE PROGRAM
Arkansas Children’s Hospital is the state’s only health care facility dedicated to kids. ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO ARKANSAS TIMES
Tammy Webb, director of the Magnet program at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, says, “We really like the core components of Magnet, and whether we achieve the designation or not, we want to strive for the elements of nursing excellence that the programs stresses.” “If you want to apply for Magnet, it requires you to support your nursing staff in several ways,” Webb says. Shared leadership is just one of Magnet’s values that Webb embraces and promotes. The entire hospital staff, including administrators, physicians and bedside nurses, worked together to put together a plan that incorporates the program’s four core values, including quality and safety, recruitment and retention, professional excellence and clinical practice. “About 18 months ago, we started working toward shared leadership, deciding what it meant and how it should look,” she says.
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Changing Lives 101 01 Career Night pm October 5th at 5:30pm For additional information please call all 501-202-6200 or 1-800-345-3046, or visit bhslr.edu BAPTIST HEALTH Schools Little Rock does not discriminate on the basis of age, e, color, creed, physical challenges, gender, marital status, race, national origin, or religion. ion.
Pat Brown, a registered nurse at St. Vincent Health System, takes care of patient Walter May. Instead of a cookie-cutter program designed by someone else, Webb says they looked at other hospitals for ideas, and then put together their own program. “We had our first (ACH) council meeting in August, and I’m very proud of their work,” she says. As part of Magnet preparations, the hospital is helping its nurses with education. “We’re finding nurses are excited about learning and are forming support and study groups,” Webb says. “They’re nudging each other to do better. It’s fun.” Arkansas Children’s Hospital has about 10 nurses who came from Magnet hospitals in other areas of the country, and as part of the process, Webb talked with them about their Magnet experiences. “They said, ‘It’s a great organization, and we were surprised that you weren’t already a Magnet facility,’” she says. According to Webb, studies have shown that Magnet-certified hospitals foster better working relationships among RNs and physicians, and that doctors want to work at Magnet hospitals as well. While Magnet values are already reshaping health care, other factors are influencing medicine. For instance, the 2010 Health Care Reform Bill requires a better-educated nurse force in the future, and some states are looking at requiring students to complete a BSN before entering the profession.
THE FUTURE As more and more health care facilities move toward Magnet status, some medical professionals believe there will be a shift toward a more educated nursing workforce. While preparing the next generation of nurses, Southern Arkansas University department of nursing chair Bernadette Fincher, Ph.D., RN, says they are aware of a need for highly educated nurses. “We’re talking to students about additional education because of the push toward Magnet status,” she says. This is especially true for students who want
to work in central Arkansas because the job market might be a little tighter for nurses with two-year degrees. The nursing department also offers an online program where nurses can turn their RN education (with a two-year degree) to a BSN degree, thus helping them reach their educational goals. Michelle Bishop, nurse director and Magnet coordinator at Batesville’s White River Medical Center, whose facility started working toward Magnet status in 2007, says even though the hospital in Batesville doesn’t yet have the designation, it’s already changing the way they do business. The administration encourages their LPNs to go back to school to become RNs, and is willing to help with financial aid. Bishop says the nursing staff is encouraged to get involved in different ways. For example, last year the nursing staff successfully led the way in bringing down the patient “fall rate”—the number of patients who injure themselves from falling out of bed or from walking across a room. Bishop believes their Magnet goal will make the workplace better for nurses at White River. For her, it makes nurse recruitment easier and she expects overall patient satisfaction to improve. She also believes the program will provide their hospital with the best practices available, allowing White River Medical Center to offer an environment “that reflects patient/family centered-care.” Magnet status requires the cooperation of an entire hospital, from the top administrators to the nurses at the bedside, and this teamwork provides further benefits. “A facility offers better patient care because of the individual components of Magnet, and this intensive process results in a better hospital,” Bishop says. Ultimately, she says the journey is well worth taking, and it’s already made WRMC a better facility, she says. White River and other health care facilities don’t look at the Magnet program as a fad, but as a movement that’s reshaping the vision of professional nursing in America. ■
11900 Colonel Glenn Road, Lit tle Rock , AR 72 210-2820
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Using trauma informed care and a patient centered approach to help foster recovery.
305 S.Palm, Little Rock 501.686.9033 Job Listings www.state.ar.us/dhs/NewDHS/employment.cgi ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO ARKANSAS TIMES
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University of Arkansas at Little Rock students learn firsthand how to care for patients.
Preparing for the future S
ure the economy may have cooled temporarily, but most experts say nurses are still in demand. Even the U.S. Department of Labor agrees and predicts health industry jobs will grow, adding more jobs over the next few years than almost any other industry. Michelle S. Odom, Arkansas Children’s Hospital director of nursing resources, says this is a great time to consider nursing. As the economy begins to recover and as older baby boomers retire—all of whom will need more health care services—the growing demand for nurses will continue. But before settling on a particular career path, Odom says, “Find out about the variety of opportunities nursing offers. There are some interesting and challenging areas of nursing that most people aren’t aware of.” To find out more, she suggests talking to teachers, people who work in health care and college counselors. Also, think long-term. “Decide what your goal is going to be and build a skill set that will get you there,” Odom says. For those who are interested in pursuing a nursing career, this is an opportune time, says Keith McClanahan, Arkansas State UniversityBeebe’s director of advanced technology. “I encourage them to sign up for classes now,” he says. To help cover the cost of an education, Arkansas colleges and universities are giving residents extra incentives to pursue a degree. A larger number of institutions are now providing scholarships and grants. For example, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock offers the Walker Scholarship. This year the university received additional endowment funds, doubling the number of nursing students receiving scholarships. ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO ARKANSAS TIMES
POSITION YOURSELF FOR THE LONG-TERM
Susan Hanrahan, Arkansas State University at Jonesboro dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professionals, believes that the demand for “all health care professionals” will continue in the future. Rebecca Brosius, RN, recruitment coordinator for St. Vincent Health System, says, “A career in nursing gives you many choices, and there’s a job out there to suit almost anyone.” Nurses are needed in hospitals, clinics, adult daycare, homes, rehab centers, doctors’ offices—basically the list is nearly endless, Brosius says. Arkansas Tech University at Russellville is so firmly committed to its students that the nursing department expanded their RN-to-BSN program. Basically, it offers an on-line program to allow nurses with an Associate in Arts (AA) to turn that two-year degree into a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). “Our program is designed to make it possible for students to continue their education while they work and live in their own communities,” says Dr. Rebecca Burris, head of the department of nursing. And why are programs like this important? UALR Nursing Department chair Ann Schlumberger says that’s simple. “We would like people to consider a career in nursing so we will have a workforce that will meet the demands of health care in the future,” she says. For LPNs who are looking for a hand up the career ladder, White River Medical Center is willing to help.
“We have a partnership with the University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville, and kicked off our first LPN to RN program in August,” says Michelle Bishop, the hospital’s nurse director. They also have a partnership with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and nearby Arkansas State University at Jonesboro and Harding University offer four-year nursing degrees. “UAMS has an office in Batesville, and they help students who want to work toward their BSN,” she says. While the hospital is able to offer better care with a more educated work“Our program force, Bishop says nurses with advanced degrees is designed to make more money. make it possible “Education is an avenue to a better life and improved for students to job security,” she says. continue their For those who don’t education while have time or money to go to college or for those they work and who have family commitlive in their own ments, some employers communities.” are offering help when it comes to education. For instance, Jefferson Regional Medical Center offers a tuition reimbursement program. The program isn’t limited to the nursing department; it includes all JRMC employees. “Perhaps a patient-care tech wants to become an RN, or an RN wants to work on a master’s degree, we will help them out,” says Susan Chambliss, human resources manager at JRMC. Human resource administrative director Daryl
Scott says, “This program is a perfect fit for many of our employees, but it can be a scary process.” Instead of simply leaving employees to figure out what can be a fairly complicated process on their own, the hospital’s corporate office department is happy to guide them through the educational maze. They can give guidance about degree options, or help with financial aid, says Chambliss. The JRMC School of Nursing offers a twoyear diploma program. One year is devoted to required college courses at an accredited college and students enrolled in the nursing program may take advantage of the academic resources available at the Area Health Education Center (AHEC). Like many other institutions, JRMC “encourages its employees to continue their education,” says Chambliss. Scott encourages anyone considering a nursing or any other medical degree to find out what financial aid programs or scholarships their workplace might offer. “For those who want a career in nursing, get your education now and position yourself for a brighter future,” Odom says. In order to get a professional edge, Burris suggests students work hard while in college. She also says to ask instructors for references, and as a student, search out volunteer work in the local community. This is a good way to get extra experience and strengthen professional contacts. Whether during good times or lean years, make sure you’re prepared for the job market. “There’s definitely a need for well-trained, experienced nurses,” Odom says. ■
I
Financial Aid
t’s a great time to go to college. Arkansas’s colleges and universities are welcoming students in record numbers with a variety of degrees, such as two- and four-year, on-campus, online or a hybrid, fitted to your needs. Whether you’re a recent high school graduate or even if you’ve been out of school for a while, don’t let money woes keep you from completing a nursing degree. There’s plenty of financial help available if you just know where to look, and a little help can go a long way. Experts recommend making an appointment with your high school counselor early in your high school career so you can design an academic path to follow. Counselors can also share a wealth of financial aid information. Once you’ve selected a college or university, check with the financial aid office—a great resource for scholarships and grants. Southern Arkansas University department of nursing chair Dr. Bernadette Fincher, RN, says there are many opportunities in the world of nursing, and for those who don’t have the money, there are plenty of programs designed to help serious students. Before giving up on your dreams, she suggests talking to your campus counselor to find out about the large number of scholarships,
grants, federal loans and loan forgiveness programs that might be available to you. If you’re interested, but don’t know where to start, the following information might help.
