Arkansas Times | Nurses Guide 2022 by Arkansas Times

Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times

NURSES GUIDE 2022

FIND THE CAREER YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED

MEET THE SCHOOL & HOSPITAL RECRUITERS

Director of Nursing

and we are Arkansans’ choice for their health care needs. We have a variety of nursing opportunities, from a Level III NICU to a 90-bed Critical Care area. Baptist Health offers top quality bene fits for employees. We look for nurses who think critically and are compassionate and service-oriented. We want to offer a “World Class” environment for everyone. Please apply baptist-health.com.

BROOKE WALLACE, LEE MAJOR, TERRELL JACOB, KAITLYN LOONEY

2022 NURSES GUIDE

Serving an 11-county area in South Arkansas, Jefferson Regional nurses enjoy a busy and diverse patient base. Our physicians represent a multitude of medical specialties, allowing our staff to experience many different nursing opportunities. And while we are always focused on providing the highest quality care to our patients, we also go the extra mile to help our nurses be the best they can be. Jefferson Regional provides competitive pay and benefits, including additional compensation for nurses with advanced degrees, and a six-month nurse residency program for new nurses. Tuition assistance is also available for those wanting to further their education. Happy nurses are great nurses, and we have them both at Jefferson Regional! If you’re interested in a nursing career at Jefferson Regional, contact me at florygi@ jrmc.org.

The University of Central Arkansas School of Nursing program is one of the most sought out and highly reputable nursing education facilities in the state of Arkansas. Our award-winning faculty lead the way by teaching the nursing students how to provide quality healthcare, and while developing their careers in the nursing profession. Our on-campus BSN program provides the students with the opportunity to learn academically and practically in the newly built high-tech simulation center. We proudly state that our traditional on-campus BSN program has a 100 percent job placement for our graduates. The School of Nursing prides itself on creating a holistic learning environment for students to be prepared for all workplace environments.

For over 50 years, the UA Little Rock Department of Nursing has inspired and guided individuals toward the dynamic profession of nursing. Our faculty and staff are dedicated to improving the health care of all Arkansans by educating professional, thoughtful and compassionate nurses. We offer an Associate of Applied Science (AAS), BSN, LNP/Paramedic to RN and online BSN completion program. Our advice for students is to take ownership and get as much information as possible about the nursing profession and degree options. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Do this early and often! Visit: www.ualr.edu/nursing, call 501-916-3081, or email bknix@ualr.edu

Tachia Awbrey, MS - BSN Education Counselor (Last Names L-Z), tawbrey@uca.edu

JEFFERSON REGIONAL

Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times2 SEPTEMBER 2022 ARKANSAS TIMES

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS SCHOOL FOR SCIENCESMEDICAL

Ouachita Baptist University, OurArkadelphiainnovative dual degree RN-to-BSN pro gram pairs the strengths of Ouachita Baptist University with the strengths of Baptist Health College Little Rock. Ouachita is a national ly-ranked liberal arts college founded in 1886 with a mission of fostering a love of God and a love of learning. And Baptist Health College Little Rock is a recognized leader in health care education since 1920 and an integral part of Baptist Health, the largest health care system in Arkansas. Learn how you can earn two degrees (AAS & BSN) in 4 years at obu. edu/nursing or call (870) 245-5110.

comforting heart. That is why

UAMS is the only health science center in Arkansas and one of the region’s largest. It includes five colleges (Nursing, Medicine, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health) and a graduate school along with a hospital, statewide network of regional centers, affiliations with Arkansas Children’s Hospital and Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, and seven UAMS institutes where clinical, academic and research resources are focused on specific diseases or conditions. The UAMS College of Nursing provides bachelor’s, master’s (MNSc), Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) programs to more than 800 students. There is an Accelerated BSN program located in Northwest Arkansas for individuals who have already obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. The college is engaged in activities and interprofessional partnerships across all UAMS colleges that promote scholarly excellence, research and service to the university nursing profession and society. Recruiting for UAMS College of Nursing is more than informing the prospective student about our programs. It is about introducing them to a career field that allows them to be lifelong learners and caregivers. We do more than just educate nursing students, we prepare them to care for the total patient and their families.

UCA SCHOOL OF NURSING

For more information on our programs, contact us at 501-686-5224, by email at conadmissions@ uams.edu or visit our website at www.nursing.uams.

Julie Ingram, MS - RN to BSN, MSN, BSN to DNP and Post Master’s DNP Education Counselor; jjones111@uca.edu

Education Counselor (Last Names A-K), tnardi1@uca.edu

Belinda Nix, Academic Counselor & Enrollment Coordinator

Gigi Flory Nursing Recruiter

For potential students who already have an RN license, our online programs are top notch. Not only are we ranked highly for having one of the most affordable online DNP-Nurse Practitioner programs, but are also known for guiding you every step of the way.Whether you are a traditional BSN undergraduate student, RN to BSN, MSN or DNP student, you will be supported with a team to help you be the best nurse you can be. For more information, please visitwww.uca.edu/nursing.TaylorNardi,MS-BSN

DIRECTORNURSESALANPUBLISHERLEVERITTGUIDEEDITORDWAINHEBDAOFADVERTISINGPHYLLISA.BRITTONACCOUNTEXECUTIVES

SCHOOL OF NURSING AT UA LITTLE ROCK

Right: Rachel VanVeckhoven, Recruitment Specialist and Ava Coleman, Assistant Director of Student Enrollment

Terri McKown

Leftedu.to

Jonathan Hamilton, Academic Counselor-AAS Carolyn Fonville, Academic CounselorPre-Nursing

nursing informatics and much more! To learn more about a rewarding career serving as a Champion for Children, visit www.archildrens.org or call us at (501) 364-1398

Brenda Trigg, DNP, GNP, RN, CNE

Gigi Flory, Nurse Recruiter

Jefferson Regional Medical Center, Pine Bluff Jefferson Regional Medical Center serves a 10-county area, so our nurses must be prepared for a busy and diverse patient base. From neurology to cardiology, from surgery to orthopaedics, JRMC has a medical staff that represents 25 different specialties, so our program offers many different nursing opportunities for our staff to experience. We pride ourselves on patient-centered care and a family atmosphere among our employees, and we go the extra mile to help our nurses be the best they can be. JRMC provides competitive pay and benefits, including additional compen sation for nurses with advanced degrees, and a six-month nurse residency program for nurses just out of school. Your success is our success, and it all benefits our patients, who are the reason we are all in the health care profes sion. If you’re interested in a nursing career at JRMC, contact me at florygi@jrmc.org. tomorrow. 9/24/18 5:07 PM

tomorrow. 9/24/18 5:07 PM

Arkansas Tech University (ATU) Department of Nursing offers many options to acquire nursing licensure. We work with you and for you to achieve the career choice you desire. From Li censed Practical Nursing (LPN) or an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) at our sister cam pus in Ozark, to a pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Registered Nursing (RN) degree in Russellville. Want more? We offer bridge programs for working men and women to achieve a higher level of educa tion: LPN to BSN at our Russellville campus, or our ADN to BSN online. Come tour our Sim ulation Labs—we have SimMom, SimNewB, SimBaby, SimMan, multiple Nurse Anne’s, and much more! ATU’s nursing faculty are experts in their field adding breadth and depth to both your classroom and clinical education. Come join us at ATU...where “Every Student Counts.”

tomorrow. 9/24/18 5:07 PM 9/24/18 5:07 PM

Terri McKown

Terri McKown, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC Professor of Nursing, Assistant Head

PMPMPM

National Park College is in the business of chang ing lives, one student at a time! Choosing nursing as a career can change the trajectory of an individual’s life as well as their family’s lives. We offer a Practical Nursing program and a Registered Nursing program with a traditional track, as well as LPN to RN op tions. National Park College nursing programs have offered an Associate of Science in Nursing degree since 1976 and a Practical Nursing Certificate since 1958. Whether you just graduated from high school or are changing careers, National Park College can help you meet your goals. Application period for tra ditional entry begins in January and runs through the first Monday in March for fall admission. Please go to www.np.edu for more detailed admissions informa tion. We would love to meet with you and get you on the path to meeting your education and career goals. For more information on our programs please contact the Division of Nursing at (501) 760-4290 or email at jivers@np.edu. At National Park College, student success is our focus!

Gigi Flory Nursing Recruiter

Brenda Trigg, DNP, GNP, RN, CNE Director of Nursing Ouachita Baptist University, OurArkadelphiainnovative dual degree RN-to-BSN pro gram pairs the strengths of Ouachita Baptist University with the strengths of Baptist Health College Little Rock. Ouachita is a national ly-ranked liberal arts college founded in 1886 with a mission of fostering a love of God and a love of learning. And Baptist Health College Little Rock is a recognized leader in health care education since 1920 and an integral part of Baptist Health, the largest health care system in Arkansas. Learn how you can earn two degrees (AAS & BSN) in 4 years at obu. edu/nursing or call (870) 245-5110.

Dean of Nursing & Health Sciences

We have a variety of nursing opportunities, from a Level III NICU to a 90-bed Critical Care area. Baptist Health offers top quality bene fits for employees. We look for nurses who think critically and are compassionate and service-oriented. We want to offer a “World Class” environment for everyone. Please apply online at baptist-health.com.

ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY

NATIONAL PARK COLLEGE

Arkansas State Hospital mission is to provide psychiatric services that promote recovery in a safe and caring environment. Our hospital has nine units and 226 patient beds in three service areas: General Adult, Forensic, and Adolescent.

THE ARKANSAS STATE HOSPITAL

Susan Erickson, MNSc, RN, BC-NA, CHCR - Senior Nurse Recruiting Manager

Arkansas State Hospital (ASH) is a psychiatric inpatient facility in Little Rock, Arkansas. We are gov erned by the Division of Aging, Adults, and Behavior Health Services, a section of the Arkansas Depart ment of Human Services. The Arkansas State Hospital is licensed by the Arkansas Department of Health and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and accredited by The Joint Commission.

Arkansas State Hospital is committed to education of mental health providers and serves as a training site for nursing, medical, social work, and psychology students. The Education and Recruitment Depart ment at ASH is under the Direction of Brenda Barker, RN-BC, M.Ed., with educators Melissa Hensley, RN, Charles Hayden Burchfield, LPN Supervisor, Roosevelt Harris, Training Coordinator, and Marlean Acker, Administrative III. Arkansas State Hospital benefits package include generous leave time, excellent state benefit coverage, retention and sign on bonuses, evening, nights, and weekend differentials. We invite you to be a part of our team at the largest mental health hospital in the state of Arkansas. For more information visit AR.GOV/DHSJOBS

Melissa Hensley, RN

ARKTIMES.COM SEPTEMBER 2022 3Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times

Arkansas Tech University (ATU) Department of Nursing offers many options to acquire nursing li censure. We work with you and for you to achieve the career choice you desire. From Licensed Practi cal Nursing (LPN) or an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) at our sister campus in Ozark, to a pre-licen sure Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Registered Nursing (RN) degree in Russellville. Want more? We offer bridge programs for working nurses to achieve a higher level of education: LPN to BSN at our Russell ville campus, or our ADN to BSN online. Come tour our Simulation Labs—we have SimMom, SimNewB, SimBaby, SimMan, multiple Nurse Anne’s, and much more! ATU’s nursing faculty are experts in their fields adding breadth and depth to both your classroom and clinical education. Come join us at ATU...where “Every Student Counts”.

Whether just graduated, pursuing a second career or looking for a new work family, nurses provide care and compassion to those who need healing. That’s why nurses are the heart of UAMS, caring for patients and their families every day to provide the very best health care with our team of providers. By joining Team UAMS, you will get the unique experience of working in the state’s only academic medical center that also supports a culture of nursing excellence through career advancement, professional develop ment, and recognition – the best place to practice nursing! You and your immediate family can also en joy a generous tuition discount of up to 50% through out the UA System. In addition to a competitive salary and benefits, including 11 paid holidays with sepa rate sick and vacation accruals, UAMS provides up to a 10% percent match to retirement savings – five times what many other employers offer. To join the more than 10,000 team members who said ‘Yes’ to UAMS, log onto: nurses.uams.edu or join our Face book/Instagram pages by searching UAMSNurses!

