Six registered nurses recently graduated from the North Arkansas Regional Medical Center (NARMC) Nurse Residency Program.
The program was designed to help team members transition from student to nurse. It also provides nurses with continued education and the opportunity to enhance clinical nursing skills. The nurses receive a strong foundation in NARMC policies and procedures along with hands-on training.
NARMC’s goal is to provide quality, compassionate care to the community. This residency program offers training that cannot be taught in the classroom. Nurses are taught how to apply what they learned in school to the patients’ bedside. New nurses are offered community and fellowship with other nurses who are new to the organization.
The two-year program includes 160 hours of classroom and laboratory instruction. During the remainder of the residency, nurses are mentored by nursing managers and organizational leaders. Nine nurses are actively enrolled in the 2020 Nurse Residency Program.
“When the information is applied by the nurses they in turn become stronger. Stronger nurses make stronger units, therefore stronger hospitals. The relationships built from these classes unify the hospital in regards to policy, as well as expectations,” Jessica Graddy, BSN, RN, NARMC Clinical Educator, said. “The nurses share ideas and stories that impact the way we treat patients. The community and hospital both benefit from the continued education and improvement projects worked on in this class. The unity creates a better working environment and builds rapport, the result is better patient outcomes and satisfaction.”
On December 18, the newest graduates from the Nurse Residency Program were presented certificates by Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nursing Officer Sammie Cribbs and Director of Education Delbert McCutchen.
Graduates include the following:
Jose Carrion, LPN, joined the NARMC team in September 2018 after graduating from ASU Mountain Home in July 2018. He is currently in the RN Bridge program at ASU Mountain Home. His plans are to finish his RN degree, continue his education and pursue a Bachelors of Nursing. He currently serves patients in the First floor of NARMC.
Miranda Dowell, RN joined the NARMC team in January of 2018. Miranda graduated from North Arkansas College with her LPN certification in 2017 and continued her education at North Arkansas College to complete her RN degree. She plans on continuing her education by pursuing her Bachelor’s in Nursing from Arkansas Tech University. Miranda works in the First Floor Tower of NARMC.
Jamie Eaton, LPN, joined the NARMC team in March of 2018 as a Certified Nurses Aid. Jamie graduated from North Arkansas College with her LPN certification in 2018. She plans on continuing her education and pursuing her RN degree in the future. Jamie works in the First Floor Tower of NARMC.
Christa Harris, RN, graduated from North Arkansas College in December 2018 with her RN, LPN and CNA degrees. She joined the NARMC in 2016 as a LPN working for Dr. Holliman at the Family Medicine Clinic. She plans to pursue a Bachelors in nursing in the future.
Brooke Malone, BSN, RN, joined the NARMC team as an Emergency Department Tech in 2016. Brooke graduated from Bergman High School and attended North Arkansas College before transferring to Arkansas Tech University where she received her Bachelors in Nursing. She plans on obtaining her Certified Emergency Nurse classification within the next year.
Megan Martin, LPN, joined the NARMC team on January 30, 2019 and works at the NARMC Eureka Springs Clinic. She graduated from Northeast Tech in Pryor, Oklahoma. She plans on increasing and expanding her knowledge as an LPN and furthering her education as an RN in the future.
Photo caption: (Left to Right) Sammie Cribbs, NARMC CNO and COO; Kim Morris, NARMC Education; Delbert McCutchen, NARMC Education Director; Joey Carrion, LPN; Brooke Malone, BSN, RN; Miranda Dowell, RN; Christa Harris, RN; Megan Martin, LPN; Jamie Eaton, LPN; Thomas Pepler, NARMC Hospice and Home Health Nurse Manager; Deborah Huffman, NARMC Education.
About NARMC
NARMC is an innovative, non-profit healthcare system consisting of a central hospital in Harrison, Arkansas, and 18 clinics serving the rural communities of North Arkansas. More than 750 NARMC employees, including 32 physicians, physician assistants and APRNs, work together to provide a comprehensive range of healthcare services. As one of the Top 100 Rural Hospitals in the nation according to the Rural Health Policy Institute, NARMC has earned numerous 5-Star ratings from Healthgrades and consistently ranks high in patient satisfaction in Press Ganey ratings. A three time recipient of the Arkansas Governor’s Quality Achievement Award, NARMC is committed to providing the best in care, close to home.