STATE FINANCIAL AID Arkansas offers a number of financial aid programs, including the new Arkansas Challenge Scholarship (also known as the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery). It awards full-time Arkansas students with $5,000 scholarships for four-year institutions and $2,500 for two-year institutions. The scholarship isn’t based on income and students with a 2.5 GPA or an ACT score of 19 or above are eligible to apply. Program information with eligibility guidelines, deadlines and applications can be found at www.ADHE.EDU.
SCHOLARSHIP SEARCHES The Arkansas Student Loan Authority offers free
GET THE MONEY YOU NEED scholarship searches at Fund My Future (www.fundmyfuture. info). Also, www.FinAid. org, sponsored by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, offers information on scholarships, fellowships and grants.
NURSING STUDENT LOAN PROGRAM Act 85 of 2003 established the Nursing Student Loan Program to provide financial assistance to Arkansas’s full-time students enrolled in or accepted to an approved Arkansas nurse education program. The loans may be changed to scholarship grants if the student works full-time as an RN (Registered Nurse) or LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) in qualified employment in Arkansas, and up to 100 percent of the loan may be forgiven. For more information, go to http://www.adhe.edu/ divisions/financialaid/Pages/fa_nursing.aspx.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION While local banks no longer offer federally funded student loans, the DOE offers Pell and Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants, as well as Perkins Loans, PLUS Loans, Stafford Loans and Direct Loans. For more information, go to the DOE’s Direct Loan Program website at http://www2.ed.gov.
ARKANSAS HEALTH EDUCATION GRANT This grant provides assistance to Arkansas residents attending out-of-state accredited health institutions that offer graduate or professional programs unavailable in the state. Information and applications are available at http://www. adhe.edu.
ARMY NATIONAL GUARD For Army National Guard members, there are four programs to help pay the bills, including the Montgomery GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill Kicker, the Army National Guard Federal Tuition Assistance Program and Student Loan Repayment Program. For more information, go to www.1800-Go-Guard.com. ■
ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO ARKANSAS TIMES
WHY YOU SHOULD BECOME A NURSE
Arkansas College/University
Years/Public Private
Calendar
Degree Offered
Arkansas State University - Jonesboro • 870-972-3074 (nursing) • 870-972-3024 (admissions)
4 yr public
Semester
AASN, BSN, MSN
Arkansas Tech University, Russellville • 479-968-0383
4 yr public
Semester
BSN, LPN to BSN, RN to BSN, MSN, RN to MSN
Harding University, Searcy • 1-800-477-4407, 501-279-4682
4 yr private
Semester
BSN, RN-BSN, LPN-BSN
Henderson State University, Arkadelphia • 870-230-5015
4 yr public
Semester
BSN
University of Arkanasas, Fayetteville • 479-575-3904
4 yr public
Semester
BSN, RN-BSN, LPN-BSN, MSN
UALR, Department of Nursing, Little Rock • 501-569-8081
4 yr public
Semester
ASN, RN-BSN
University of Central Arkansas, Conway • 501-450-3119
4 yr public
Semester
BSN, MSN***
University of Arkansas - Fort Smith • 479-788-7861, 1-888-512-LION
4 yr public
Semester
BSN
University of Arkansas at Monticello • 870-460-1069
4 yr public
Semester
AASN (LPN-RN), BSN, RN-BSN
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Nursing, Little Rock • 501-686-5374
4 yr public
Semester
BSN, MNSc, Ph.D, Post Masters options available
Arkansas Northeastern College, Blytheville • 870-762-1020
2 yr public
Semester
AAS, Certificate of Practical Nursing
Arkansas State University - Jonesboro • 870-972-3074 (nursing) • 870-972-3024 (admissions)
4 yr public
Semester
Traditional LPN-AASN (Traditional AASN offered at ASU Mountain Home, ASU Beebe, West Memphis)
East Arkansas Community College, Forrest City • 870-633-4480
2 yr public
Semester
AASN
National Park Community College, Hot Springs • 501-760-4290
2 yr public
Semester
AS in Nursing
Mississippi County Community College, Blytheville • 870-762-1020
2 yr public
Semester
AAS in Nursing
North Arkansas College, Harrison • 870-743-3000
2 yr public
Semester
AAS in nursing-traditional. LPN, LPN-RN
Northwest Arkansas Community College, Bentonville • 479-636-9222, 800-995-6922
2 yr public
Semester
AAS, RN
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas, Helena, Dewitt, Stuttgart • 870338-6474 x1254 or 1-870-946-3506 x 1611
2 yr public
Semester
AAS, technical certificate/PN
Southeast Arkansas College, Pine Bluff • 870-543-5917
2 yr public
Semester
AAS: RN, Generic RN & LPN/Paramedic to RN. Technical Certificate: PN
Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia • 870-235-4040
4 yr public
Semester
ADN, Online RN-BSN Completion
University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville • 870-612-2000, 800-508-7878
2 yr public
Semester
AAS-LPN to RN-traditonal and online tracks PN Program (Technical Certificate) Generic RN Program
UALR, Department of Nursing, Little Rock • 501-569-8081
4 yr public
Semester
AS in Nursing and BSN in Nursing
University of Arkansas - Fort Smith • 479-788-7861 • 1-888-512-LION
4 yr public
Semester
AAS
Baptist Health Schools Little Rock • 501-202-6200, 800-345-3046
private
Semester
diploma/LPN, diploma/RN
Jefferson Reg. Med. Center School of Nursing, Pine Bluff • 870-541-7850
private
24 months
diploma/RN
Arkansas Tech University - Ozark Campus, Ozark • 479-667-2117
public
Semester
Certificate
Baptist Health Schools Little Rock • 501-202-6200, 800-345-3046
private
Semester
diploma/LPN, diploma/RN
Black River Technical College, Pocahontas • 870-248-4000
2 yr public
Semester
certificate/PN
Cossatot Community College of the UA, De Queen, Nashville • 870-584-4471, 800-8444471
2 yr public
Semester
LPN
Arkansas Northeastern College, Burdette • 870-763-1486 • Paragould • 870-239-3200
public
Semester
Certificate of Practical Nursing & AAS-Registered Nurse
ASU Technical Center, Jonesboro • 870-932-2176
public
Semester
LPN
Arkansas State University - Beebe • ASU Searcy Campus 501-207-6214
public
Semester
Certificate LPN
Northwest Technical Institute, Springdale • 479-751-8824
public
Semester
diploma/PN
Ouachita Technical College, Malvern • 800-337-0266 ext 1200
2 yr public
Semester
Technical Certificate in Practical Nursing, Associate of Applied Science in Nursing, Certified Nursing Assistant, Medication Administration Program
Ozarka College, Melbourne • 870-368-7371
2 yr public
Semester
LPN, LPN-RN
University of Arkansas Comm. College at Morrilton • 501-354-2465
2 public
Semester
LPN-certificates AAS-LPN, RN
Pulaski Technical College, North Little Rock • 501-812-2200
2 yr public
Semester
technical certificate in Practical Nursing/PN
National Park Community College, Hot Springs • 501-760-4269
public
Semester
certificates in Practical Nursing
Rich Mountain Community College, Mena • 479-394-7622
2 yr public
Semester
certificate/PN, LPN, CAN, RN
SAU Tech, Camden • 870-574-4500
2 yr public
Semester
Certificate of Proficiency, Technical Certificate, Associate
South Arkansas Community College, El Dorado • 870-864-7142, 870-864-7137
2 yr public
Semester
ADN,LPN
University of Arkansas Community College at Hope • 870-777-5722
2 yr public
Semester
certificate/PN
University of Arkansas - Fort Smith • 479-788-7861, 1-888-512-LION
4 yr public
Semester
Technical Certificate
University of Arkansas at Monticello College of Technology, Crossett • 870-364-6414
2 yr public
Semester
Technical Certificate in Practical Nursing
Eastern College of Health Vocations, Little Rock • 501-568-0211
private
monthly
diploma/medical assistant
Education America Southeast College of Technology, Little Rock • 501-312-0007
private
monthly
diploma/medical assistant
BACCALAUREATE
Degrees of nursing PLAN AHEAD If you’re planning on a nursing career, here are some valuable steps to consider: • Contact the school of your choice for help in planning a course of study to better prepare you for nursing, and for specific entrance requirements such as tuition, housing, financial aid and other information. • Take the required entrance exam as early as possible. You’re required by law to have a high school diploma or GED prior to admission to nursing school. • If you’re an RN, transfer or post baccalaureate student, arrange to have your transcripts sent to the school of your choice for evaluation.