Janice Ivers, MSN, RN, CNE Dean of Nursing & Health Sciences

National Park College is in the business of changing lives, one student at a time! Choosing nursing as a career can change the trajectory of an individual’s life well as their family’s lives. We offer a Practical Nursing program and a Registered Nursing program with a traditional track, as well as LPN to RN options. National Park College nursing programs have offered an Associate of Science in Nursing degree since 1976 and a Practical Nursing Certificate since 1958. Whether you just graduated from high school or are changing careers, National Park College can help you meet your goals. Application period for traditional entry begins January and runs through the first Monday in March for fall admission. Please to our website www.np.edu for more detailed admissions information. We would love to meet with you and get you on the path to meeting your education and career goals. For more information on our programs please contact the Division Nursing at (501) 760-4290 or email at jivers@np.edu. At National Park College, student success is our focus!

UAMS HEALTH

Chrystal Thomas, Recruiter for Online Programs

Jennifer Yarberry, Chief Nursing Officer

Our belief at Baptist Health is that we are a healing ministry. We provide quality patient care services to all Arkansans with a caring and comforting heart. That is why we are Arkansans’ choice for their health care needs. We have a variety of nursing opportunities, from a Level III NICU to a 90-bed Critical Care area. Baptist Health offers top quality benefits for employees. We look for nurses who think critically and are compassionate and serviceoriented. We want to offer a “World Class” environment for everyone. Please apply online at baptisthealthcareers.com.

Children are at the center of everything we do. As the only hospital system in the state dedicated solely to caring for children, Arkansas Children’s is able to uniquely shape the landscape of pediatric care in Arkansas. Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock is in the elite 6 percent of hospitals in the world that have achieved Magnet Status, and are ranked by U.S. News & World Report in seven specialities. Arkansas Children’s offers a wide range of opportunities for nurses, from direct patient care to staff education, research, administration, nursing informatics and much more! To learn more about a rewarding career serving as a Champion for Children, visit archildrens.org or call us at (501) 364-1398.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS

MEET THE SCHOOL & HOSPITAL RECRUITERS

BAPTIST HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER

Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times4 SEPTEMBER 2022 ARKANSAS TIMES

BAXTER REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER

The University of Arkansas offers four online nursing programs: the LPN to BSN, the RN to BSN, the master’s in nurse educator and the Doctor of Nursing Practice with concentrations in adult-gerontol ogy acute care nurse practitioner and family nurse practitioner. We also offer a graduate certificate in nurse educator and post-master’s certificates in adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner and family nurse practitioner.

All students in online programs pay in-state tuition. Our pro grams are designed for working professionals with student support from application to graduation. Learn more at online.uark.edu/ nurse or email us at online@uark.edu.

Pinnacle Pointe Behavioral Healthcare System is committed to consistently delivering a system of qual ity behavioral health care with integrity to children and adolescents in concert with their parents, care givers, guardians and community professionals. The team at Pinnacle Pointe Hospital is both passionate and highly experienced. Our dedication to the high est standard of quality helped us attain the prestigious Governor’s Quality Achievement Award. This award recognizes Pinnacle Pointe Hospital’s commitment and practice of quality principles through a thorough process of excellence. Visit our website to apply: pin

PINNACLE POINTE BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

Baxter Regional Medical Center, located in beautiful Mountain Home, was the first Magnet® hospital in northern Arkansas and southern Missouri and was named by Modern Healthcare and Arkansas Business as one of the Best Places to Work in 2021 and 2022. Our hospital is a place our nurses and staff call home; we are family! Our CNO believes in servant leadership, and shared governance ensures that our nurses have a voice in their practice.

Kim Beavers, Recruiter

Now is the perfect time to join our family, as Baxter Regional officially becomes Baxter Health! We know you’ll fall in love with the Ozarks, our lakes and rivers, and most of all, our hospital and culture. Visit www.workwhereyouvacation.com for more information and to apply online.

Most coursework in our programs is online, and most programs also include clinical coursework done through preceptorships in your geographic area wherever possible. The DNP requires period ic on-campus sessions.

ARKANSAS CHILDREN’S

Baptistnaclepointehospital.com/career-opportunities/HealthRecruitmentTeam

C o n g r a t u l a t i o n

Brenda Trigg, DNP, GNP, RN, CNE Director of Nursing

METHODIST FAMILY HEALTH

Jefferson Regional Medical Center a 10-county area, so our nurses prepared for a busy and diverse From neurology to cardiology, surgery to orthopaedics, JRMC staff that represents 25 different so our program offers many different opportunities for our staff to experience. pride ourselves on patient-centered family atmosphere among our we go the extra mile to help our JRMC provides pay and benefits, including additional sation for nurses with advanced a six-month nurse residency program just out of school. Your success and it all benefits our patients, reason we are all in the health sion. If you’re interested in a nursing JRMC, contact me at florygi@jrmc.org.

OUACHITAUNIVERSITYBAPTIST

Mary E Moix, Conway Regional Health System

Taaja Newhouse, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System

Dana Lawrence, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Samantha McClard, Recruiter

Kirbi Cates, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System

CHI St. Vincent Infirmary is Arkansas’s first hospital to achieve Magnet status for professional nursing practice. As a health system with facilities located throughout the state, our focus is the health and well-being of Arkansans. We have served Arkansas since 1888 with a history of many firsts and numerous awards for patient care. When you join CHI St. Vincent you will enjoy the career you deserve, the quality of life you’ve been looking for, the joy of serving in our ministry, a comprehensive benefits package for you and your family, continued education opportunities, and much more! Sign-on bonuses and higher pay for all RNs + increased pay for clinical ladder! To join our team of health care heroes, see more info at chistvincent.com/nurses.

Caitlyn Fee, Conway Regional Health System

Lindsay Carlisle, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Director of Nursing

Chad Dugger, Arkansas Children's Northwest Chaquita Edmond, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System Dalton Janssen, Arkansas Children's Hospital

your classroom and clinical education. Come join us at ATU...where “Every Student Counts.”

Hannah Hamilton, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Whitney Ochoa, Arkansas Department of Health

Brenda Trigg, DNP, GNP, RN, CNE

Methodist Family Health is a statewide continuum of care for Arkansas children and their families who are abandoned, abused, neglected, and struggling with psychiatric,behavioral, emotional, and spiritual issues. We have immediate openings for nurses who love children and want to see them thrive. We offer full-time, part-time, and contract positions; sign-on, retention, and Christmas bonuses; tuition assistance; public service loan forgiveness; a complete suite of insurance; 401(k) with match; telemedicine for outpatient programs, generous personal time off (PTO) and much more. Visit https://www.methodistfamily. org/work-for-us for more information and to apply.

Jefferson Regional Medical Center

Arkansas Tech University (ATU) Department of

Ouachita’s nurse educators are committed to helping students grow academically and spiritually through any one of the university’s three B.S.N. de gree pathways. Initially approved by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing, our 4-year residential pre-li censure program gives students the opportunity to re main on campus and participate in the full Ouachita experience. Through our RN-to-BSN online program, licensed Registered Nurses with no restrictions can earn a B.S.N. in 9-12 months. And our distinctive RN-to-BSN dual enrollment completion program in partnership with Baptist Health College in Little Rock offers a pathway to earn two degrees (A.A.S. and B.S.N.) in four years. Students completing either in-person degree track may also earn a B.A. in in ternational missions, Spanish or biology or a B.S. in psychology with only one additional year of study. Learn how Ouachita’s B.S.N. degree programs can help you meet your educational goals at obu.edu/ nursing or by calling (870) 245-5110.

Kacie Parrish, Northwest Arkansas Forensic Nurse Team

Karen McDowell, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System

Lyndi Mullinax, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Deonna Wissler, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Grady Ellington, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System

Gigi Flory Nursing Recruiter

Janise Sanders, Arkansas Children's Hospital

Megan Blagg, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Josy Nduku, University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Jose Puga, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System

Lindsey Bourne, Baptist Health System Little Rock

Nycole Oliver, Baptist Health System

Elizabeth Riley, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Geneva Rose King, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System

Monique Thammavong, Baptist Health Medical Center Little Rock

Stephanie Bartlett, University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Tammy Gaines, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System

ARKTIMES.COM SEPTEMBER 2022 5Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times

Peggy Henderson, Director of Nursing

Judy Staley, University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Nathan Haley, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System

Jacqueline McEuen, Little Rock School District

CHI ST. VINCENT

Brandy Shell, Senior Recruiter

Tonya Freeman, Senior Recruiter Jessica Cedillo, Recruiter

— Josh Ok, CHI St. Vincent

Still interested? Great! Arkansas, like the rest of the nation, is experiencing a severe shortage of nurses due to the general population living longer and longtime nurses moving into re tirement. The coronavirus pandemic of the last two-plus years has also pushed some nurses into other professions due to stress and burnout. Now more than ever, nursing needs you.

Nursing

One thing you will hear over and over again from nurses is that they didn’t choose their ca reer, the career chose them. Nursing is more than a job you do; it’s a calling that speaks to who you are and how you’re wired. Everything else about nursing — where you go to school, where you choose to work and how far you choose to take your career — builds from that one central desire to serve others in their hour of need.

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If you are reading this, chances are you are considering becoming a nurse. And to that we say CONGRATULATIONS! You are on the doorstep of one of the tougher and more rewarding careers around. This magazine will give you a glimpse at the various stages of becoming a nurse and building a successful career. You’ll hear from those who are already on the job as they share the real-world wisdom they’ve gained, as well as those who teach nurses in the classroom and on the job how to acquire the skills they need to deliver excellent care.No matter where you are in life or where you come from in Arkansas, nursing provides a well-paid and stable career that deeply im pacts the community each and every day. It will also test the limits of your physical, mental and emotional endurance, forcing you to care for yourself as intentionally as you care for others.

“Humility is also required; I’ve been in the ER for five years and a nurse for nine, and I am always learning new things from nurses much older and younger than myself.”

PHOTOGRAPHERUCAFOLEY,SETHUCA/

SOFT SKILLS

“Reasonscommon.forbecoming a nurse will vary for each person, but one factor that seems univer sal among nurses and nursing students is a high level of concern for patients’ well-being,” said Lisa DuBose, assistant professor of nursing at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville. “Other important attributes for a successful career in nursing include an ability to multitask and to work in settings that may be chaotic and dis tracting.“But the most important attributes, in my opinion, are being able to prioritize the needs of the patient, the tasks to be completed and to think critically when assessing patients and situations.”Asyou take inventory of your skills, you should keep in mind that nursing is applied in many areas outside of the traditional hospital, clinic or doctor’s office setting. So even though common sense will tell you someone who doesn’t like blood or broken bones probably shouldn’t be in the emergency room, that same person might be ideal in a corporate setting teaching employees about healthy lifestyle choices.“Skills vary greatly depending on the setting in which the nurse will work,” DuBose said. “All nursing positions require strong communication and interpersonal skills, but some jobs, such as orthopedics and operating room, for example, will require more physical strength and stamina

is one of the most respected and important jobs in society today. Nurses stand at the bedside and provide care in life’s most joyful moments, such as the birth of a new baby. They’re also there to calm the stressful moments brought on by broken bones or illness. And they’re even there to lend com fort during life’s tragic moments when a loved one dies.

“Nursing is a diverse profession that is inclusive for peo ple of different colors, genders and orientations. My family came to the United States from South Korea when I was 12 and at my hospital, everybody’s voices are heard. That makes me feel safe to share my perspective, and I also enjoy learning something new every day from co-workers from different backgrounds.”

NURSING NOTES

“The biggest thing I would look for in a new nurse is compassion and humility,” said Brett Calcagno with St. Vincent Infirmary in Little Rock. “Where I work in the ER, patients are typ ically in a state of physical and emotional crisis, and their loved ones are either on the phone calling you or at the bedside. It’s important to show them grace and compassion.

“Nurses have to enjoy helping people and love making a difference. It is a service career; you have to like feeling needed to care for and help others in a time of illness. You also have to possess other soft skills such as prob lem-solving and reasoning, exceptional communication skills and a willingness to advocate for your patients’ best —interest.”Janice Ivers, dean of nursing and health sciences, National Park College in Hot Springs

Nursing holds a place for students from all walks of life.

