While everyone knows the economy took a down-turn last year, it seems things are, at least for the moment, turning around. Like other industries, nursing felt the effects of the recession, but Arkansas’s health care professionals predict a brighter future. 

“The economy has slowed the demand for nurses but that’s expected to change in the future,” says UAMS nurse recruiter Susan Erickson. 

Delbert McCutchen, RN views equipment/information related to a stroke victim at the BRMC Cline Emergency Center.

Siloam Springs Memorial Hospital chief nursing officer Cindy Kugel agrees and says while they don’t have a shortage, “We always need a few good nurses.”

Despite the slowdown most healthcare professionals are optimistic, including Paul Cunningham, senior vice president of the Arkansas Hospital Association.

“Hospitals aren’t immune from the economy,” Cunningham says. “But while there’s not a rush to hire at this time, nursing remains a great choice in the long run. It’s a good, stable choice and the need for healthcare workers, in general, will grow.”

In some areas of Arkansas, such as Fort Smith, there is a need for nurses.

“We need nurses and are processing applications every single day,” says Theresa Phillips of Sparks Regional Medical Center in Fort Smith.

While there is a need for LPNs (licensed practical nurse), there is a greater need for RNs (registered nurse).

Kimberly Porter, assistant professor of nursing at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and Arkansas For Nursing president, tells her students that although it’s slow right now they shouldn’t get discouraged. 

“When I graduated there were no jobs to be found, but six months later there was a shortage,” she says.

In order to better meet the needs of their staff, the Arkansas State Hospital in Little Rock now has part-time positions. Unlike other hospitals or health care providers that have few to no openings, ASH is actually hiring RNs.

Carol Hampton, one of two nurse recruiters at the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, says there’s always a need for licensed nurses at CAVHS. 

“We accept applications from APNs (advanced practice nurses), RNs and LPNs.

According to the Labor Department, the demand will continue to grow for the next decade or so, driven in part by the aging baby boomers. As the country’s largest demographic hits old age, they put a strain on the healthcare system.

Susan Hanrahan, dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professionals at Arkansas State University, believes the demand for “all health professionals” will continue into the future.

And unlike many other professions, nursing is full of exciting choices. According to Hanrahan, nurses work in hospitals, doctor’s offices, schools, clinics, adult daycare, nursing homes, rehab centers - the list goes on, she continues.

In response to this need and rising enrollment rates, ASU graduates more nurses than any other public institution in the state, and continues to expand its College of Nursing and Health Professions.

This fall, the program will be relocated to the newly opened Donald W. Reynolds Center for Health Sciences building.

Baxter Regional Medical Center at Mountain Home is so sure of a bright future it has teamed up with Accelero Health Partners - a Pittsburgh, Penn. based firm specializing in the coordination and delivery of care related to bones, muscles and joints. It will enhance the hospital’s orthopedic and rehabilitation services and create a musculoskeletal program of distinction for the greater Mountain Home community.

The partnership will focus on providing superior clinical outcomes, optimizing coordination of care and achieving exceptional patient satisfaction results. To reach this goal, the newly established Baxter Regional Medical Center Human Motion Institute will develop a comprehensive program for orthopedic care, including prevention, assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries.

The need for nurses at the facility, like others across the state, will continue into the future.

Also, their Telehealth eICU will be in place before year’s end with “Intensivists working hand-in-hand with specially trained nurses and physicians to monitor our patients 24/7.” Once again, the hospital needs a highly-educated nursing staff to make this program possible.

Perhaps the biggest draw of all is the state of the art technology found within the corridors of BRMC. This 268 bed not-for-profit hospital is community-supported through generous donations and fundraising, and has all of the advantages of hospitals found in larger cities, says Donna K. McMullen with the hospital’s marketing department.

Baptist Health Schools of Little Rock has the largest nursing program in the state. Founded in 1921, the school is seeing a marked increase in the number of students enrolling in its nursing program, with 549 students signing up this fall.

Melissa Jackson, enrollment coordinator for Baptist Health Schools of Little Rock, says she believes the rise in enrollment is directly related to the economy. Many say they have lost their job due to layoffs or want better job security.

“Nursing is somewhat recession/depression-proof,” Jackson says. “Unlike so many other occupations it’s a relatively stable field.” And like other jobs in the health care industry, she believes nurses will remain in demand for years to come.

Not suited for the city?

Many of Arkansas smaller cities have big opportunities.

For instance, CHRISTUS St. Michael was named one of the “100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare” by Modern Healthcare for two years in a row. 

This award is largely based on a satisfaction survey that gauges how employees feel about their organization, its programs, values and work environment. 

“Our nursing staff is a large part of our workforce at CHRISTUS St. Michael, “explains Chris Karam, CHRISTUS St. Michael CEO/president. “The award showcases the Texarkana region as having outstanding career opportunities in healthcare and that Texarkana is a great place to live.”

“Modern Healthcare’s Best Places to Work in Healthcare program identifies and recognizes healthcare organizations that have successfully built workplace excellence and enabled employees to perform at their optimal level,” explained Fawn Lopez, publisher of Modern Healthcare.

Jefferson Regional Medical Center’s School of Nursing is also proving its commitment to the Pine Bluff community. The hospital just completed a $1 million campus expansion and is now offering the most advanced educational technology to students in southeast Arkansas.

The JRMC School of Nursing, which is approved by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission, Inc., has added classroom space and audio/visual equipment that includes capabilities for distance learning – an important tool for facilities outside of major metropolitan areas. 

The expansion also added a skills lab complete with the latest training tools including simulation manikins. The life-sized manikins, called SIM Man and SIM Baby, are controlled by computers and can be programmed to simulate hundreds of medical conditions. 

This allows nursing students to respond to real-life situations and practice techniques such as catheter insertion and administration of intravenous medication.