ASSOCIATE DEGREE (TWO-YEAR DEGREE) Associate degree programs, offered by two and four-year colleges and universities, are accredited by a regional accreditation association and approved by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing. At the completion of a program, the student is awarded an Associate in Science (AS) or Associate in Science in Nursing (ASN) diploma. Only then is the graduate eligible to take the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensure Examination (NCLEX). Upon successful completion, the graduate will become a Registered Nurse (RN).
BACCALAUREATE DEGREE (FOUR-YEAR DEGREE) Baccalaureate programs must be approved by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing and are usually offered by four-year colleges or universities. At the completion of a program, the student is awarded the Bachelor of Science (BS) or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree and given a diploma. After graduation, the individual is eligible to take the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensure Examination (NCLEX). Upon successful completion, the graduate will become a Registered Nurse (RN).
PRACTICAL NURSING Both private and public two and four-year colleges and universities offer practical nurse programs, which generally take 12 months to complete. The Arkansas State Board of Nursing approves the practical nurse (PN) programs and upon completion of the program, the student receives a certificate. After completion, the individual is eligible to take the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensure Examination (NCLEX) and upon successful completion the graduate will become an LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse).
REGISTERED NURSING Both private and public two and four-year colleges and universities offer degreed Registered Nurse programs that are divided into two categories: a two-year associate degree and a four-year baccalaureate degree. Before going to work, the graduate is required to pass the NCLEX examination. In addition to the traditional route, there are two-year diploma certificate programs.
CONTINUING EDUCATION After completing the basic nursing programs, you might want to consider an advanced degree such as an RNP (Registered Nurse Practitioner), APN (Advanced Practice Nurse) or LPTN (Licensed Psychiatric Technician Nurse). These advanced programs require additional education and passage of specific licensure examinations. ■ ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO ARKANSAS TIMES
ASSOCIATE DEGREE
DIPLOMA
PRACTICAL NURSING
MEDICAL ASSISTING
INFORMATION CURRENT AS OF SEPT. 2010. 2009 INFORMATION WAS REPEATED IF 2010 INFORMATION WAS NOT PROVIDED BY PRESS TIME. *** FOR BASIC NURSING EDUCATION; VARIES WITH PREVIOUS COURSEWORK OR NURSING LICENSE; MSN PROGRAM = 2 YRS
ntain Home, ASU
tificate: PN
hnical Certificate)
cience in Nursing, m
Length Of Program
Living Arrangements
Aid Deadline
Scholarship Deadline
Required Exams
Application Deadline
Comments/Home Page Address
varies
on campus housing
July 1st
February 15th
ACT or SAT or COMPASS or ASSET
varies
Nursing programs are accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission. www.astate.edu
BSN-4yrs, RN to BSN-1yr, MSN2yrs
on campus housing
varies
varies
BSN-ACT or COMPASS, RN to BSNNone, MSN-GRE
March 1st and October 1st, other programs vary
RN to BSN can be completed in as little as 1 year. Excellent Faculty. www.atu.edu/nursing
BSN 4 yrs
on campus housing
Rolling
Rolling
ACT or SAT
Rolling/$40
Quality nursing education with a focus on Christian service and professionalism. www.harding.edu
4 yrs
on campus housing
June
varies
ACT, SAT, COMPASS
Februrary 15th
The school with a heart. Small classes. CCNE Accredited. www.hsu.edu/nursing
4 yrs***
on campus housing
March 15th
November 15th
SAT, ACT
Dec 1st, for Fall admission; June 1st, for Spring
Nursing is a dynamic career, meeting the health care needs of society. http://nurs.uark.edu/
4 semesters/ASN, 3 semesters/BSN
on/off campus housing
March 1st
February 1st
ASN: Evolve A2; none for BSN
ASN: Feb. 28/applications accepted until class full. BSN: Oct 1 for spring entry, June 1for Fall Entry.
BSN coursework can be completed in 3 semesters or up to five years. www.ualr.edu/nursing
4 yrs/BSN, MSN varies, PMC varies
on campus housing
July 1st
January 8th
SAT or ACT
none
www.uca.edu
4 yrs for BSN/Varies for RN-BSN
on campus housing
Priority March 15th
February 1st
ACT/COMPASS
Oct. 1st for Spring/ April 15th for Fall
RN-BSN is an Online Completion Program. www.uafortsmith.edu/Nursing/BachelorOfScienceInNursing & www. uafortsmith.edu/Nursing/RNToBSNOnlineCompletionProgram
1 to 4 yrs
on campus housing
contact financial aid (870) 460-1050
March 1st
none
March 1st
Excellent NCLEX-RN pass rates! Achieve your nursing goals with us. www.uamont.edu/Nursing/academicprograms.htm
BSN generic: 2 yrs+1 summer/ RN to BSN:1 yr full time/ MNSC& Ph.D:students have up to 6 yrs to complete degree requirements
on campus housing
varies, visit nursing. uams.edu. Click on scholarships
varies, visit nursing.uams.edu click on scholarships
TOEFL for int’l students, MNSc-MAT or GRE, PhD-GRE, TEAS V for BSN generic applicants.
BSN generic: February 1st/ RN to BSN: March 1st & Sept. 1st/ MNSC: Sept. 1st & April 1st/ PhD: Jan 2; $50.00 application fee
www.nursing.uams.edu
RN-2 yrs, LPN-1 yr
commuter campus
Priority April 15
Priority March 15
ASSET, COMPASS, or ACT, PAXRN, PAXPN
RN- March 31, PN- March 31, LPN- October 30th
ANC offers both the RN and LPN programs www.anc.edu
varies
on campus housing Jonesboro
July 1st
February 15th
ACT, SAT, COMPASS, or ASSET
varies
The mission of the School of Nursing is to educate and enrich students for evolving professoinal nursing practice. www.astate.edu
2 yrs
commuter campus
April 15th
varies
ACT, ASSET / Nursing Pre-entrance exams
varies
Allied health program offering RN-Nursing degree (basic students, LPN completion). www.eacc.edu
2 yrs
commuter campus
open
open
ACT, SAT or COMPASS
March 1st
Options for LPN and new High School graduates. FT evening/weekend option available www.npcc.edu
2 yrs
commuter campus
Priority April 15 Rolling
Priority April 15
PAX-RN
March 31st
www.mccc.cc.ar.us
RN-1yr; LPN-RN-1yr; PN-1yr
commuter campus
Pell Grant June 30, 2010
June 15th
ACT, ASSET, COMPASS
varies with program
Northark’s students receive excellent healthcare education leading to rewarding careers in nursing.www.northark. edu/academics/nursing
4 semesters
commuter campus
May 1st
April 1st
ACT or COMPASS
March 1st
The college of the NWA community, member of Northwest Arkansas Nursing Education Consortium nwacc.edu/ academics/nursing
AAS 72 credit hrs, PN 54 credit hrs
commuter campus
none
none
none for admission
RN June 1st, PN June 1st or Oct 1st
RN Program, NLNAC accredited. www.pccua.edu
PN-1 yr, Generic RN-29 mos
commuter campus
open
none
ACT, COMPASS, PAX for PN, ATI Fundementals of Nursing for RN
Second Friday in March
Changing lives…one student at a time! www.seark.edu
2yrs/ADN, 2-4 yrs online RN-BSN Completion program
on campus housing
July 1st
Priority March 15, Final August
ACT, ADN HESI Admission
September 30 or February 28 for nursing application
SAUM has an LPN to RN track for current LPNs or Vocational Nurses. www.saumag.edu/nursing
11 mos, Generic program is 2 years
commuter campus
varies
March1-HighschoolAcademic : July 15-Others
ASSET, ACT, SAT or COMPASS NET
PN May 1 - LPN to RN Oct 1 - Generic entry deadline is May
UACCB’s nursing programs are among the top programs in the state. www.uaccb.edu
4 semesters for AS; 3 semesters for BSN
on/off campus housing
March 1st
February 1st
ACT, SAT for general university acceptance; Evolve A2 Exam for Asn
Priority Application Deadline Feb 28/ Applications accepted until class full
LPN/Paramedic option (May to May). Accelerated traditional option (18 months). Traditional option (2 years) BSN: 3 semesters or up to five years. www.ualr.edu/nursing
2 years
on campus housing
Priority March 15th
February 1st
ACT/COMPASS/NLN-PAX
May 15th for Fall/April 15th for LPN/Paramedic Transition Program for Summer
www.uafortsmith.edu/Nursing/AssociateDegreeOfNursing
RN traditonal track 3yrs. RN express track 2yrs. LPN 1yr. RN Accelerated 1yr (LPNs or Paramedics).