DIVERSITY

Like any career, there’s really no accurate predictor of future success in nursing, but it is possible to assess your personality and skill set strengths and weaknesses to see how you stack up against the basics of what successful nurses have in

SO, YOU WANT TO BE A NURSE...

ME? A NURSE?

Sample Duties: Monitor patients’ health by checking blood pressure, temperature, etc.; administer basic patient care, including changing bandages and in serting catheters; provide basic comfort of patients, such as helping them bathe or dress.

Brett Calcagno, RN CHI St. Vincent Infirmary

* Further broken down by ADN (Associate Degree in Nursing) and BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing)

Sample Duties: Assess patients’ conditions; record patients’ medical histories and symptoms; adminis ter patients’ medicines and treatments; consult and collaborate with doctors and other health care pro fessionals; operate and monitor medical equipment; teach patients and their families how to manage ill nesses or injuries.

Sample Duties: APRNs receive advanced training that allows them to work with more autonomy (lack of direct doctor supervision). Depending on specialty, APRNs may manage anesthesia for surgical proce dures, provide gynecological services, deliver ba bies, independently manage medical treatment and make care decisions.

A lot of the time it’s big things; if you see somebody turning blue and struggling to breathe, it’s easy to know that’s an emergency. But subtler things are harder to pick up on. So, your head’s always on a swivel. You have to be in tune with the small things because that’s what makes or breaks you in this career.

What kind of mentality do you have to have to thrive in that environment?

My paternal aunt is an RN case manager with the VA; my other aunt is a full-time night ER nurse at CHI in Hot Springs. My mother-in-law is an RN, my little brother is an RN and my sister-in-law is a physician’s assistant.

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JOB OUTLOOK

CNA — CERTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANT

APRN — ADVANCED PRACTICE

What inspired you to go into nursing?

BC: I come from a long line of public servants, and one of the reasons I left long-term care and critical care is because you don’t see as many people. On a good day, it’s not uncommon for me to treat 16 to 20 people. That’s a lot of helping in the commu nity. There’s not a month that goes by where I don’t touch somebody’s life in a meaningful way.

RN — REGISTERED NURSE*

Pay scales are greatly affected by region of the country, size of employer and level of a nurse’s ed ucation. For registered nurses, the median salary na tionwide is $77,600, per the Bureau of Labor Statis tics. In Arkansas, that same RN earns a median salary of $61,530. A nurse practitioner, which requires an additional two to three years of school, earns a me dian salary of $99,910 in Arkansas and $121,000 nationwide.

Sources: nurse.org; bureau of labor statistics

Nurses are commonly pictured in patient-facing settings, such as hospitals, clinics and physicians’ of fices, but this just scratches the surface of where nurs es work. Nurses also work in nursing and residential care facilities, public or private addiction and social work settings, mental health practices and hospitals, or conducting research in a lab. They work in facto ries, schools, colleges, cruise ships, military installa tions, prisons and community centers. They provide health care in patients’ homes, maintain records in offices, give lectures in the classroom, testify in court, and some even launch their own businesses in a va riety of fields.

REGISTERED NURSE*

Emergency medicine isn’t for everyone, what’s kept you in it this long?

“The greatest joy in nursing is being there for the patient in their time of need. Nurses are with people from birth to the end of life, and each encounter is unique and special. As nurses, we are privileged to share in life’s happiest moments and in the lowest mo ments. In each experience we give part of ourselves to the patients and families; we love on them, we cry with them and we fight time and illness and disease. All of these make being a nurse one of the most re warding professions.”

BC: My grandmother was a nurse; she did a stint in the ER for a period, then worked on the urology floor at CHI in Hot Springs, back when it was St. Joseph’s. When I was a kid I spent a lot of time in the hospital because of my grandpa, who was a chronically sick man. I learned my times tables on the fourth floor of St. Joseph’s.

* Further broken down by MSN (Master of Science in Nursing) and DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice)

What’s the best thing about working in the emergency department?

HERO SPOTLIGHT

Sample Duties: Clean and bathe patients; turn, repo sition and transfer patients between beds and wheel chairs; measure patients’ vital signs such as blood pressure and temperature; serve meals and help pa tients eat.

“Nursing is the best and the worst,” said Britt Beas ley with UAMS College of Nursing in Little Rock. “The hours are long, the work is hard, and sometimes it feels like no one appreciates you. You can feel lost or as if you do not know what is going on. In those mo ments, it is important to remember why you became a nurse in the first place.

NURSING NOTES

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the nursing profession will grow 9% to 12% — or create roughly 200,000 new RN positions — every year until 2030.

JOB SETTING

LPN — LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE

BC: For me, it’s the most fulfilling. I see people every day in crisis. It’s not just patients, it’s family members as well. They come in when they need us the most and we can make their days and their weeks and their years better.

BC: The biggest part of this job is being able to rec ognize an emergency. I can’t explain how important it is to be able to walk into a room and immediately know when somebody’s in trouble.

WHAT DO THE LETTERS MEAN?

EARNING POTENTIAL

than jobs that are more office-based.”

From a mission that matters, competitive pay, development opportunities, and meaningful benefits, a career at Arkansas Children’s is filled with purpose and fulfilment. Our Total Rewards program includes benefits that go above and beyond to take care of team members at work and at home!

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MAKING CHILDREN BETTER TODAY AND HEALTHIER TOMORROW.

Arkansas Children’s Hospital achieved Magnet Status from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) for nursing excellence and patient outcomes, and is nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report for seven pediatric specialties.

NOW HIRING CHAMPIONS

See What’s Waiting for You. Search for openings and apply at archildrens.org/careers

EOE, Drug-Free, Nicotine-Free Workplace.

“There are nursing programs offered through pri vate companies, health care systems, community col leges, the military and through universities,” DuBose said. “Many stand-alone programs offer degrees for practical nursing and for diploma nursing degrees of fering many entry points for registered nurses. Some of these degree programs are considered stackable and will allow students to earn an entry-level degree, then continue on to an associate’s, bachelor’s, mas ter’s or doctoral degree.”

WHAT ARE CLINICALS?

“Concurrent courses are courses taken in high school that offer the opportunity to earn college cred it. Earning college credit during high school will help you complete some of the required courses to get ac cepted into nursing programs,” Lisa DuBose assistant professor of nursing at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, said.

RN — Two years for an associate degree (ADN); four years for bachelor’s degree (BSN)

WHAT’S THE NCLEX?

LEARNING YOUR CRAFT

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?*

Like any college-level training, nursing school can be a time-intensive and expensive adjustment for students. Fortunately, many high schools now have agreements with local colleges that allow them to get a jump on nursing courses — often at little or no cost — while also helping students acclimate to the level of coursework that must be completed.

Planning your educational pathway is important, as many hospital systems and other employers now consider holding a four-year bachelor’s degree in nursing (or working toward one) the minimum degree required for a registered nurse. Many nurses earn LPN or two-year RN degrees first, then enter the workforce to earn money while they finish the schooling needed to earn their bachelor’s degree. And in some cases, a company may offer tuition reimbursement, which further reduces out-of-pocket expenses.

NURSING PATHWAYS

Nursing is a complex field and therefore the ed ucation required to become a nurse is rigor ous. Nurses literally hold lives in their hands, making a solid academic foundation absolutely es sential.“As health care becomes more efficient and ad vanced, we are seeing more patients with multiple chronic illnesses who are living longer and requiring complex management,” said Elizabeth Riley, clinical assistant professor with UAMS College of Nursing in Little“NursesRock. in the field are being required to utilize more critical thinking skills and clinical judgments to make the best patient care decisions. This requires nurses to combine sound clinical judgments as well as individualized patient preferences for patient-cen tered care that is inclusive to patients from diverse backgrounds with multiple chronic conditions.”

Hands-on training meets classroom work for student nurses.

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“This can be helpful from a time standpoint and may help decrease tuition costs once in college. It is important to check with nursing programs that you might be interested in applying to when deciding what concurrent courses to take.”

“Nursing school is unlike anything else you will do in your life,” said Fairah Solomon, AAS program coordinator with School of Nursing at UA Little Rock. You will make sacrifices daily to put your studies and clinical rotations before anything else that is optional in your life. Being a nurse comes with an enormous responsibility, and getting the student to the point of being safe and ready to take on that responsibility takes a huge commitment from the student and their support system. Nursing school is hard, but the re ward is great.”

CNA — 4-12 weeks

When it comes to nursing education, it is important to find a program that best suits you. Base nursing de grees can be obtained in as little as 12 weeks, on up to four years, with advanced nursing degrees adding years onto that.

LPN — 12 months

Clinicals are a big part of nurses’ education as students begin to put into practice what is learned in the classroom. Students work alongside current nurs es, usually at a hospital, providing care to patients and observing many situations in real time. Students are assigned a clinical instructor called a preceptor, who is responsible for overseeing their work, which includes progressively more responsibility as they go through the program.

APRN — Two to three additional years on top of a bachelor’s degree for master’s degree (MSN); three to four additional years for doctor of nursing practice (DNP)The above time periods are estimated and do not include additional training and certification in specific practice areas or periodic continuing education re quired of all nurses.

MEGAN FOSHEE, SIMULATION OUACHITAASSISTANTCOORDINATOR/PROFESSORBAPTISTUNIVERSITY

THAT’S WHEN I KNEW

Graduating from nursing school is a big accom plishment, but it’s not the last step. Graduates must also pass the NCLEX, the test that certifies a person to practice their profession. There are different versions of the test for LPNs and RNs, but the end goal is the same — to earn a license that certifies them, officially, as qualified to be a working nurse.

I had no idea what I wanted to be when I started college. In my sophomore year, my youngest sister was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes; two years later, she was diagnosed with juvenile epilepsy. I took on a major role in caring for her and decided if I could do that, then I could also take care of other people.

CHI St. Vincent Infirmary is one of 240 hospitals nationwide to receive the American College of Cardi ology’s NCDR Chest Pain — MI Registry Platinum Per formance Achievement Award for 2022. The award recognizes CHI St. Vincent Infirmary’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients and signifies that the healing ministry has reached an aggressive goal of treating patients to standard levels of care as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations.

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NURSING NEWS

During the 2021-22 academic year, the Ouachita Baptist University Department of Nursing celebrated accreditation milestones, offered new degree pro grams and honored the university’s first-ever Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree recipients. Ouachita re ceived prerequisite approval from the Arkansas State Board of Nursing to establish a four-year, residential pre-licensure program offering a bachelor of science in nursing degree. Initial approval was granted by the ASBN in January.

As for those training manikins, UA Little Rock re cently put into service the Lucina AR Childbirth Simu lator, the most advanced and lifelike birthing manikin in existence. Nursing students now get hands-on ex perience for all stages of delivery and rare emergen cy scenarios with incorporation of augmented and virtual reality components. Lucina is funded in part by a grant from the Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation.TheSchool of Nursing at UA Little Rock faculty have been recognized with prestigious awards. Farren Moore received the Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty, while Dr. Josuanne Nduku received the College of Business, Health & Human Services Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching. Six instructors were also included in the most recent Arkansas Cen ter for Nursing’s 40 Nurse Leaders Under 40 list. They are Farren Moore, Fairah Solomon, Anna Williams, Joanna Hall, Crystal Rose and Lakeisha Falls.

Helping students stay on the cutting edge of prac tice, the Professional Development Center at UA Lit tle Rock is a state-of-the-art facility built to meet the needs of health care professionals who are lifelong learners while fostering evidence-based practice for patients. The self-sustaining program for the School of Nursing is accredited by the American Nurses Cre dentialing Center. It also received seed money from Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield to facilitate the continuing education of nurses with expert education al content delivered in multiple formats.

CHI ST. VINCENT/CHI HOT SPRINGS

The first cohort will start in August. This cohort will be among the first students with access to OBU’s new $2.2 million, 6,600-square-foot Nursing Education Center, due to be completed in time for the fall 2022 semester. The simulation and teaching center will be home to a clinical skills lab, five simulated hospital patient rooms, a pharmacy and several high-fidelity medical manikins that will allow students to perfect their assessment, clinical and communication skills.

