Jim Gillam, RN and Education Coordinator at North Arkansas Regional Medical Center (NARMC), has been appointed as the State Pediatric Chair of the Emergency Nurse Association (ENA) of Arkansas. ENA is a professional organization of nurses that advocates for patient safety and excellence in the emergency nursing field.
In this role, Gillam will oversee the pediatric education course. As chair, he will regulate the instructors for the course across the state, help nurses address questions and concerns and serve as a primary contact for pediatric care issues in emergency nursing.
Trauma is the leading cause of death from infancy to adulthood, accounting for nearly 40 percent of all pediatric deaths. Proper intervention by educated emergency care professionals can help prevent such deaths. Gillam is making a direct impact through his efforts to increase pediatric education for emergency nurses.
“I’m excited to build up our emergency pediatric education program,” says Gillam. “We are making the course accessible for more nurses across the state. The more education we can provide to our nurses, the better the care for our children across the state when an emergency arises.”
Gillam will serve a two-year term as the pediatric chair. Since stepping into the role, he has already increased the number of instructors in Arkansas from 11 to 20, as well as expanding the pediatric education into the northeast region of the state.
An Air Force veteran, Gillam received his nursing degree in 1989 from Howard College School of Nursing and has served in the medical field for more than 40 years. He joined the NARMC team in 2013, where he currently facilitates education programs for staff members, in addition to serving in the Emergency Department and as House Supervisor when needed.
“We are very proud to have Jim represent NARMC and share his knowledge and passion with his fellow emergency nurses,” said Sammie Cribbs, vice president and chief nursing officer of NARMC. “Providing excellent care to our patients is the mission of all nurses and hospitals, and in this role, he will be able to improve care for pediatric patients throughout Arkansas.”