commuter campus
March 1st priority
varies
ACT
3yr-Aug, 2yr-June 15, RNA-Dec 1
bhslr.edu
1 year pre-requisites + 2 years core courses
commuter campus
none
none
ACT
Applications accepted until classes filled. $30 fee
Length of program recently changed. See webpage for details. www.jrmc.org/nursingschool.htm
3 semesters
commuter campus
Priority April 15
varies
COMPASS, NET
June 1, October 1
Clinical experience in hospitals of varying size, physicians’ offices and geriatric facilities. http://atuoc.atu.edu
2 semester LPN
commuter campus
Priority March 1st
varies
ACT or SAT, NET
Dec 1st & June 15th
bhslr.edu
3 semesters
commuter campus
contact financial aid office
April 15th
ACT or ASSET
1st day of class
BRTC: A college of vision. BRTC has a 90% plus boards pass rate. www.blackrivertech.org
De Queen 11 mos Day Program, Nashville 18 mos evening program
commuter campus
varies
June 15th
COMPASS, NET
Day Program-De Queen March 1st, Evening Program-Nashville August 31st
Prerequisites required prior to admission. www.cccua.edu
18-36 mos
commuter campus
4 wks prior to first day
Priority April 15th
ASSET, PAX-PN & PAX-RN
March 30th
Variety of clinical experiences. Accept 20 students for each of the two campuses. www.anc.edu
11 mos
commuter campus
none
none
ASSET, NET
June 1 & November 1
Combines classroom instruction with clinical experience. Graduates eligible to take NCLEX.
11 mos
commuter campus
varies
June 1st
ACT/COMPASS and Questionnaire
Call for further information
Application packet and program requirements are online. www.asub.edu
3 sem. & 1 Summer session (includes Pre-Reqs)
commuter campus
July 1/Fall, December 1/Spring
June 1/Fall, December 1/ Spring
NET, COMPASS
November 1st
Bilingual scholarships available- www.nwansged.org
1-3 semesters
commuter campus
open
Fall-May1, Spring-Dec 1
COMPASS
First Friday in September / Spring, First Friday in March / Fall
Mrs. Shelley Austin, Division Chair, saustin@otcweb.edu www.otcweb.edu
11-18 mos
commuter campus
none
March 1st
Wonderlic, TE AS, LPN STEP
April 1/Fall, November 1/Spring August 31 - RN
Providing life-changing experiences through education. www.ozarka.edu
3 semesters - 2yr
commuter campus
prior to semester
April 1st
COMPASS, NET Gap
LPN-June 1st, AASLPN-Oct 1st, RN-Aug 31st
Enrollment limited to 20 each admission for LPN. www.uaccm.edu
11 mos traditional track/ 22 mos nontraditional track
commuter campus
March 1st
varies
ACT or COMPASS and NET
March 1st
Visit our new Allied Health Education Center on the Pulaski Tech Campus. www.pulaskitech.edu
13 mos FT; 2yr PT
commuter campus
none
none
COMPASS, NET
March 1st
Do you want to make a difference? Then nursing is for you! Evening option available. www.npcc.edu
11-12 mos
commuter campus
Varies, contact financial aid office
April
PSB and ACT, COMPASS
LPN-March, RN-Sept
www.rmcc.edu
varies
commuter campus
April 1st
June 1st
ASSET, NET, Practical Nursing
June 1st
Two Applications required: Admissions and Nursing www.sautech.edu
11 mos
commuter campus
none
Priority April 1
ACT, ASSET, or COMPASS
open
SouthArk: Where students come first. www.southark.edu
2 sem. (excludes prerequisites)
commuter campus
none
none
ASSET, ACT or COMPASS
June 30th
Lmassey@mail.uacch.edu
12 mos
on campus housing
Priority March 15th
Feb. 1st
ACT/COMPASS/NLN PAX-PN
June 1st for Fall
www.uafortsmith.edu/Nursing/LicensedPracticalNursing
12 mos
commuter campus
varies
varies
entrance exam
March
Accredited by the Commission on Schools of the North Central Association, and the council of Occupational Education.
varies
commuter campus
to be determined
varies
High School Diploma or GED
monthly
26 yrs as an AR established business, hands-on training and job placement assistance, as well as financial aid opportunities to those who qualify.
8 mos
commuter campus
none
none
C-PAT
monthly
Excellent career opportunities available. Day and evening classes. www.educationamerica.com
TO COMPILE THIS, FORMS WERE SENT TO EVERY QUALIFIED COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO RETURN BY A SPECIFIED DEADLINE. THOSE SCHOOLS NOT MEETING THE DEADLINE WERE REPEATED FROM LAST YEAR. EVERY ATTEMPT IS MADE TO GATHER AND VERIFY THE INFORMATION.
ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO ARKANSAS TIMES
WHY YOU SHOULD BECOME A NURSE
You’ve graduated— Now what? 10 JOB HUNTING TIPS Whenever University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences nurse recruiter Susan Erickson, RN, needs job market advice, she gets in touch with her professional contacts at the National Association of Health Care (NAHC). “They’re on top of the current job market. So whether you’re looking for a job for the first time, or an experienced nurse hoping to move across the country, they are a great resource,” Experts recommend keeping your employment options open. Erickson says. NAHC vice president Deborah Rowe, RN, is to meet recruiters and increase your network of always happy to share her expertise and knowlprofessional colleagues. edge. She and nursing spectrum vice president Terri Gaffney put together 10 tips for a successful MAINTAIN A RELATIONSHIP WITH job hunt for this publication: YOUR INSTRUCTORS. They are often an employment resource and can provide you with a reference. NETWORK! NETWORK! NETWORK! Don’t underestimate the power of personal relationships and professional contacts. KEEP IN TOUCH WITH A STAFF NURSE or other personnel after completing your clinical rotations, and let them know you’re interested in ATTEND CAREER FAIRS AND OTHER RECRUITMENT EVENTS. This is an opportunity working for their unit or health care facility.
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GET A JOB, OF COURSE
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MAKE SURE YOUR RÉSUMÉ is accurate and current. On cover letters be sure and include a nurse recruiter’s name—double check to see if the name is spelled correctly—and ensure you have the proper title.
6 SCHEDULE YOUR NATIONAL COUNCIL
LICENSURE EXAMINATION (NCLEX) immediately after graduation because it looks good on the resume.
7 JOIN PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS for networking opportunities.
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WHEN LOOKING FOR A JOB, check out resources such as Nursing Spectrum, Nurse.com and the National Student Nurses Association.
9
BE FLEXIBLE. As a new graduate, you must be willing to consider an entry-level position, which can be a great way to get the experience you need to reach your career goal.
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THINK AND ACT POSITIVELY. It will impress prospective employers and keep you motivated when job hunting.
A FINAL THOUGHT If you’re planning on a nursing career, University of Arkansas at Little Rock nursing department dean Dr. Ann Schlumberger offers the following tips: As graduation approaches and you prepare for your first job interview, your preparation must include a professional resume. It must be “well designed, and it’s important that you clearly state your goals,” she says. When filling out an application, make sure it reflects the same competence as your resume. “Employers are going to consider if you filled out the application correctly and completely,” she says. However, your job’s not done yet. When dressing for an interview, Schlumberger says, leave the flip-flops and T-shirts at home. “Step back,” Schlumberger says, “look in the mirror and ask yourself, ‘Is this the kind of person I want to take care of the person I most love in the world?’” Your clothes need to match the professionalism of the resume, but Schlumberger says the interview is about more than your clothes and recommends practicing your interview skills. ■
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The dos and don’ts of social media W
hile Facebook started out as a way for friends to keep up with friends, it has exploded into a social network that connects the world and crosses generations. More and more, it’s becoming a way to reconnect with family members and old friends, advertise a business and, more importantly for job seekers, a way to cultivate vital connections when looking for work. As social networks continue to grow, people need to be aware that there’s a down-side to putting their entire life online. For instance, your Facebook page is a way for employers to check you out before calling you in for an interview or offering you that coveted job. Last Saturday’s bar photos might be fun to share, but might keep you from getting that first interview. “What you post matters,” says Michelle S. Odom, Arkansas Children’s Hospital director of nursing resources. And the new graduate isn’t the only one who might want to watch their P’s and Q’s when complaining or sharing work-related information online. “As a nurse working at a health care facility, be mindful of what you post because social sites are a public forum, and you never know who’s going to read it,” says Odom.