CHI St. Vincent Infirmary in Little Rock was also named the best hospital in Arkansas for cardiology and heart surgery by U.S. News & World Report in the publication’s Best Regional Hospital rankings for 2021–22. Cardiovascular surgeons with the CHI St. Vincent Heart Institute at the Infirmary in Little Rock have also earned two distinguished three-star rat ings for patient care and outcomes from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the highest quality rating that organization bestows.

In addition to the residential pre-licensure pro gram, Ouachita will offer a psychology and nursing dual-degree program to equip students seeking to integrate faith and career as they build lives of mean ingful work. Through a collaboration between the De partment of Nursing, housed in Ouachita’s Patterson School of Natural Sciences, and the Department of Psychology in the Sutton School of Social Sciences, students can earn both a B.S.N. and a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology.

CHI St. Vincent has been named to the 2022 For tune/Merative 15 Top Health Systems list, the first time CHI St. Vincent has been so recognized. CHI St. Vin cent Hot Springs was named to the 2022 Fortune/ Merative 100 Top Hospitals® list, recognizing the hospital as one of the top performing hospitals in the U.S.The annual list recognizes excellence in clinical out comes, operational efficiency and patient experience following an evaluation of 349 health systems and 3,206 hospitals that are members of those health sys tems. Recognized health systems outperformed peers on metrics such as lower inpatient mortality rates, few er patient complications, care that resulted in fewer health care-associated infections and lower 30-day readmission rates.

Governor Asa Hutchinson presented OBU’s De partment of Nursing with the 2021 Governor’s Qual ity Award during a banquet hosted by the Arkansas Institute for Performance Excellence. One of 12 or ganizations from across Arkansas to be honored last year, Ouachita’s is the only nursing program that re ceived the Governor’s Quality Award independent of its governing association.

What’s Happening in Arkansas Nursing.

The Center for Simulation at School of Nursing at UA Little Rock has long provided students with cut ting-edge learning thanks to medical manikins. Now the acclaimed center has added another element to lend another lifelike dimension to the student experi ence. Audio piped in throughout the space emulates hospital noise, further immersing students in a realis tic work environment. The center’s simulation faculty have been working toward improved suspension of disbelief over the last couple of semesters with the au dio being the next step in that process.

The department was among 41 recipients of a grant totaling more than $3 million from the Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas to fund health initiatives around the state. Ouachita’s nursing program received $131,000 to purchase simulation equipment for the university’s new Nursing Education Center.

SCHOOL OF NURSING AT UA LITTLE ROCK

OUACHITA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY

Technology abounds in nurses education, from medical manikins (left) to computer-driven medical devices.

SCHOOL OF NURSING BEST ONLINE RN TO BSN PROGRAM IN ARKANSAS 12 & 18 month track options ualr.edu/nursing • 501-916-3081  Traditional RN Track & LPN/Paramedic Transition Track  Application cycle every DEC. 15 - JAN. 31  Start working as an RN, while completing the BSN portion online RN track applicants must attend a pre-admission session before applying. Sign up at ualr.at/infosession ASSOCIATE DEGREE (RN):  No Clinicals  Accepting applications year-round (based on licensure)  Start the program before or after taking the NCLEX

Nursing Schools Almanac has recognized the Uni versity of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Nursing in its 2022 ranking of the nation’s 100 best nursing programs. The UAMS College of Nursing ranked No. 82 among the 3,000 institutions exam ined by Nursing Schools Almanac, placing UAMS among the top 3%. Among public nursing schools in the United States, UAMS is listed as No. 44 out of more than 1,800. UAMS was also the only university in Arkansas to make the Top 100.

Nursing Schools Almanac based its rankings on in stitutions’ academic prestige and perceived value; the breadth and depth of nursing programs offered; and the success of students, particularly in their National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) results.

The Arkansas Department of Human Services is a far-reaching state agency tasked with ensuring the health and welfare of Arkansans of all ages. Nurses are especially needed across a variety of job specialties and facilities that serve children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, adults and seniors with disabilities, and more.

• Day treatment programs for children and adults

• Pregnant women using drugs by injection

• Community-based services and supportive life skills

• Pregnant women using drugs/alcohol

UAMS COLLEGE OF NURSING

• 24-hour care in human development centers and private intermediate care facilities

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The DAABHS manages an integrated system of publicly funded mental health care and alcohol, tobacco and other drug prevention and treatment services to Arkansans. DAABHS provides the majority of state-funded behavioral health services by contracting with community providers in multiple regions to ensure statewide coverage. These community health partners provide a full array of traditional and specialized services, including (but not limited to) crisis screenings, drug and alcohol assessments, diagnostic evaluations, medication management, case management and a variety of counseling services.

• Intravenous drug users

The UAMS College of Nursing educates more than 600 students in its bachelor of science in nursing, master of science in nursing, advanced practice regis tered nurse and doctor of nursing practice programs.

THAT’S WHEN I KNEW

• Helping coordinate care needs and case management services

UAMS now offers advanced heart failure therapies to Arkansans, including the left ventricular assist de vice (LVAD). LVAD is a mechanical heart pump used for patients who have reached the end stages of heart failure, either waiting on a heart transplant or longterm patients who do not meet criteria for transplant. The LVAD is a surgically implanted, battery-operated, mechanical pump that helps the failing left ventricle pump blood to the rest of the body.

ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES PROVIDES FULFILLING, VARIED CAREER POSSIBILITIES

LAKENDRA READY, UAMS COLLEGE OF NURSING

The Arkansas Department of Human Services employs people who are passionate about serving others and changing lives for the better. We care for Arkansans of all ages and ensure facilities like child care centers and nursing homes are safe. We are the safety net for the most vulnerable Arkansans. Whether you answer the phones, take applications, protect children, or help care for residents or patients at one of our facilities, you make a difference by working at DHS.Working for the state also provides great perks, including a pension, maternity leave, paid state holidays and much more. At DHS, we take care of our employees so they can help care for others. Visit humanservices.arkansas.gov to learn more.

Nursing became real for me when I began working in the NICU at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Caring for premature babies and building bonds with their families was an unforgettable experience that I will always cherish. I’m now a family nurse practitioner teaching in the gradu ate nursing program at UAMS. Teaching students the science of nursing, skills and concepts necessary to excel in their educational programs is extremely gratifying. I’m truly living my passion.

UAMS MEDICAL CENTER

• Applied behavior analysis for children with autism and specialized autism services

• Developmental screenings, therapy and care plans for infants and toddlers

• Occupational therapy, speech therapy and physical therapy

• Clients with the greatest clinical needs

State-funded mental health and substance use/misuse treatment services are available in all 75 counties, serving adults and children with varying levels and stages of mental illness, including those who have been previously incarcerated or admitted to the Arkansas State Hospital and other treatment facilities. Certain Arkansas populations within DAABHS are identified as priority populations, served through substance use/misuse treatment contracts, including:

In honor of all Arkansas nurses, the UAMS Nurses Rock Committee led the effort to light up Little Rock in recognition of Nurses Week. On May 6, down town Little Rock bridges and selected buildings were donned in blue and white lighting as a meaningful tribute and thank you for the care nurses deliver to Arkansans across the state.

These services include:

Two divisions in which nurses play a substantial role include the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services (DDS) and Division of Aging, Adult and Behavioral Health Services (DAABHS) Health Services. The DDS provides quality services for children and adults with developmental disabilities and delays. Providing clients and their families choices when selecting appropriate services in the local community, DDS provides an array of services through Medicaid-funded programs and federally funded grants.

• Clients from the designated region

the

“At the EMSON, we have no challenges attract ing pre-licensure LPN and RN students to attend our school,” he said. “However, we have an opportunity to welcome new graduate students to enroll in our ad vanced practice nursing/doctor of nursing practice (DNP) programs. We offer multiple ways of educat ing them, from traditional in-person instructions, simu lation and virtual reality to distant learning through the U of A Global Campus.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS ELEANOR MANN SCHOOL OF NURSING Nursing School Welcomes New Executive Director

“EMSON is also poised to be the ‘go-to place’ for students to advance their nursing careers beyond the direct patient-care provider roles,” Casida said. “We are poised to offer programs that will help them develop and launch a progressive, meaningful and impactful leadership career trajectory. This includes emerging nurse-leaders to nurse-executives partner ing with other colleges and departments on campus and

Dr. Jessie Casida, internationally known nurse sci entist, has been named the new executive director of the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing (EMSON) and the George M. and Boyce W. Billingsley Endowed Chair in Nursing at the University of Arkansas in Fay etteville. He joined the nursing school, part of the Col lege of Education and Health Professions on Aug. 1.

“Asoff.the state’s land-grant institution, we care about the health and wellness of all Arkansans. We are ac tively exploring methods to enhance our commitment to the practice, service, policy and research needs in each region, including such things as pediatric obesi ty clinics and smoking cessation resources.”

Casida joins the UA from Johns Hopkins Univer sity, where he led the creation of several graduate degrees in nursing. He also served as an associate professor and as director of leadership programs.

He said some of his first priorities are to push the UA’s quality, advanced-level degrees to the fore front, forge partnerships with various stakeholders in the nursing and health care community, and generally advance the nursing profession in Arkansas.

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Afterculture.”earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing at Bi col University in the Philippines in 1988, Casida he went on to receive a master’s degree in critical-care nursing from Columbia University in New York City in 1996 and a Ph.D. in health sciences with a concentra tion in Health Professions Leadership from Seton Hall University School of Health and Medical Sciences in New Jersey. He has maintained an active nursing practice for more than 30 years in New York, New Jersey, Michigan and Maryland.

Providing advocacy, community, education, and resources to Arkansas's hospitals and health systems for more than 90 years. 501.224.7878

| arkhospitals.org WE SEE

“We’re also in the early phase of developing and implementing an ambitious and bold strategic plan. I’d like to build on the strengths and successes of the EMSON students, staff and faculty that lead to an innovative, collaborative and productive organiza tional

Hospital-based nurses always work as part of a team and most health systems assign a mentor to new

Since high school, becoming a nurse has been my passion and dream. I enjoy helping others and I wanted to build my career toward helping others. Being part of health care and reaching out to achieve a successful outcome in the healing process brings me great joy! I hope I have touched many lives in a positive way, but most of all I pray the Lord has been glorified in my nursing career.

This also brings a new emphasis on patient privacy with hospitals and health systems spending millions on cybersecurity every year. One of the first lessons a new nurse must learn is how to be vigilant in pro tecting patient information — even information on a computer screen in the background of a selfie can be enough to warrant disciplinary action.

“Typically in a hospital you will work 12-hour days,

roughly 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. or overnight 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., usually three days a week. Many hospitals allow you to self-schedule so that you may choose the days that work best for you and your family. In a clinic, you may work eight-hour days, Monday through Friday.”

Nurses in all disciplines must also be comfortable with technology, especially in hospitals and clinics. The days of paper charts and glass thermometers are long gone, replaced by tablets and high-tech equip ment wherever you look.

“In today’s work environment, hospitals are heav ily invested in YOU. They want to spend the time and resources to ensure that you are a long-term and valu able employee,” she said. “Some days on a unit may be hectic and stressful, but units that have excellent teamwork and collaboration help minimize the stress.

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“One thing new nurses often have to learn is how to actively listen,” said Nancy Satterfield with Baxter Regional Medical Center in Mountain Home. “That’s a huge skill. When they come in they’re excited, they’re ready to work, but listening to the nurses who have already walked in those shoes in that area, who have a lot of information to give, it’s often hard for that new nurse to really actively listen.

Above all, nurses have to be comfortable with the fact there’s no such thing as a routine day. A shift may be calm for up until the last hour or two and then ev erything will happen at once. New nurses may wor ry about making a mistake, but every nurse says the

“As a nurse, you will be expected to have some computer knowledge,” Taylor said. “We use comput ers to chart, scan medications and communicate with doctors and other hospital staff. You will be expect ed to be familiar with other hospital equipment like vital sign machines, bladder scanners, medication, supplies and hand-held devices to communicate with other staff and team members.”

JOINING THE TEAM

THAT’S WHEN I KNEW

Soft skills, such as bedside manner, are essential to today’s nurse.

“I believe the secret to getting up to speed and working well with your team members would be to have an open mind, and a willingness to learn and try new things,” said Monique Taylor with UAMS Medical Center in Little Rock. “If you come into this as a new journey with an open mind and willingness to take constructive criticism, you will learn a lot about yourself and take something from it you can add to better your career in nursing.”

“You also have to be open to ideas; sometimes they’ll put you with two or three different nurses, so you learn two or three different ways to do whatever it is. Really engage with each person that you come in contact with to try and learn as much as you possibly can.”So what’s it like to work in a typical hospital? Ac cording to Janet Smith of National Park College in Hot Springs, each environment is a little different, but there are plenty of similarities.

nurses to give them a single go-to for questions or sit uations that come up. Mentors play an integral role in the life of a new nurse as well as the various levels of nurse management in a typical unit.

Everyone feels out of place to some degree as they start a new job, but not everyone faces the life-and-death pressures that nurses do. As a new member of the team, the expectation is that you come ready to do the work you were trained to do, own your responsibilities and do your share of the heavy lifting. But it’s also absolutely essential to know when to shut your mouth, listen and learn from those who have been there and done that.

DASIE JACKSON, ORTHOPEDICS/ENT UAMS MEDICAL CENTER

How did you personally encounter nursing growing up and how did that inform the kind of nurse you wanted to be?

JS: I am. My grandmother was a nurse, my aunt is a nurse practitioner. And I have multiple cousins who are nurses and one cousin who’s on the state Board of Nursing. Nurses are all over our family.

learned nursing as a community resource. During de livery I had problems, and I understood if it wasn’t for the clinic nurses, I probably would have died. Those nurses are the reason I made it through, basically. That really opened my eyes to what I could do as a nurse. What made you want to go into teaching?

JS: I come from a small town. When I met my high school sweetheart and I got pregnant at 17, I

You’re a third-generation nurse?

Judy Staley, MSN, RNC-OB, CNEn School of Nursing at UA Little Rock

same thing: Mistakes will happen. At the same time, they say, retaining a little of that “rookie fear” is a good“Whenthing.I was a new nurse 26 years ago, I was working the night shift on a med surg floor,” said An gela McJunkins with National Park College in Hot Springs. “I was having a discussion with a seasoned nurse about when I could expect to feel comfortable in my role. The advice she gave me was, ‘It is always good to be a little scared or nervous. That means you are safe. When you get comfortable, you are more apt to make a mistake. Always realize that you can’t possibly know everything there is to know about nurs ing. Keep learning every shift.’ I came to realize that she was right.”

JS: You need a little bit of everything. When I came in, I did not realize how much it really takes, not only physically but emotionally. Nursing is hard; you have to have the heart for it. You have to want to help peo ple and be there for them on the best day of their life and the worst day of their life. That’s nursing. You also have to be a fighter and be that advocate for the patient who can’t stand up for themselves. You have to have the emotional strength to step into one room and be happy and excited, but then step into an other room and sit on the side of the bed and cry with them. It’s not anything about you, nothing about you whatsoever. It’s about who you are taking care of and being there for them.

JS: I told myself I would never be a teacher, ever. At the time, I was working at the bedside at UAMS, which is a teaching hospital, and I’ll never forget the first stu dent who followed me around and asked me all these questions. I was telling her all the things we do and how we help people, and I got so excited teaching her and seeing the light in her eyes. It was really fun. As an educator, what would you tell some one considering nursing as a career?

ARKTIMES.COM SEPTEMBER 2022 17

Tell me what a typical day looks like for LG:you.At the hospital, we work 12-hour shifts, get ting to the hospital at 6:30 a.m. We get the re port handoff from the night shift usually around 7 a.m. and do our assessments — assessing pupils, checking grip strength, checking whenever peo ple smile at us to make sure one side of their face isn’t Thendrooping.beginsmorning med pass. On the neuro floor, we have a lot of patients who aren’t able to swallow properly, so we crush up medications to administer them through tubes. A lot of our pa tients need help with activities of daily living, so we help them brush their teeth, get dressed, take their showers. We’re also working very closely with physical therapists to help rehabilitate pa tients,

“One of the beautiful things about nursing is that there are many levels within the nursing field that al low for degree advancement and promotion oppor tunities,” said Cesalie Wallace, clinical instructor, UAMS College of Nursing.

HERO SPOTLIGHT

Why this nursing specialty?

thesia. We are the inaugural cohort, and it is com posed of 18 students of which seven are minorities, seven are women and our program director is a His panicLikewoman.”anyother

One particular advantage of the nursing profes sion is a pronounced emphasis on boosting diversity in all areas of practice. At one time, the vast majority of nurses in America were represented by white, En glish-speaking females, but that picture has changed dramatically as health systems have realized that hir ing nurses that reflect the patient population results in better outcomes. Today, the percentage of male nurses and nurses of color in all specialties is growing rapidly.

“Entry level nursing can include certificate-pre pared licensed practical nurses or registered nurses who are educationally prepared with either a diplo ma, associate or bachelor’s degree. Advanced prac tice nursing can include a variety of specialty certi fications for master’s or doctorate prepared nurses.”

These are patients who are battling strokes, spinal cord injuries, that sort of LG:thing?

“Diversity is important in the health care industry because it offers different perspectives which lead to better outcomes for patients. It also fosters under standing and effective communication, which im proves the patient/provider relationship,” said reg istered nurse Yolanda Shaw, a student anesthetist at UAMS College of Nursing.

LG: I remind patients recovery and rehabilitation take time. It took me almost a year and a half to see the full extent of my recovery and I did not recover 100% on my left side. Maybe their recov ery just starts slower or maybe they’ll see a big improvement down the road. I just always try and be a place of hope and let them know they aren’t alone and there are people going through it the same as them.

Yes, as well as people with back injuries, back surgeries, people with illnesses such as Guillain-Barré syndrome, seizure patients. Any thing that has to do with the brain and the spine, we deal with.

“I am currently in graduate school for nurse anes

Nursing is one of the few professions that truly offers something to fit every skill set and inter est. The good thing about that is, you never have to worry about being stuck in one place forever if you choose not to be. The downside of this is there are so many options, it can be overwhelming when deciding the next steps in your career.

long-range project, taking your pro fession from a first job to a lifelong career takes plan ning and goal-setting. Take stock of your abilities and interests just like you did when you were considering nursing in the first place and take an honest assess ment of what you like and don’t like when it comes to the workplace, duties performed, hours, etc.

“Nursing is a profession of lifelong learning. If you’re not continuously continuing your education, then you are practicing outside of current trends and evidence-based practice,” said Fairah Solomon with the School of Nursing at UA Little Rock. “Continuing education for career development includes masters or doctorate degrees in a variety of specialties. The sky’s the limit in nursing and you can reinvent yourself as many times as you’d like. So, aim high and don’t give up.”

How do you help patients maintain the proper outlook, even when healing is slow and improvement is incremental?

Maybe you prefer a smaller employer versus a larger one or perhaps you prefer dealing with pa tients in a certain age group. Maybe you find cancer treatments more fulfilling than the ICU or maybe your talents lie in the classroom, the laboratory or even in the air as a flight nurse.

LG: Actually, I had two strokes at the age of 16. At the end of my junior year, I had no idea what my path was for college, but after I had those strokes and was hospitalized for a month, I decid ed I wanted to be able to give back to people the way those nurses poured into me. So, that’s how I chose nursing.

Lara Beth Gore, BSN UAMS Medical Center

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Anything you could want to do in nursing is there for the asking, but it won’t just happen. You may have to relocate or start over at the bottom of the seniority ladder. You will almost assuredly have to complete more schooling, which takes additional time and money. Be honest with yourself about what you can handle and what you’re willing to sacrifice in the short term to reach your ultimate goal.

Modern nursing runs on collaboration and teamwork.

FROM JOB TO CAREER

Mountain Home has a life of its own, and you can feel it. You can feel it in its wind, in its wilderness and along its rivers, lakes and trails. You can feel it in the people. Now imagine unwinding here after your shift with the neighbors, the nature, and a world-class team of caregivers who make up the heartbeat of Mountain Home.

Regional Medical Center is becoming

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Commute.

Baxter Baxter more at baxterhealth.org.

www.WorkWhereYouVacation.com

Experience a place where balance is our way of life.

Health. Learn

Stay EnjoyAwhile.theMorning

Current median salary: $64,000 (U.S.)

JOBS IN DEMAND

Neonatal Nurse

Estimated job growth: 17%

Education: Master’s degree

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

What are some other things new nurses need to learn?

BC: I used to teach nursing and I told them to go out and have fun. I used to tell them, “Everything I’m telling you, I’ve had to learn the hard way.”

BC: The simple things, like holding a hand, a pa tient who’s by himself or herself, who has no fami ly. A patient who is on their deathbed, taking their last breath and you’re there. That’s what a lot of the new nurses come out saying inspires them and gets that adrenaline that they were able to touch this Sittingpatient.with the spouse at the bedside who has been married for 60 years. This happened to me just a couple of weeks ago, in fact. I sat with the family, got to pray over him and hug him. We all held hands, the nurses and everybody who was there, his family. Those moments still inspire me. As a nurse, I still consider it a privilege to take care of people like that.

Laughter, making it fun is a good team builder, too. We’re a big family with a lot of different per sonalities. We’re not perfect, but at the end of the day we’ve got each other’s backs and we’re fam ily. We’re here for that purpose.

Minimum education: Bachelor’s degree

Current median salary: $57,000 (U.S.)

Source: healthcaresupport.com

Dialysis Nurse

ICU Nurse Median Salary (U.S.) — $120,243

Estimated job growth: 20%

General Nurse Practitioner Median Salary (U.S.) — $120,680

Estimated job growth: 25%

Clinical Nurse

Source: nurse.org

After all of these years, what still inspires you or humbles you about this job?

subscribe today arktimes.com

Nurse Practitioner

HERO SPOTLIGHT

Estimated job growth: 19%

Current median salary: $65,000 (U.S.)

Current median salary: $94,000 (U.S.)

Beverly Crabb, RN Baxter Regional Medical Center

Job summary: Dialysis nurses treat patients at dial ysis centers whose kidneys no longer function well enough to filter waste from their blood due to old age or another conditions.

Minimum education: Master’s degree

Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times20 SEPTEMBER 2022 ARKANSAS TIMES

Current median salary: $67,000 (U.S.)

Job summary: A nurse advocate represents the inter ests of a patient’s family in a care setting. They are a crucial part of the relationship between the patient and involved medical professionals, helping to clarify terms of care, billing, treatments and more.

HIGHEST PAID JOBS (2022)

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse Median Salary (U.S.) — $118,586

Median Salary (U.S.) — $113,114

How long have you been a nurse?

BC: I’ve been a nurse 38 years in December. I’ve been here at Baxter for about 18 years of that. What’s the secret to being in the industry that long?

Nurse Advocate

Estimated job growth: 19%

Minimum education: Bachelor’s degree

And one thing I realized was laughter is one of the best medicines, that and chocolate.

Job summary: Work with premature babies, often in the NICU, until they mature enough to go home with their parents.

Job summary: Provide a high standard of care to pa tients in hospital settings suffering from advanced or serious health conditions such as chronic illness, heart disease or cancer.

Job summary: One of the most in-demand nursing jobs in the industry, nurse practitioners typically work under the supervision of a doctor administering tests, prescribing medications and diagnosing certain types of ailments. In some areas, practitioners are permitted to have their own standalone practices.

BC: What I’ve learned through the years is this job is what you make it. A lot of the young ones come out of school, the new ones on the floor, and they’ll say, “Oh, it’s a bad day.” I’ll say, “No, a bad day is when you’re the one wearing the hospital gown, you’re waiting on a diagnosis or you’re dying and nobody’s there. That’s a bad Granted,day.” sometimes it’s a rocky road. When that happens, when you hit the door and leave the building, you have to leave it there. No mat ter what’s going on in your life, when you hit the door, leave it at the door.

Education: Bachelor’s degree

I got my phone out one time and played “Sweet Caroline” and we all sung it around a patient’s bed. I mean, just belted it out. Our CEO came by and smiled. That’s what we do.