SOCIAL NETWORKS AREN’T GOING AWAY More and more professors are posting class information online and answering classroom questions via e-mail, so students are becoming quite comfortable with the use of social media. However, experts are cautioning against becoming too relaxed online. Keith McClanahan, Arkansas State University-Beebe’s director of advanced technology, says, “We caution our students that employers are checking out their Facebook page.” More importantly, he says, you should consider your email address and screen names. “‘Sexylittlegirl’ isn’t a good name to have, especially when entering the professional world,” he says. Matthew Martin, a nursing student at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock believes the pros of social networking outweigh the cons, but students must learn a new set of boundaries and behaviors. “It’s a genie that can’t be put back into the bottle … on the other hand, who knows where it will take us,” he says.
Arkansas Tech University Nursing Program
THE RULES OF SOCIALIZING Colleges and universities are seeing the benefit of guiding students through the pitfalls of social networking, and UALR nursing department dean Dr. Ann Schlumberger says their students are now required to attend orientation, which includes rules and guidelines when it comes to sites like Facebook and Twitter. “It’s important how you present yourself and how you represent our nursing program,” she says. You should always be careful of any comments you make online. For example, maybe you feel you can trust a friend with a juicy piece of gossip, but you never know if your friend might post it on Facebook in the future. Schlumberger says if you’re nervous about whether you should write something online or not, you probably shouldn’t. Dr. Sue McLarry, School of Nursing chair at Arkansas State University at Jonesboro, says, “Just like health care professionals, the university stresses discretion when it comes to online postings, and we teach about the consequences of discussing patient information online.” As the use of social media rises, nurses have to be aware of employer expectations when it comes to sites like Facebook. “There are issues with social networking sites, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) that nurses should keep in mind. It’s definitely about patient privacy, and you wouldn’t want to write negative comments about your co-workers or boss and then have them read it,” Odom says. “Consider your words carefully, because failure to comply [with patient privacy laws or hospital policy] is grounds for dismissal,” Schlumberger says. Another reason to be careful about your on-line activity is because employers, as well as examination board members, are monitoring sites to see if people are passing along information about licensing examinations, she says. Schlumberger offers one final thought. “We need our nurses to be professional. … We have people’s lives in our hands, and because of that, it’s extremely important our students learn how to be a true professional in every sense of the word,” she says. ■
At Arkansas Tech University, you will gain the knowledge and skills that you need for a rich and fulfilling career in the field of nursing. Our nursing faculty members pride themselves on being exceptionally accessible to students. They will be there to guide you every step of the way. If you are already in the nursing profession and looking to take the next step in your career, our Master of Science in Nursing Administration and Emergency Management might be your ticket to a better tomorrow. Come to Arkansas Tech and meet your future in the healthcare industry. Bachelor of Science and Master of Science nursing programs available in Russellville. RN to BSN on-line program available for registered nurses. For more information, call 479.968.0383 or visit http://ZZZ.atu.edu QXUVLQJ
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WHY YOU SHOULD BECOME A NURSE
You’re what kind of nurse?
St. Bernard’s Regional Medical Center’s recently opened Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House moves at a slower pace than most health care facilities.
SPECIALTIES YOU MAY NOT HAVE THOUGHT OF
W
hile popular TV shows glamorize nursing jobs in the emergency room or labor and delivery, there are a number of jobs that are worth considering that might not make it onto your television screen. There are a number of local opportunities – such as flight, emergency management, medical-surgery, computer, and clinical – all jobs we think are not only interesting, but a little off the beaten path.
CHILDREN’S ANGEL ONE For Paige Keen, the chief flight nurse for Arkansas Children’s Hospital Transport Angel One, there’s not another job like hers. “It’s a very exciting job,” she says. Keen says the hospital’s inter-facility transport team flies by helicopter to other health care centers to pick up children—from premature birth up to 18 years of age—who are suffering from some kind of trauma. They bring the children back to Children’s for treatment. “We see a wide range of patients,” Keen says. Such patients can include a preemie ready to make an appearance, a teenager who has been badly injured in a car or motorcycle wreck or burn victims (some of whom are adults because of Children’s burn center). Instead of waiting, treatment starts before the patient is loaded onto the helicopter and continues until they arrive at the hospital in Little Rock. However, this isn’t a job for everyone. “You have to be a type A personality, because you’re required to make decisions on the spot,
and you are the team leader,” she says. A flight team includes the flight nurse, respiratory therapist and pilot. Every once in awhile, a medical student tags along. Keen says she won’t even talk to a new nursing graduate about working on Angel One; instead she’s looking for someone who has at least three years of critical care and pediatric skills – perhaps someone who has worked in an emergency room or as a surgical nurse, she says. On top of the necessary training, Keen says it’s an emotionally difficult job. “We see injured and abused children, but you have to be able to focus. It’s hard.”
BAPTIST’S NEW CRITICAL CARE Theresa Carroll spends her time at Baptist Medical Center in Little Rock watching a series of five computerized monitors as part of her job with the hospital’s Electronic Intensive Care Unit (EICU). Her main job is to support bedside nurses and to monitor patients at any one of the medical center’s five locations, including Little Rock, North Little Rock, Heber Springs and Arkadelphia. Normally, she’s a member of a five-person team. Much of her job involves watching over patients in critical care. “I’m an extra set of eyes and ears for the nurses at the bedside,” she says. In addition to monitoring vital signs, she can actually peek into a room through the system. Those interested in this area of nursing must work well with others, including nurses, physicians and patients and their families, Carroll says. Before signing on board, a nurse needs at
least five years experience in critical care, good communication skills and a love of teaching. It’s also a good job for anyone who has critical care experience. “Instead of working on the floor, you’re passing your knowledge to the next generation,” she says.
ST. VINCENT NORTH MED-SURG It’s fast-paced, and your cases change day-today, hour-to-hour, says Bill Benton, intern nurse manager at St. Vincent Health System North. When looking for a job that requires a combination of skills, ranging from general medicine to neurosurgery, check out the medical-surgerical (med-surg) nurse. “It requires a broad knowledge,” says Benton. But that’s not enough. He says a successful med-surg nurse must be “fast on their feet, and there’s nothing repetitive about med-surg. Each day is different.” A med-surg nurse needs to have a positive attitude, be flexible and like interacting with people, he says. When deciding on a career, Benton recommends choosing “a job you love.” If you find med-surg interesting, he recommends talking to nurses in the business or your instructors. There’s a real need for med-surg nurses, and it’s an area where a four-year RN graduate can get a position without previous experience.
UAMS TRAUMA CENTER A minute can mean the difference between life and death at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Trauma Services Center. “It’s pretty cool,” trauma center director Terry Collins says. However, it’s not a place for the faint of heart, and the fast-paced setting requires a wide range of skills. “We see patients of all ages with all kinds of conditions, like ATV wrecks, car crashes and high falls,” Collins says. “It’s a very demanding job, and young patients can be emotionally taxing.” For those interested in working in a trauma center, Collins says a person needs training over and above general nursing skills. She suggests getting a job as a medical-surgery, emergency room or intensive care unit nurse before applying for a job in trauma. “You have to be able to think critically … be quick on your feet,” Collins says. Despite the rigorous demands, she says it’s a wonderful job that offers her the opportunity to learn and grow professionally every single day. “It’s not a job, it’s a calling,” Collins says.
ST. VINCENT CLINIC
The Trauma Room at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is fast-paced. ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO ARKANSAS TIMES
At the St. Vincent Clinic located inside the Walmart Supercenter on Maumelle Boulevard in North Little Rock, people line up to see advanced practice nurse (APN) Cynthia Jansen.
The clinic offers patients a large number of services, such as stitches, lab work, treatment for poison ivy and more. In a nutshell, Jansen sees it as an option for when the doctor’s office is closed or a condition doesn’t warrant a trip to the emergency room. “We’re not here to replace your primary-care doctor or try to be an emergency room, but we fill a gap,” Jansen says. She also believes this type of clinic setting is a trend that will continue. So for an experienced nurse with an advanced degree and an independent spirit, this job might be the perfect fit. “You have to be versatile, and it pays off to have surgical or emergency room experience. You have to be able to work on your own,” she says. However there’s medical backup available when needed. “It’s been a great experience, and people are so appreciative of our help,” she says.
ARKANSAS TECH’S EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT There’s been a lot of interest in Arkansas Tech University’s emergency management degree. The master’s degree requires nurses to complete a number of hours focusing on emergency management and many of those classes are taught by Homeland Security personnel. “We are one of only a few programs in the country, and there’s not another program like it in the state,” says the university’s nursing department head Dr. Rebecca Burris. The first graduating class of emergency management nurses (the program is only two years old) didn’t have a problem finding a job. “We’re very pleased with the program and the success of our students,” she says.