Median Salary (U.S.) — $195,610

■

Arkansas’ most comprehensive nursing college with new program options: Accelerated BSN (located on Northwest Arkansas campus)

■ 50% Tuition discount (undergraduate) at U of A System colleges for full-time employees

■ Statewide opportunities in many areas, clinics and units

Already a nurse and looking for the best place to work? Nurses are the heart of UAMS.

■

ARKTIMES.COM SEPTEMBER 2022 21Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times WE’RE IN IT FOR YOU. YOU’RE IN IT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE ONLINE.UARK.EDU /NURSE BACHELOR’S, MASTER’S, DOCTORATE Online nursing programs are designed to meet the educational requirements for occupational licensing in the state of Arkansas. Individual state boards of nursing may regulate out-of-state nursing education programs or clinical placement courses. Visit online.uark.edu/nurse for current state authorization information by program. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program, the Master of Science in Nursing degree program and the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program at the University of Arkansas Eleanor Mann School of Nursing are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (www.aacnnursing.org/CCNE). Choose the Best. Choose UAMS. Whether you’re looking for the right place to further your education or the right place to start your nursing career, UAMS is the best choice for you.

Visit nurses.UAMS.edu for Nurse Recruitment

Visit nursing.UAMS.edu for Student Recruitment

■ Market competitive salaries at our states only academic medical center

■ MNSc in Case Management DNP Nurse Anesthesia

My heart knew at this moment that it was my calling to become a nurse. And here I am, after 40 years, still caring for elders and passing the torch to the next group of angels!

CAROL MCKEEVER, PHD., RN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OUACHITA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY WHEN I KNEW

learn more, visit SHAREarkansas.com.

After my first year of college as a business major, my grandmother suffered a heart attack. I was home when it occurred, as sessed her for the doctor on the phone and cared for her until the ambulance arrived.

Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times22 SEPTEMBER 2022 ARKANSAS TIMES

THAT’S

Having a different ethnic background is useful because we treat a lot of people [from] outside Little Rock and Arkansas, and I can relate to them. If they have a language barrier or a cul tural barrier, I can relate to that.

NP.EDU/ NURSING NURSING NEEDS YOU. Nurses Needed NOW LPNs and RNs – if you really care for kids, we need you NOW. METHODIST FAMILY HEALTH Competitive salary and incentives are available. MethodistFamily.org/work-for-us

My diversity helps me in many areas of nursing. As a male nurse, I help other nurses because we do a lot of turning and moving pa tients from bed to bed. It also helps to be a man when there’s a patient who feels more comfort able with a male nurse.

JOSH OK, RN, ADN CHI St. Vincent

JO: My sister is a nurse, so I always knew it was a very stable career. I also love helping people. What really made me choose nursing was, I got married, had a kid and I needed a job where I didn’t travel all the time.

I started taking classes and getting the prereq uisites done and I was like, “This could be it for me.” I was originally thinking of nursing as Plan B, but as I learned more about it, I was like, “I’ve got to do this.”

You are something of a unicorn: a male in nursing, an immigrant, and even new to Arkansas. How do those elements of your background help you in your ca

Why change to nursing?

JO: No. After graduating college, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I got an opportunity to in terview with Samsung and I got the job. I loved it; I got to travel a lot, I loved meeting people and doing projects.

JO:reer?

HERO SPOTLIGHT

JO: It truly was. We moved in January or Febru ary of 2020. Once we moved, I started working as a patient care tech at UAMS and I saw a lot of COVID patients, a lot of people getting sick. I really wanted to help out, even though as a tech you’re limited in what you can do.

You came to Little Rock in 2020, which was a crazy time to earn a new de gree and start a new career, especially health care.

You didn’t start out in the nursing field, did you?

What specialty did you focus on after nursing Ischool?wanted to work in the pulmonary ICU because that’s where some of the sickest people are. And at that time especially, people were dying and not able to have visitors and just being there alone.

I’m the chief nurse executive, and I’m primarily responsible for patient care for our four cam puses. In my current role, I’m not the one who provides hands-on patient care, but I did when I started my career at our Morrilton campus.

SC: When I was a kid, I used to go to the hospital monthly to get a shot for an ailment. The nurses would hold me down because I didn’t like nee dles and I would kick, scream, holler and fight. Then this one time, there was this new nurse who was different from the others. She sat me down and explained I had to have the shot. She said she knew it hurt, she knew it’s uncomfortable but if we work together, we can get it done. That’s when I said, “I want to be a nurse be cause that’s a cool job.”

A nurse is someone who wants to take care of oth ers; you have to have that in you. You have to be that person with the right combination of person ality, professionalism and a compassionate heart. And for me personally, I always try to choose a positive attitude when I’m going into work or any situation I deal with. The best decision you can make in the day is your attitude.

HERO SPOTLIGHT

What is your current role and what does your job entail?

HERO SPOTLIGHT

I will always value my time there.

It was. Morrilton is a smaller facility, so I was able to learn many different nursing disciplines. It was a place where I was taught a lot and I learned a lot.

What was your motivation for going into nursing?

After stops in the ICU and ER, how did you get involved with Methodist Behavioral Hospital serving kids?

I grew up in Beebe and I went to nursing school at the University of Central Arkansas in Con way, graduating in 1994. I’ve been a nurse for 28 years now and have worked for CHI St. Vin cent my entire career.

OBU.EDU/NURSING ANSWER

SG: Do not internalize. Take things in stride. The thing you have to learn is at the end of your shift, do not take things home with you because you will burn out real quick. The thing I tell people is, and it may sound harsh, but I always tell myself it’s not my emergency, it is the patient’s emer gency. I’m just here to try to get them through it. I’m here to try to make the worst day of their life better.

Shernette Coleman, RN Methodist Behavioral Hospital who are committed

What skills or attributes are foundational to being a good nurse?

I think the intensity, the pace, the demands on you and the demands on your family all take ad justment. The direction that we have tried to go is supporting new nurses in a different way. When I started, you went through orientation for a few weeks and then there you go. Nowadays, you have nurse residency programs that devote a good six months to a year to new nurses, pairing them with a mentor for guidance. It’s much differ ent than it was 28 years ago.

What’s your best advice for nurses, whether they’re in physical nursing or behavioral nursing?

The more she talked, the more I wanted to work for them. It’s amazing how you can stumble upon something on purpose.

SC: I went to the University of South Florida, and as with many young individuals, I partied my way out of school. I got home and I didn’t have any plans, but apparently my dad did, because one day the phone rang and it was a Navy recruiter. I ended up serving six years in the Navy where I was a hospital corpsman. Did you have a role model in nursing?

SC: I had quit nursing altogether to care for my mother and, to be honest, I was struggling with staying in nursing.

That sounds like very good training for the leadership role you’re in now.

I had no idea Methodist even existed, didn’t know anything about what they did. But I got a job interview and I wound up speaking with their director of nursing for an hour and a half. She told me everything they did with these kids, and it was everything I had been searching for. I was like, “Oh my goodness, there is a place where I can actually feel like I make a differ ence, even if it’s in one kid’s life.”

Angie Longing, MHSM, BSN, RN, NE-BC CHI St Vincent

to helping you growandacademicallyspiritually. THREE WAYS TO EARN YOUR BSN FROM OUACHITA: *ON CAMPUS DUAL RN-TO-BSNENROLLED(ONLINE) *Initially approved by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing The nursing program at Ouachita Baptist University, located in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), 3390 Peachtree Road, NE Suite 1400, Atlanta, GA 30326, (404)-975-5000.

Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times24 SEPTEMBER 2022 ARKANSAS TIMES

LEARN MORE AT YOUR CALLING.

I was a labor and delivery nurse, worked medsurg, worked emergency department and worked intensive care.

Where did you grow up and where did you receive your nursing education?

Learn from nurse educators

What is the most common “rude awaken ing” for new nurses?

ARKTIMES.COM SEPTEMBER 2022 25Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times BHA Job #19042 LPN Job #19050 RN Job #19056 IS NOW HIRING RNS, LPNS BEHAVIORAL&HEALTH AIDES • Generous leave time • Excellent state benefits • Retention & sign on bonuses • Evening, night, & weekend differentials • Work at Arkansas’s largest mental health hospital GREAT BENEFITS STATEARKANSASSTATEARKANSASHOSPITALHOSPITAL AR.GOV/DHSJOBS APPLY!TOSCAN IS NOW HIRING RNS, LPNS BEHAVIORAL&HEALTH AIDES

Leslie Moore, Arkansas Children’s

Taking care of someone’s someone is the most precious gift we as nurses have. Be present; honor and respect this special time.

We come across so many life experiences in this profession. We make friends that become family. We are lifelong learners. We watch life come into this world, and we watch life leave. Nursing is a profession of compassion, trust and caring. Nursing isn’t just a job — it’s a calling.

You may see events that will never leave your memory. Make sure these events don’t hold you hostage; a house of worship, prayer, meditation, exercise, healthy diet and adequate sleep will all go a long way toward preserving resiliency and fostering your physical and emotional health.

Never discredit your gut instinct. If something deep inside of you says something is not right about your patient, trust it! It could save their life.

Jenny Janisko, Arkansas Children’s

When you make a mistake, you have to take ownership of it. The mistakes you make will be the most memorable learning experiences of your life.

Best advice I ever got: Get a tough hide, girl! Best advice I could give: Love others well by learning to love and care for yourself first. The value of self-care is undervalued.

One key element to getting through the first year of nursing is to take feedback constructively into your practice. Feedback is an excellent tool for growth, both personally and professionally. Fellow nurses want you to succeed; hearing and using feedback from your nursing peers can positively guide your nursing career.

The best feeling is seeing someone get better and leave the hospital. Knowing you made a difference in the life of someone while they were in a difficult and vulnerable place means a lot, even if they don’t realize it at the time. They may not remember your name or your face, but if you treat them the way you would want to be treated, they will remember the care they received.

Be open to learning from everyone you encounter. Return to school for an advanced nursing degree. It may open doors to an unexpected career opportunity. Most importantly, remember to take care of yourself. Take a break before you’re broken!

Chad Duggar, Arkansas Children’s Northeast

When dealing with a difficult patient, sometimes you need to get to the root of why they’re being “difficult.” I like to sit down eye level with them and really ask what’s going on. Are they hurting? Are they upset that their family isn’t here? Sometimes, if you can solve that problem, the patient isn’t “difficult” anymore.

Debra Jeffs, Arkansas Children’s

Shannon Wyatt, Arkansas Children’s

Show compassion to your teammates as well as patients. Every one has their days; just being positive and encouraging to your co-workers goes a long way. You never know what someone is dealing with outside of work.

You have to know when you need a break. Take your time off. Don’t pick up every shift you are offered. You can’t be a good nurse if you are running on empty.

Sarah Launius, UAMS Medical Center

Jeannie Roberts, CHI St. Vincent

Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times26 SEPTEMBER 2022 ARKANSAS TIMES

Kerri Daughety, UAMS Medical Center

Deborah (Deb) Hutts, UAMS Medical Center

Kristen Newton, Arkansas Children’s

Tracey Carey, UAMS Medical Center

Kathryn Walton, UAMS Medical Center

I have had the honor of being with people as they were born and with others as they have died. There is something very powerful about the role of nursing through the bookends of life. We have the ability to make human connections with individuals during some of the most profound moments of their lives, and that gift is perhaps the most humbling and greatest joy of nursing.

Shanna Prater, Arkansas Children’s

WHAT I’VE LEARNED

Sean Lindsey, CHI St. Vincent

Loss is a part of our job, and it can shake you to your core. The grief needs to be dealt with. Talk to your family, your friends and especially your co-workers. Chances are they are going through the same thing that you are. Do not overlook the pain and sadness you experience.

I am a St. Vincent Nurse.

“When you join my team, you have joined a family. We support each other, teach each other and encourage each other. And if one of our family members is hurting, we all are hurting. But like all families, we work through it together!”

Join Brett and become part of our work family. Sign-on bonuses and higher pay for all RNs + increased pay for clinical ladder!

Brett Calcagno, RN Emergency Room

chistvincent.com/nurses

Brett provides care for patients in the Emergency Room.

2 yr public Semester AAS in RN- LPN/Paramedic to RN

July 1st; Online students pay apply year around

College/University Yrs/Public Private Calendar Degree Offered

BSN (on campus): Ouachita university hous ing RN-to-BSN (online): off campus Dual Enrolled RN-to-BSN completion: Ouachita university housing first 4 semesters, commuter campus while attending BHCLR, off campus for final semester online

February 1st

on campus housing available Varies depending on the type of aid. https://uca.edu/ financialaid/

University of Arkansas - Fort Smith • 479-7887841, 1-888-512-LION

4 yr public Semester AASN (LPN-RN), BSN, RN-BSN, LPN-BSN

Ouachita Baptist Univeristy, Arkadelphia • 870-245-5000

BSN-4yrs, RN to BSN-1yr, MSN-2yrs

ASSOCIATE DEGREE

4 yr public Semester D.N.P., M.S.N., B.S.N., AASN (LPN to AASN and Online LPN to AASN offered at A-State Jonesboro;Traditional and LPN to AASN offered at ASU MidSouth, and ASU-Mountain Home)

University of Arkansas at Monticello • 870460-1069

4 yr public Semester BSN, RN to BSN, MSN (Nurse Educator), BSN to DNP (Family Nurse Practitioner), Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

3 semesters-PN; 2 semes ters - RN commuter campus Priority April 15

East Arkansas Community College, Forrest City • 870-633-4480

contact financial aid (870) 460-1050

University of Central Arkansas, Conway • 501-450-3119

4 yr public Semester BSN, LPN to BSN, RN to BSN, MSN, RN to MSN

2 yr public Semester AAS credit hrs, semesters campus and state deadlines observed.

4 yrs for the Traditional BSN and LPN to BSN on Campus; RN-BSN Online in 1 year (3 semesters)Online MSN has two different tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner and Nursing Administration, both take 2 years to complete. Online HSU Nursing Education Certificate take 1 summer or 2 summer options.

4 yrs for BSN/Varies for RN-BSN

4 yr public Semester RN to BSN, BSN, MSNc (APRN and Admin), BSN to DNP (APRN), DNP (Leadership), and PhD. Post Masters options available.

2 yr public Semester AASN 2 yrs commuter campus April 15th

2 yrs RN, 1 yr PN commuter campus open

commuter

varies on campus housing for Jonesboro July 1st

Federal

4 yr public Semester BSN

2 year commuter campus Priority April 15

Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times28 SEPTEMBER 2022 ARKANSAS TIMES

Priority Oct. 1st

commuter campus Nov. 1

North Arkansas College, Harrison • 870-7433000 2 yr public Semester AAS in Nursing-traditional. LPN, RN Bridge RN-2 yr; RN Bridge-1yr; PN-1yr commuter campus Grant June 30

commuter

4 yr private Semester BSN, MSN FNP, Post Graduate BSN 4 yrs; MSN FN - 2yrs, PG - 2yrs

on campus housing

4 yr public Semester BSN, RN-BSN (online program), MSN (online program), DNP (online pro gram)LPN-BSN (online program)

Arkansas State University - Mountain Home • 870-508-6266

Ozarka College, Melbourne • 870-368-2024 (Admissions) 870-368-2077 (Nursing)

on campus housing varies, visit nursing.uams.edu. Click on Financial Assistance under Future Students

2nd Degree Accelerated, B.S.N. Traditional B.S.N.

Arkansas Tech University, Russellville • 479968-0383

4 yr public Semester AAS - student to RN,LPN/Paradmeic to RN, RN-BSN

Length Of Program Arrangements

Arkansas

Arkansas State University - Jonesboro • 870-9723074 (nursing) • 870-972-3024 (admissions)

4 years for BSN, 3-5 semesters RN to BSN, 2 years part-time MSN, 3 years full-time / 4 years part-time post-BSN-DNP, 2 years part-time post-MSNDNP

student to RN-5 semester, LPN/Paradmeic to RN 3 semesters, RN-BSN 3 or 5 semesters

Priority Dec. 1

on campus housing for BSN students March 15th

none

public Semester AAS in Allied Health-Practical Nursing and AAS in Registered Nursing

2 yr public Semester AAS in Nursing 2 yrs commuter campus Priority April 15 - Rolling

12 months commuter campus open

4 yr public Semester Traditional RN-to-BSNLPNLPN-to-AASNA.A.S.N.-AASN(Online)(OnlineProgram - must have an RN license)

2 yr public Semester AAS Nursing

varies on campus housing for Jonesboro; off cam pus for online RN-BSN

on/off campus June

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, College of Nursing, Little Rock • 501-686-5224

Northwest Arkansas Community College, Ben tonville • 479-636-9222, 800-995-6922

30 hrs pre-req courses, plus 1 yr LPN/Paramedic, Plus 1 yr RN

Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia • 870-235-4040

2 yr public Semester AAS, RN credit hours commuter campus 1st and November 1st

Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas, Helena-West Helena, Stuttgart • HWH 870-338-6474 x1254; Stuttgart 1-870-6734201 x1809

Mississippi County Community College, Bly theville • 870-762-1020

Arkansas Tech University - Ozark Campus, Ozark • 479-667-2117

on/off campus housing varies

National Park College, Hot Springs • 501-7604290 2 yr public Semester Associate of Science in Nursing (RN) traditional & LPN to RN, Technical Certificate in Practical Nursing (PN)

Pell

on campus housing

Harding University, Searcy • 1-800-477-4407, 501-279-4682

BSN (on campus): 4 years RN-to-BSN (online): 9-12 months Dual Enrolled RN-to-BSN completion (in partnership with Baptist Health College Little Rock): 4 years

4 yr public Semester BSN, Online RN-BSN Completion 4 yrs BSN, 1-4 yrs online RNBSN Completion program on campus housing July 1st

4 yr private, faithbased Semester BSN (on campus), initially approved by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing, initially accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing RN-to-BSN (online) Dual Enrolled RN-to-BSN completion (in partner ship BaptistwithHealth College Little Rock)

2 to 4 yrs

Arkansas Northeastern College, Blytheville • 870-780-1228

BSN (4 years); RN to BSN (12 months; 100% online), MSN (5 semesters); BSN to DNP (Parttime 4 years); Post-Master’s DNO (2 years)

ArkansasBACCALAUREATEStateUniversity - Jonesboro • 870-9723074 (nursing) • 870-972-3024 (admissions)

Aid Deadline

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville • 479-5753904

Living

Henderson State University, Arkadelphia • 870-230-5015

on campus housing

June

4 yr public Semester BSN (traditional); RN to BSN online; RN to BSN online enrollment both fall and spring; LPN to BSN on campus; MSN online,Online HSU Nursing Education Certificate

on campus housing varies

BSN generic: 2 full calendar years/ RN to BSN: 1 yr full time/ MNSc, DNP & PhD: students have up to 6 yrs to complete degree requirements.

Univeristy of Arkansas, Little Rock, School of Nursing, Little Rock • 501-569-8081

College of the Ouachitas, Malvern • 800-3370266 ext 1200 2 yr public Semester Technical Certificate in Practical Nurs ing (PN), Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (LPN/Paramedic to RN), Certified Nursing Assistant, Medication Administration Program

2 yr public Semester Associate of Applied Science in Regis tered Nursing mos campus; limited housing units available on campus

ARKTIMES.COM SEPTEMBER 2022 29Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times Scholarship Deadline Required Exams Application Deadline

varies, visit nursing.uams. edu. click on Financial Assistance under Future Students.

No entrance exam required for nursing major. Varies by program – see uca.edu/nursing

Priority March 15, Final August ACT, TEAS at least 60%

Priority April 15 ACT, SAT, COMPASS, or ACCUPLACER RN- March 31

and PAX-RN

The mission of the School of Nursing is to educate, enhance and enrich students for evolving professoinal nursing practice. Nursing programs are accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. www.astate.edu

size, physicians’ offices and geriatric facilities.

students receive excellent healthcare education leading to rewarding careers in nursing. www.northark.edu/academics/areas-of-study/health-and-med ical/index April 1st HESI A2 Track I: May 1st, Track II: Dec. 1st, LPN to RN: Nov. 1st The college of the NWA community, member of Northwest Arkansas Nursing Education Consortium. www.nwacc.edu/academics/nursing. The NWACC Nursing program is ARSBN approved and ACEN accredited April 1st NACE test Aug. 31/Spring entry (application window: Jan 1- Aug 31) Providing life-changing experiences through education. www.ozarka.edu none Nelson Denny Reading Test 10th grade level and 55 on the ATI Critical Thinking Exam June 1st ACEN accredited.

15th

Oct 1st for Spring/ March 1st for Fall

Allied health program offering RN-Nursing (basic LPN comple tion). www.eacc.edu

RN to BSN: Jan. 1, Mar. 1, Jun. 1, Sept. 1, Nov. 1/ BSN generic: Mar. 1/ MNSc: Sept. 1 & Feb. 1/BSN to DNP: Feb 1/ PhD: Mar.1, Jun. 15, Nov. 15 conadmissions@uams.edu • www.nursing.uams.edu

Northark’s www.pccua.edu

The school with a heart. Small classes. CCNE Accredited. www.hsu.edu

February ACT COMPASS varies

varies PN: TEAS, RN: HESI March 15th, October 1st-PN; March 15-RN

RN-BSN is an Online Completion Program. Http://health.uafs.edu/programs/rnto-bsn; health.uafs.edu

Priority Dec 1 TEAS (on campus and dual enrolled)

students,

varies

February 15th ACT, SAT, COMPASS, or ASSET; HESI A2 Nursing Admission Exam or HESI LPN to ADN Mobility Exam

AAS Dec. 15- Jan. 31, RN-BSN, admissions year-round

https://uca.edu/ Varies scholarships/https://uca.edu/

or ASSET; HESI A2 Nursing Admission Exam or HESI LPN to ADN Mobility Exam

Quality nursing education with a focus on Christian service and professionalism. www.harding.edu

varies ACT, ACCUPLACER plus HESI LPN-ADN or HESI EMS-ADN Oct. 15, March 15 (ASUMH starts a second cohort in Summer 2020)

August ( August 1) and January ( apply by January 1)

or SAT or

BSN (on campus): March 1 RN-to-BSN (online): ongoing Dual Enrolled RNto-BSN completion: Priority, Dec. 1, Ouachita; Nov. 30, Ouachita & BHCLR

BSN (on campus): Students may participate in the full Ouachita experience while benefitting from a broad range of options to satisfy required clinical experience. First cohort starts the program in August 2022. RN-to-BSN (online): With small classes and entry points multiple times per year, the program allows licensed Registered Nurses with no restrictions to earn a BSN in 9-12 months. Nursing advisors determine a custom plan of study based on individual student evaluations. Dual Enrolled RN-to-BSN completion: Students can earn two degrees in four years (BSN from Ouachita, AAS from BHCLR) through this innovative, affordable program. Learn more at obu.edu/nursing.

degree

Fall-May1, Spring-Dec 1 COMPASS/ACCUPLACER for the PN Program & Kaplan for RN Program 2nd Friday in Sept. for Jan. admitance; 2nd Friday in Feb. for May admittance to RN program www.coto.edu for additional information. varies ACT, ACCUPLACER / Nursing Pre-entrance exams varies

Priority April 15 PAX-RN March 31st www.mccc.cc.ar.us open ACT, SAT or College Entry Exam & TEAS First Monday in March Options for LPN and new High School seniors. www.np.edu June 15th ACT, ACCUPLACER varies with program

varies No entrance exam required for nursing major.

BSN: Mar 1, Oct 1; RN to BSN: Mar 1, Aug 1, Oct 1; MSN: Ongoing RN to BSN and MSN online, ACEN accredited, www.atu.edu/nursing

varies BSN-ACT or COMPASS, TEAS, RN to BSNNone, MSN-GRE or MAT

March 1st Entrance March 1st Achieve your nursing goals with us. http://www.uamont.edu/pages/school-of-nurs ing/degree-programs/

Application packet and program requirements online. www.asumh.edu

Comments/Home

Page Address

November 15th SAT, ACT, and BSN-DNP Varies

AAS program starts every summer semester, RN-BSN starts every spring, summer, & fall. Ualr.edu/nursing or call 501-916-3081

June 1st ACT/Accuplacer

ANC offers the RN, LPN, and LPN to RN programs of study. www.anc.edu

Nursing programs are accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. www.astate.edu

TOEFL for int’l students, ATI TEAS V for BSN applicants.