ARKANSAS STATE HOSPITAL It’s a job not often considered by students who are about to graduate from nursing school, but a psych nurse position can offer tremendous rewards. “It’s a unique specialty and different than most areas of nursing,” says James Scoggins, director of nursing at Arkansas State Hospital. Unlike many other areas of medicine, nurses are dealing with people, not the condition. “You have to be able to talk with and empathize with the patient,” Scoggins says. As a bonus, the nurse doesn’t need experience in the field, Scoggins says. “If you have a heart, I can teach you the skills to help our patient.”
debris are contained in the area,” she says. This ensures that patients’ rooms are not affected by contaminated air or improper ventilation. Infection control nurses need to be observant and assertive - not aggressive - as well as inquisitive and have the ability to catch on quickly. Nurses who are interested in this field need certification in infection control (CIC) and at least two years of experience as a clinical nurse. “We save lives,” Molsbee says. “Our goal is patient safety.”
UA’S NURSE EDUCATORS
JRMC’S INFORMATION SYSTEM For those who think Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff is off the beaten path, consider the distance traveled by a Singapore medical team. They wanted a closer look at the hospital’s new electronic medical records system. It’s one of the first such systems in the country, and at JRMC, they call it Clinical Informatics. The department’s director, Leah Wright, says they welcome a number of visitors from around the country each month. “It’s exciting,” she says. And while she thinks it’s a career path that would appeal to a new graduate, she says she prefers an experienced nurse because her employees need to understand the way a hospital works. “My team supports everyone who uses Eclipsys,” she says. Eclipsys is a software program her department designed to meet the needs of various other departments in the hospital. In addition to design, her department is involved in employee education and support. “This is definitely a job that most people aren’t aware of,” she says.
ST. BERNARDS’ HOSPICE “I was praying for direction in my life, and was really drawn to hospice care,” says Licinda Ohler. For her, it’s proving to be a rewarding choice. “When you’re in the typical hospital setting, it can move at a fast pace, but in a hospice setting, the day is slower,” she says. The job at hand may be more about a tender touch or a kind word than the right medication. Sometimes the hospice nurse is with a patient for months, days and other times, only a few hours. “That’s enough time to make a big difference in their life,” Ohler says. Barbara “Bobbie” Wilson, RN, has about five years of hospice experience. “As nurses we need to come to the realization that people have come to a point in their life where they can’t be fixed,” she says. Wilson’s job is to meet the needs of the person and the family. “It’s a time that touches our hearts deeply,” Wilson says. “This isn’t a job for everyone, and many nurses find they can’t do it,” says Tammy Hawkins, director of the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House at St. Bernards Regional Medical Center.
For the right nurse, she describes hospice care as a calling. “The care we provide is more like nursing at its best,” Hawkins says. “Like an ideal you heard about in nursing school, hospice care gives you a whole new perspective on nursing and doesn’t require special training. It’s a very rewarding job, and often it’s more about social and emotional support. Sometimes all you can do is hold their hand.”
WHITE RIVER’S WOUND AND BURN NURSES While certainly not for every nurse, wound care is a challenging and rewarding career that involves patients of all ages, from infants with burns and infections to the elderly with diabetic ulcers. This area of medicine relies on technologies like a hyperbaric chamber that infuses 100% compressed oxygen into wounds to promote healing. Wound care nurse specialties are used in both “When you’re outpatient and inpatient in the typical settings and the nurses hospital setting, “are similar to investigators, because first they it can move at have to find the source of a fast pace, but the wound,” says Michelle Bishop, nurse director and in a hospice magnet coordinator at White setting, the day River Medical Center. “They also must deteris slower.” mine any disease process or infection preventing it from healing properly,” Bishop says. “This is very much a hands-on profession.”
Nan Smith-Blair, director of the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, says the nurse who is interested in a career change or loves teaching should consider education. “There’s a huge shortage of nurse educators,” she says. This deficiency is only expected to increase as baby boomers start retiring. Colleges and universities across the nation need educators in all areas of nursing, and Arkansas is encouraging nurses to go back to school with scholarships and loan forgiveness programs. For those interested in education, Blair says teaching requires an advanced degree, and it’s best to have a couple of years of clinical experience. In order to teach BSN students at UA, a minimum of a master’s degree is required. “If you like teaching students and have a love of learning, it’s a challenging career with great hours, generally the same as students,” she says. “And it’s great having holidays and summers off.” ■
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CONWAY REGIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM’S INFECTION CONTROL “It’s like quality control for the health care community,” says Susan Molsbee, RN, infection preventionist with the Conway Regional Health System. She also describes her multi-faceted job as preventing, not controlling infection. “We don’t want to make our patients sicker,” she says. Infection prevention is done through equipment sterilization, hand washing and other procedures, and sometimes this means the preventionist observes the entire process. When there’s new construction or renovations going on at the hospital, Molsbee says it’s their job to get involved. “We want to make sure that dust, water and
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WHY YOU SHOULD BECOME A NURSE
Keeping our nurses happy PROGRAMS HELP MOTIVATE, RETAIN NURSES
T
hese days, hospitals and health care centers are working hard to keep experienced nurses not only motivated but satisfied with their jobs. Most facilities offer a variety of retention programs as well as a helping hand for nurses who are interested in climbing the ladder of success.
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FOR MEDICAL SCIENCES “It costs one and a half times a new graduate’s annual salary to train them, so the goal is to keep them happy and motivated,� says Susan Erickson, RN, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences nurse recruiter. It’s just as important to keep UAMS’s experienced nurses satisfied. In order to find out what nurses want out of their job, Erickson says UAMS takes a hard look at nurses’ exit interview data and studies the trends. “We came up with a new and fun way of welcoming and helping new nurses adjust to the demands of a teaching hospital, which can be stressful to nurses who aren’t used to a student-teacher environment. We
call it the On-Boarding Program,â€? says Erickson, the program’s captain. Before a new hire’s first day, the person is partnered with a volunteer “Cruise Director,â€? who has been around UAMS for a while. “They help with things like parking, communication ‌ basically, they’re there to help and provide support to the new hire for the first five months,â€? Erickson says. So far, the program has proven to be a success.
attract nurse leaders at all levels,� says Rebecca Brosius, RN, St. Vincent recruitment coordinator. The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences’ Oncology Also designed to keep Department was recently named Unit of the Month. nurses moving up the ladder we want our nurses to be stimulated. We want of success, the Nursing Clinical Advancement them to be excited about their jobs.� Program (NCAP) focuses on professional development and promotes bedside education. In short, the program’s goals are to recognize and JEFFERSON REGIONAL MEDICAL acknowledge the contributions of St. Vincent’s CENTER nursing staff, and create opportunities that will Nurses have the opportunity to take part in special retain or attract the best nurses, she says. programs designed to guide and recognize the ST. VINCENT HEALTH SYSTEM St. Vincent’s Carolyn Ford, RN, was named Nurse contribution of nurses in the delivery of patient Throughout the St. Vincent Health System, adminof the Year in 2004. She says the program keeps care, says the hospital’s assistant vice president istrators are working hard to retain great nurses “nurses motivated toward professional growth of patient care services Mary Daggett. and keep them motivated and happy. through the Career Ladder and also gives them The Care Delivery Partnership Program (CDPP), “Our Career Ladder program is designed to an “opportunity to collaborate with its mission of providing a forum focused on with physicians.� the continuous improvement of patient care, is “We came up with a new and fun way of welcoming And Brosius says that’s the unique to Jefferson Regional Medical Center. and helping new nurses adjust to the demands of a point. At JRMC, nurses have a voice. The program’s “We want to foster an environframework revolves around professional developteaching hospital, which can be stressful to nurses ment of learning that offers our ment and the contributions of nurses at the unit who aren’t used to a student-teacher environment. patients the highest quality of care. level, Daggett says. We call it the On-Boarding Program.� More than a just job or paycheck, In addition, JRMC’s Nursing Department also
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has a Clinical Practice Ladder Program. Its purpose is “to reward and recognize our registered nurses by providing a framework for advancement of nurses who choose to remain bedside clinicians,” Daggett says. The department’s policy says, “Advancement is based on application of the nursing process, proficiency with clinical skills, educational development, leadership and community outreach. The Division of Nursing is focused on empowering nurses, enhancing their careers and promoting excellence in practice.”
“They had nurses come through and offer feedback,” Bishop says. Their observations were incorporated into the design and the finished product proved more efficient for nurses and patients. “I think the administration is doing a great job and they’re willing to go the extra mile to give nurses a voice … to get them more involved in the day-to-day operation,” Bishop says. The hospital also recognizes its staff for individual efforts through its Employee of the Month program. The employee gets their choice of a parking spot for a month and the hospital pays for a dinner at the restaurant of their choice. “It’s a great program,” Bishop says. n
Small class sizes. Flexible schedules. Friendly faculty. Application deadline: February 15, 2011. www.hsu.edu/nursing
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White River Medical Center
At White River Medical Center, the top brass are working hard to keep their nurses content. So last year, they put together a shared leadership model that places bedside nurses on the hospital’s administrative committees. “It was hard to get that model up and going,” says Michelle Bishop, the hospital’s nurse director, “but we’ve had a good, successful year.” So how does it work in practice? For one, when there was a major room redesign planned, nurses were asked to try out a mock room based on the design.