Clinical experience in hospitals of varying www.atu.edu/ozark

We offer generalist and advanced nursing degree programs to prepare nurses to meet the health needs of the public in an ever-changing health care environment. The DNP offers two options: family nurse practitioner and acute-geriatric nurse practitioner. nurs.uark.edu

Rolling ACT or SAT Rolling

varies ACT, SAT, or COMPASS

BSN Spring: Jan. 15-Mar. 1 for Fall Admission, Sep. 10 - Oct. 31 for Spring Admission; RN-BSN Completion Program Aug. (prior to classes beginning for Fall Admission, Jan. (prior to classes beginning for Spring Admission)

www.saumag.edu/nursing

Facultyuca.edu/nursingandstaff are committed to student success (low attrition rates). All nursing programs are CCNE accredited. Over 80% of UCA’s undergraduate students receive scholarships and/or grant aid to help cover tuition costs.

2 yr public Spring,Fall, semestersSummerand

private Semester Associate of Applied Science in Nursing 79 weeks

Jefferson Reg. Med. Center School of Nursing, Pine Bluff • 870-541-7858

LPN Technical Certificate, RN Associ ate of Applied Science LPN DeQueen Day Program 11 mos, LPN Nashville Evening Program 18 mos, RN (tran sition from LPN) Nashville Evening Program 11 mos.

*** for Basic nursing edu cation; Varies with previous coursework or nursing license; MSN program = 2 yrs

public Semester Technical certificate in PN 11 mos commuter campus varies

commuter campus July 15th

2 yr public Semester Associate/RN; LPN (Hope); LPN (Texarkana) 12 months (excludes prereq uisites)

SAU Tech, Camden • 870-574-4500

Spring-November;Summer-April

private Semester diploma/PN, Associate of Applied Science in Nursing/RN 2 semester PN commuter campus Priority March 1st

public Semester diploma/PN 3 sem. & 1 Summer session (includes Pre-Reqs) commuter campus July 1/Fall, December 1/Spring

private, faith-based Semester diploma/PN, Associate of Applied Science in Nursing/RN

2 yr public Semester Associate of Applied Science in Reg istered Nursing, Technical Certificate in Practical Nursing, CP in Nursing Assistant 11-12 mos commuter or on-campus housing available in 2020 varies, contact financial aid office

Technical Certificate in Practical Nursing/PN

University of Arkansas Rich Mountain, Mena • 479-394-7622

public Semester AAS in Allied Health-Practical Nursing 3 semesters commuter campus Priority April 15

Southeast Arkansas College, Pine Bluff • 870543-5917

Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas, Helena-West Helena, DeWitt • HWH 870-338-6474 x1254; DeWitt 1-870-946-3506 x 1511

University of Arkansas at Hope-Texarkana • 870-777-5722

AAS-Generic RN 16mos, ASS-LPN-to-RN 12 mos, TC-Practical Nursing 11mos

4 yr public Semester AAS/LPN to RN/BSN 4 semesters on/off campus housing April 1st

National Park College, Hot Springs • 501-7604160 Public Semester Certificate in Practical Nursing 11 mos FT commuter campus none

2 yr public Semester Technical Certificate in LPN, LPN-RN track offered 11 mos. track or 18 mos. track commuter campus with limited housing units available on campus none

Arkansas State University - Newport • 870680-8710

11-month traditional track/22month non-traditional track commuter campus April 15 for upcoming fall semester

Northwest Technical Institute, Springdale • 479-751-8824

Baptist Health College Little Rock • 501-2026200, 800-345-3046

University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical Col lege, North Little Rock • 501-812-2200

public Semester Technical Certificate of Practical Nursing 13 months commuter campus Priority April 15th

2 yr public Semester ADN,LPN 11 mos commuter campus June 1, November 1, April 1

PRACTICAL NURSING

Arkansas State University - Mountain Home • 870-508-6266

public Semester LPN LPN: 40 wks commuter campus Please call 870.633.5411 for more information

University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville • 870-612-2000, 800-508-7878

2 yr public Semester AAS: RN, Generic RN & LPN/Para medic to RN. Technical Certificate: PN PN-1 yr, Generic RN-5 Semesters commuter campus open

2 yr public AugustinBeginsearly and ends yearschoolofmid-Juneineach

RN traditonal track 3 semesters + general education courses PN 1yr. RN Accelerated 1yr (LPNs or Paramedics).

2 yr public Semester Technical Certificate 11 mos commuter campus and on-campus N/A South Arkansas Community College, El Dorado • 870-864-7142, 870-864-7137

2 yr public Semester Technical Certificate in Practical Nursing January to December commuter campus varies

Arkansas State University - Beebe • 501-2076255 public Semester Certificate LPN 11 mos commuter campus varies

PN is 12 months; RN is 12 months after prerequisites are met commuter campus prior to semester

University of Arkansas, Little Rock, Department of Nursing, Little Rock • 501-569-8081

Black River Technical College, Pocahontas • 870248-4000 ext. 4150 2 yr public Semester AAS/RN, Certificate/PN, Certificate of Proficiency/Nursing Assistant AAS/RN 3 semesters, Certifi cate/PN 3semesters, Certificate of Proficiency/Nursing Assis tant 5 weeks.

2 yr public Semester certificate/PN 10.5 or 12 months (excludes prerequisites) commuter campus July 15th

Arkansas Northeastern College, Blytheville • 870-780-1228

University of Arkansas - Cossatot, DeQueen and Nashville • 870-584-4471, 800-844-4471

Ozarka College, Melbourne • 870-368-2024 (Admissions) 870-368-2077 (Nursing)

Baptist Health College Little Rock • 501-2026200, 800-345-3046

commuter campus varies

College of the Ouachitas, Malvern • 800-3370266 ext 1200 2 yr public Semester Technical Certificate in Practical Nursing 12 months commuter campus

2 yr public Semester Technical Certificate 42 credit hrs; 3 semesters commuter campus Federal and state deadlines observed.

off campus only none

University of Arkansas at Monticello College of Technology, McGeHee • 870-222-5360

Crowley’s Ridge Technical Institute • Forrest City • 870-633-5411

Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times30 SEPTEMBER 2022 ARKANSAS TIMES

ASU Technical Center, Jonesboro • 870-932-2176 public Semester LPN 11 mos commuter campus none

commuter campus contact financial aid office

University of Arkansas Comm. College at Mor rilton • 501-977-2000

2 yr public Semester Practical Nursing (PN) Technical Certificate; Registered Nursing (RN) Associate of Applied Science degree

public Semester Technical Certificate in Practical Nursing 11 mos commuter campus contact financial aid

commuter campus March 1st priority

commuter campus varies

2 yr public Semester AAS-Generic RN, AAS-LPN-to-RN Online or Traditional, TC-Practical Nursing

Arkansas Tech University - Ozark Campus, Ozark • 479-667-2117

Application packet and program requirements online. www.asumh.edu

www.coto.edu

varies ACT or SAT; TEAS RN traditional track/PN program: July 1st & December 1st , RN Accelerated: December 1st www.bhclr.edu

varies ACT or SAT; TEAS

none ACT, COMPASS, PAX for PN,KAPLAN Admission Exam

ASSET, ACT, SAT or ACCUPLACER, and KAPLAN Nurse Entrance Test

Call the Allied Health Advisor to discuss eligibility requirements. www.uaptc. edu/programs_of_study/nursing/practical_nursing.asp. Allied Health Advisor: Allied501-812-2745.HealthAdministrative Specialist: 501-812-2834. INTERNET HOME PAGE ADDRESS - www.uaptc.edu

varies ACT or ACCUPLACER and Kaplan Admission Test April 15th

Second Friday in March

varies TEAS

the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools April 1st TEAS, NACE PN deadlines are Oct. 1 & Mar. 1; RN dealine is Aug. 31

Application packet and program requirements are online. www.asub.edu

Priority Application Deadline Feb 28/ Applications accepted until class full. LPN/Paramedic to RN (1 year). Traditional AAS (2 years). Accelerated AAS (18 months). See above for BSN information. www.ualr.edu/nursing

Priority April 1st ACT, ASSET, or COMPASS open

April 1st ACCUPLACER or ACT; TEAS for LPN; NACE for RN LPN Day Program-De Queen: March 1st, LPN and RN Evening Pro gram-Nashville: August 31st

ARKTIMES.COM SEPTEMBER 2022 31Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times

First Monday in March

April 15 and November 15

2nd Friday in Oct. for Jan. admittance; 2nd Friday in March for May admit tance to PN program

Nov. 15 - Priority; Apr. 1 - Pending funds available; Foundation Scholarship Deadlines: Fall - Apr. 1 & Jul. 30; Spring - Dec. 1 RN: NACE; LPN: PSB and ACT or Accu placer LPN-March, RN-August www.uarichmountain.edu

TC-PN and AAS-Generic RN May 1; AAS-LPN-to-RN July 15 Prerequisite courses and KAPLAN entrance testing must be completed prior to entry into a nursing program. www.uaccb.edu

March 15th, October 1st

HESI Entrance Exam

none ACT Oct. 15 for Jan. class; Apr. 15 for June class. $35 application fee. www.jrmc.org/schoolofnursing

Priority April 15th ACT, SAT, COMPASS, or ACCUPLACER and PAX-PN

Variety of clinical experiences. www.anc.edu

none ASSET, NET

Two Applications required: admissions and nursing. www.sautech.edu SouthArk: Where students come first. www.southark.edu

June 1/Fall, December 1/ Spring NET, COMPASS November 1st

Prerequisites required prior to admission. www.cccua.edu/MedEd

none College Entry Exam, TEAS

April 15th ACT or Accuplacer for BRTC Admission and NA Applicants; TEAS for PN Applicants, NACE for RN Applicants.

Learning

Clinical experience in hospitals of varying size, physicians’ offices and geriatric facilities. www.atu.edu/ozark

Dec 1st & June 1st www.bhclr.edu

BRTC: A college of vision. BRTC has a 95% plus boards pass rate. www.blackriv ertech.org

www.crti.ar.tec.us

varies ACT, ACCUPLACER plus HESI A2 Oct. 15, March 15

April 1st PAX Test

April 1/Fall entry, November 1/Spring entry

April 15 and November 15 ACT or ACCUPLACER or LPN license August 31st www.arnec.org, www.uacch.edu

June 1st for fall admission and Oct. 1st for spring admission www.pccua.edu

Bilingual scholarships available- www.nwansged.org

June 15th ACCUPLACER and WONDERLIC

Approved by Arkansas State Board of Accredited by the Higher commission of Enrollment in PN program on Morrilton campus limited to 24 in spring semester and summer. Enrollment in RN program limited to 48 for beginning each January. www.uaccm.edu www.uacch.edu

March 1- High school Academic; July 15- Others; Nursing Scholarship- Dec. 1

varies Accuplacer, ATI TEAS August class (Newport/Jonesboro)-June 1, January class (Marked Tree)- Oct 15 Application packet and program requirements online. www.asun.edu

NA - Contact Nursing department, PN April 1 for following fall acceptance and October 31 for following spring acceptance, August 31 annually for following Spring RN acceptance.

none Nelson-Denny Reading Test 9th grade level and 47 on ATI Critical Thinking Exam

PN-March 31st

Combines classroom instruction with clinical experience. Graduates eligible to take NCLEX.

February 1st ACT/SAT/Compass for students with less than 12 credits.

Nursing,

April 15 and November 15 ACT or ACCUPLACER May 1st and November 1st

Do you want to make a difference? Then nursing is for you! www.np.edu

CRTI is currently in the process of merging with East Arkansas Community College. Call for more information.

Providing life-changing experiences through education. www.ozarka.edu

classes

March 1st ASSET. TEAS. Practical Nursing March 31st

June 1 & November 1

March 1st ACT, Accuplacer, ASSET, COMPASS, or SAT - TABE and TEAS Early October

mer-MaySpring-November;Sum

Changing lives…one student at a time! www.seark.edu

varies ACCUPLACER