Doing your part O
n the flip side, training a nurse is expensive, and hospitals often require the new hire to stay in a department for a certain period of time before transferring out. Leaving a department before a contractual commitment is complete can result in the repayment of training costs at many hospitals, says Susan Erickson, RN, Nurse Recruiter at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Both she and Arkansas Children’s Hospital Director of Nursing Resources Michelle S. Odom recommend studying your options carefully before signing up for a particular department. “Learn what is required of a nurse on the different units, and see what best fits you,” Odom says. Even if you’re about to graduate, she recommends thinking long-term. “Ask your instructors questions, talk to the nurses you know, and familiarize yourself with the different options,” Erickson says. “It will save you some grief in the long run, and it never hurts to look at the endless possibilities of nursing.” n
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WHY YOU SHOULD BECOME A NURSE
Reaching out
NURSES MAKE A DIFFERENCE THROUGH VOLUNTEER, CHARITY WORK
It’s a caring profession. Anyone in nursing knows it’s not about the paycheck but the desire to make the world a better place. —Keith McClanahan, ASU-Beebe advanced technology and allied health director
SAU-MAGNOLIA’S NURSING STUDENTS “We give a lot of flu shots,” Southern Arkansas University department of nursing chair Bernadette Fincher, Ph.D., RN, says with a laugh. Fincher and her staff try to instill an atmosphere of caring and concern at the university at Magnolia. It’s so important to them that they’ve incorporated volunteerism into the curriculum. “Part of the nursing program includes professional development hours, which gives our students credit for volunteering their time in
ST. VINCENT’S JOYCE DIEMER Spending long days as a nurse manager at St. Vincent Urology and Women’s Surgery Unit isn’t quite enough for Joyce Diemer. For a long time, and in large part because of her family, she had a strong desire to make a difference in other people’s lives. That desire manifested itself in helping others, even those outside the U.S. For a time, she helped her aunt, a Catholic sister working in India to raise funds. She wasn’t alone in her efforts, her family— 42 first cousins—also helped. The money was used to furnish hospital rooms, daycare facilities and pay for nursing scholarships. About two years ago Diemer traveled to Belize to work with the Catholic Sisters of Charity. There, she and a number of her cousins built a house. “It was a life-changing experience. It was a poor, poor country, and we saw the kind of places not usually seen by tourists,” she says. In addition to the hard work, the cousins got a chance to strengthen their familial bond.
after a flood. Another group did cleanup after a tornado in Marmaduke. And during a recent ice storm, a shelter was set up on campus, with both students and faculty volunteering their time and talents. There are other causes, such as fundraising and gifts for children, health screenings, blood drives and flu clinics. “As nurses we have a responsibility to the community we live in,” says ASU-Jonesboro School of Nursing chair Dr. Sue McLarry. Our work is changing lives, she says. A health screening can lead to “early detection” of hearing or sight problems—making a big difference in a child’s life. McLarry says her department believes in volunteerism and feels it’s their job to teach giving.
ARKANSAS STATE HOSPITAL’S RUN FOR THE CURE Employees at the Arkansas State Hospital have traveled around the world, so to speak, in their
Part of that money was spent on T-shirts and the remainder will pay to register the 60 Arkansas State Hospital employees who are now planning to participate in the race. While the team is named Milli’s Pink Love, Milli isn’t the only one at the hospital who battled breast cancer. “We have five survivors on our team, and another person at the hospital was recently diagnosed with breast cancer,” she says. Baudier, who points out that effort no longer just involves the nursing department, but also people from all areas of the hospital, says that for everyone who has participated, “It’s been a wonderful experience.”
ARKANSAS TECH’S CAREY BOSOLD AND STUDENTS At Arkansas Tech University at Russellville, students are learning the importance of giving, says Carey Bosold, assistant professor of nursing. Out of the many volunteer projects on campus, one close to Bosold’s heart is the River Valley Military Outreach. This program helps families of deployed members of the military with childcare, vehicle maintenance and more. “Our students have taken on a number of projects,” she says. They’ve collected donations, brought in items such as socks, puzzle books, stationary, stamps, candy, cards, DVDs, portable movie players and a bevy of personal products. For the last four years, her students have filled about 40 boxes each year, while the university’s Student Nurses Association pays for the packages and shipping costs. Several ROTC students on campus were called up, and “We wanted to remind them how important they are to us,” Bosold says. However, there’s more to the program than that. “Giving stays with our students, and they realize it doesn’t take a lot of effort to make a huge impact,” she says. “It forces them to focus on what’s going on in the outside world, and it changes their perspective.”
UAMS’ ANGELA DUNCAN Southern Arkansas University Department of Nursing requires student nurses to volunteer their time in the community. the community,” she says. There are a number of choices for the students, including work with Alzheimer’s patients or disabled children. “We think it’s critical to a student’s education, and for many, it’s a real eye-opening experience,” Fincher says. Once involved in a cause, many students continue to volunteer even after fulfilling their classroom obligation. The SAU Student Nurses Association also participates in the local Angel Tree program and adopts a family each year at Christmas. “We take pride in their work, and our entire facility believes the community would miss a lot if we didn’t volunteer,” Fincher says. ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO ARKANSAS TIMES
Last year, Diemer returned to Belize. On this trip, they built another home, but again went the extra mile, buying a curtain that doubles as a bathroom door and other amentities like a table and flooring. “We really don’t have it as bad as we think we do,” she says.
ASU-JONESBORO’S FUTURE NURSES Before receiving a certificate or degree, Arkansas State University at Jonesboro students are required to do community service. Not long ago, students spent the day working at Jacksonport State Park
race for the cure. “We lost a nurse, Milli Cagle, last February to breast cancer, and we wanted to do something to honor her,” says the hospital’s nurse coordinator Kay Baudier. So a handful of employees got together in April and decided to walk in this year’s Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure as a way of remembering Cagle, an RN at the hospital. Since then, they have held several fundraisers, including monthly luncheons featuring Italian, Mexican and Southern meals as well as other regional delights. “We’ve raised over $2,500, and I think it’s great,” Baudier says.
For Angela Duncan, a trip to Limon, Honduras, through the nonprofit Carolina Honduras Health Foundation, was the experience of a lifetime. An advanced practice nurse (APN) working in UAMS’ Emergency Department (ED), she traveled to Honduras, one of the poorest countries in Latin America, with 14 other medical professionals, also from the ED. Instead of sunny beaches and endless margaritas, the team ran a medical clinic for the poor. “There were 15 totes full of medical supplies,” she says. They filled their bags with medicines to treat malaria, diabetes and high blood pressure because the people near Limon have limited resources. They spent the first day setting up the
Susie Hargis, a registered nurse at Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff, spent last February caring for earthquake victims in Haiti. the University of Central Arkansas at Conway, clinic—hooking up the generator so they would Vanwinkle, who had successfully battled breast have electricity. cancer, knew it was her turn to volunteer. “Still, what we could do was limited,” she “This was something I needed to do,” she says, even though over the course of four days, says. they saw 749 people—that’s about 188 people So she signed up, along with several others per day. from her hospital, to work at Hospital Escuela, a “Only 10 weren’t infected with malaria,” government hospital in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, for Duncan says. a week. While there, her team removed tumors, In addition to working in the clinic, members straightened jaws and performed endless cleft of the team traveled to rural churches to see palate surgeries, among other procedures. additional patients. The trip was so personally rewarding that “A lot of people came to see us (at the clinic) she signed up for a second trip to India. While in their Sunday clothes, but they live in mud huts the idea is to make improvements in another and have no bathroom,” she says. person’s life, Vanwinkle says that’s not exactly So it isn’t surprising that the trip made a big how it works. impression on Duncan, and she plans to make “You go to help people but you come away the trip again. realizing how blessed you “I realized how fortunate I am, are,” she says. “It’s awesome. and how I can make a difference,” “The more … It’s life-changing.” she says. you help the Elaine White, RN, Baptist Medical Center clinical qualBAPTIST HEALTH community, ity value coordinator, says, SCHOOLS’ STUDENTS the more “We do it because we make “Committed to Christian principles experience you a difference.” and quality healthcare education, While she may be changBaptist Health Schools strive to have, and you ing the world one bandage enhance the quality of life for the become a better at a time in as many as 10 citizens of Arkansas by providing citizen.” countries, White also likes to quality, accessible and studenttalk about the things she has focused education for future and seen in the world outside the United States. current healthcare professionals,” says the school’s She talks about landmines in Cambodia, enrollment coordinator Julie Wurm. snakes in Paraguay and former headhunters in With this in mind, the school requires its nursEcuador. ing students commit to five hours of community “These people walk 20 miles and line up before service each semester. dawn to see us. They have nothing, and it’s more “The more you help the community, the more than a desire to give to those who have nothing. experience you have, and you become a better It’s a calling,” White says. citizen. This can pay off when it’s time to look for a job,” Wurm says. “Each time you volunteer, you make a new contact.” JRMC’S SUSIE HARGIS In early February of 2010, while most people were wrapping water pipes and stocking up BAPTIST’S CHERYL VANWINKLE on groceries as the first snowfall of the year When Baptist Medical Center RN Cheryl Vanwinkle moved in, Susie Hargis of Monticello was was a young college student at the University sweltering in the sun and humidity of Haiti, of Arkansas at Fayetteville, she decided she dressing wounds and comforting the victims of wanted to volunteer with the Southern Baptist the devastating January 12 earthquake. Journeyman, a Christian organization that works For Hargis, Jefferson Regional Medical Center around the world. nursery RN, mission trips are nothing new, and But life happens. in 37 years of nursing she has volunteered for 17 About 30 years later, Vanwinkle decided it was missions, but this trip was different. time to leave her mark. After her daughter returned “All my previous mission trips were really from a Honduras mission trip while studying at
medical clinics, where you go in, set up, and see patients with chest pain or runny noses,” Hargis explained. “This was the first disaster I ever worked.” Family connections were important following the earthquake, Hargis says, because so many people lost multiple loved ones in the disaster. “It was unbelievably sad,” she says. “One woman I treated not only lost a limb, she lost three of her four children. “ Most of the injuries she saw were fractures and amputations, so most of her work involved changing dressings, caring for wounds and assisting the doctors. Supplies were limited so the crew used whatever they could find to treat patients. In one case, a fracture had to be stabilized with rebar, the material used in concrete to stabilize buildings. “I’ve seen poverty before,” Hargis says, “but this was poverty with no hope because everything was literally under concrete.” While the trip was difficult both emotionally and physically, she says without hesitation, “I would go back tomorrow.”
CONWAY REGIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM’S KELLEY KING For Kelley King, a wound nurse at Conway Regional Health System, the March trip she made to Guatemala with St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Conway was her first mission. “It was very overwhelming. These people are beautiful,” she says about the trip that included 23 team members, including three nurses, a doctor and a number of volunteers. Their work was done through the Boca Costa
Medical Mission in Guatemala, says Marianne Welch, a medical technologist at the hospital. King worked in rural areas, including the jungle. “We had to carry everything we needed, and we would set up our equipment in a school or church and just start seeing patients. People would just line up,” she says. In order to talk with patients she needed two interpreters—one translated English to Spanish while a second translated Spanish into the Mayan’s K’iche’ language. While there, they saw more than 500 patients. In addition to medical attention, Welch says they hand out T-shirts and teach people about personal hygiene. “It was sad, but I love these people and was impressed with their culture,” King says.
UA’S STUDENTS Nan Smith-Blair, director of the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, says the nursing department holds a number of free health clinics throughout the year. These health screenings are held on campus for both students and faculty members and include blood pressure and cholesterol testing, as well as nutrition instruction. These clinics are designed to give nursing students some real world experience. In addition, many of their clinics are held at area public schools. “At these schools, we try to provide the children with good dental health and nutritional information,” Blair says. ■
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WHY YOU SHOULD BECOME A NURSE
Romance in the workplace
MARRIED NURSES SHARE PERSONAL LIFE, LOVE OF NURSING
I
t isn’t surprising that entire families work in nursing and that “the calling” is often passed from one generation to the next, but what about nurses who share a love of their profession as well as for each other? Well, we discovered romance happens in the workplace more often than you might think. For instance, Rebecca Brosius, RN, St. Vincent Health System recruitment coordinator, met her husband James Robinson, RN, on the job about 20 years ago. He was working in the Cardiovasular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU), and she was in nurse recruitment. Being married to another nurse has its upside, she says. Today, they both work at St. Vincent and ride to work together. “It makes it a little easier for me because he understands the stresses of the job.”
COMMON BONDS
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT Sparks flew from the first moment two RNs, Jennifer and Dean Gammill, caught each other’s eye at St. Vincent. “I worked for Radiology Associates P.A. (in Little Rock) and he worked in the central pool, “Jennifer says. “I kept running into him in different places. It was like fate, and every time I turned around there he was.” Finally, Cupid intervened, and she says, “We had a patient in common, and that was it.” They married two years ago. Now, they both work at St. Vincent. Dean works in Critical Care and Jennifer in the Center for Women and Children.
Bonnie Barnes, Daisy president and co-founder, said in a statement on the organization’s Website, “Melinda and Roy both being honored with the Daisy Award is, indeed, a first! I can only imagine what a special couple they must be … dedicated to incredible compassionate care for their patients and to making a difference in the world together. I would love to meet them.” Their story so impressed the folks at Daisy that the couple made the cover of their Daisy Award newsletter this summer. “We were delighted with the recognition they received for their dedication and willingness to go beyond the call of duty,” says Susan Erickson, RN, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences nurse recruiter. Melinda and Roy are celebrating their first anniversary in October and he says, “Nursing does provide us with some commonalities and we are able to understand the joys and stressors of the job that each of us do.” While they experience different situations, including good and bad days, they can lean on
Before long both graduated, and Micah, now RN, went to work at St. Bernards in cardiac and Megan, LPN, took a job a few floors away in orthopedics. “Because we are married, we can’t work on the same floor,” and, Megan says, to keep it professional, they leave their personal lives at home. However, that doesn’t mean they don’t find comfort in each other after their shifts end. “If he’s having a problem at work, I’m usually the pick-me-up person,” she says. He also does the same for her. “We’re a good support system for each other,” she says.
A BEDSIDE ROMANCE Jenna Roper admits there was a little flirting at the bedside with her future husband Michael, and after working together in the Intensive Care Unit at Jefferson Regional Medical Center, the couple seemed a natural fit. The two, along with the rest of the team, worked hard, long hours.
KELLEY COOPER
Shannan and Jeff Crowson, both RNs working at St. Vincent, also found true love through nursing.
everyday duties. I work occasionally on Saturdays and Sundays without being scheduled; and he understands why,” she says. As a bonus, she says, “I feel that it also adds respect to our relationship with each other because what we both do here makes a difference in different ways.”
Nurse couples are able to empathize with each other. From left: Micah and Megan Ragsdale, Dean and Jennifer Gammill, Roy and Melinda Standridge. Jeff, who works in Infection Control, says they met while working at a different hospital and were married about a year ago. About his attraction to Shannan, who now works in care management, he says, “We both spoke the same language and understood the long hours…. A good day can be a really good day, while a really bad day can be horrible, and it’s good to have someone who understands.” Shannan agrees. For her, being married to an RN eases the stress of her job, and it’s nice to be with someone who understands the demands of her position. For instance, even though she was hired for a Monday through Friday shift, from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., they both know flexibility is a must in their positions. “We have days we come in early, days we stay late. We both have meetings, sudden deadlines, and things that suddenly take priority over our ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO ARKANSAS TIMES
IN RECOGNITION OF SERVICE
each other for support. “Melinda is a wonderful, caring nurse and wife, which makes our marriage so great. We also enjoy most of the same things outside of work and enjoy being with each other,” Roy says.
This summer a married couple, Roy Standridge, RN, who works in the Emergency Department (ED) at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and his wife Melinda Standridge, RN, who works in the Outpatient Hemotology Clinic at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, were recognized as the first nurse couple to receive the industry’s prestigious Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses. Roy Standridge received his Daisy Award last July, while Melinda Standridge was named a Daisy Award recipient in 2008. “We are both proud to have been nominated for and to have received the Daisy Award,” Roy says.
Just a few weeks ago, Micah and Megan Ragsdale celebrated their two-year anniversary and the birth of their son. They live near Jonesboro and work at St. Bernards Regional Medical Center. “We met in nursing school in 2007,” Megan says. They were attending Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas in Helena and were introduced by mutual friends who married a couple of weeks before the Ragsdales. “I started not really liking him but I grew to love him,” she says.
“We have so much in common and can talk about our days. He’s a great resource for me and me for him.”
LEAN ON ME
“We were around each other a lot, and I enjoyed talking to him,” she says. Even though Jenna was planning a permanent move to Hot Springs, she asked Michael if he wanted to catch a movie, and the next weekend they had their first date. “We had only dated a couple of weeks before I thought this might turn into something special,” she says. Although they tried to keep their relationship a secret, it wasn’t long before co-workers were teasing them. The rest is history, and the couple recently celebrated their four-year anniversary. Jenna believes part of the attraction is the strong bond they developed while working in intensive care. “It’s hard to meet someone outside nursing who understands the job and the crazy hours,” she says. ■
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UAMS IS REDEFINING EXCELLENCE
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