HJAR Mar/Apr 2022

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS I  MAR / APR 2022 37 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalAR.com Arkansas by training primary care physicians in Union County. Christopher Johnson, APRN, JoinsWashington Regional Hospitalists Christopher Johnson, APRN, recently joined the Washington Regional Hospitalists group, where he evaluates and treats hospitalized patients. Johnson earned a Master of Science in Nurs- ing from the University of South Alabama and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from State Univer- sity of New York at Delhi. He has more than nine years’ experience as a registered nurse and most recently worked as an RN in the critical care unit at Washington Regional. Arkansas Rural Health Partnership Hires Rex Jones as CEO, Names Mellie Bridewell NewPresident Rex Jones is joining the Arkansas Rural Health Partnership (ARHP) as CEO, effective May 1, 2022. He will succeed Mellie Bridewell, who will continue to serve the nonprofit as president, a new senior leadership position that will allow her to focus on strategic growth initiatives for the organization. Bridewell also will maintain her position at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), which is a partner in the ARHP, as a regional director in the Office of Strategy Man- agement. As ARHP’s CEO, Jones will work with the UAMS strategy team on initiatives and collab- orations focused on improving healthcare access and delivery in rural Arkansas. Jones joins UAMS and the ARHP from Magno- lia Regional Medical Center, where he is the CEO, a position he has held since 2016. He also has served on the AHRP board of directors for eight years, including a stint as the board’s president from 2015 to 2016. A hospital administrator for 25 years, Jones has led rural hospitals in three states. Physician Assistant Joins Conway Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Center Kaylen Welter, a physician assistant, has joined Conway Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Center. Welter has practiced as a physician assistant since graduating from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock with a master’s degree in physician assistant studies. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in allied health from Hendrix College. Patricia Cowan, PhD, RN, Selected as Evaluator for CCNE Patricia Cowan, PhD, RN, the dean of the Uni- versity of Arkansas for Medical Science (UAMS) College of Nursing, was selected as an on-site evaluator for the Commission on Collegiate Nurs- ing Education (CCNE), an accrediting agency for baccalaureate, graduate, and residency programs in nursing. Cowan was officially selected as an evaluator in September of 2021 and completed training in November. She will begin serving as an evalua- tor in spring of 2022. On-site evaluators travel to different regions of the country to assess nursing programs at institutions in all 50 states. “Being involved as an on-site reviewer is a profound way to serve the profession by assur- ing that nursing programs provide quality educa- tion to prepare nurses for the current and future health care workforce,” Cowan said. There are about 150 on-site evaluations in an average year, and Cowan said she expects to par- ticipate in about two per year. All evaluators are unpaid volunteers, and there is no time limit for the role. Typically, teams of three to five evaluators par- ticipate in on-site evaluations. A team leader who has participated in multiple site visits will gener- ally coordinate with deans of nursing programs and then will lead the writing of the team report. As a novice CCNE on-site reviewer, Cowan will be part of the on-site evaluation team. CCNE is the autonomous accrediting arm of the American Association of Colleges of Nurs- ing (AACN). The commission is officially recog- nized by the U.S. Department of Education for the accreditation of baccalaureate and graduate nursing education programs in accredited insti- tutions of higher education located or chartered in the U.S. or its territories. Free Online Training Available for Respite Providers Providing temporary, short-term respite care for individuals of any age with a disability or special need can be a real lifeline for full-time caregivers. But finding qualified respite care providers can be an obstacle. To help, the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Arkansas Lifes- pan Respite Coalition have set up a free, online respite worker certification program. Through a multi-state pilot project, DHS and the Arkansas Lifespan Respite Coalition have col- laborated with eight other states to develop this free program. It is designed for anyone interested in providing respite care. The program teaches participants fundamental, practical respite skills so they can safely and confidently support those who need their help. “Accessing skilled temporary respite services is a critical need for our state’s caregivers,” said Martina Smith, director of the Division of Provider Services and Quality Assurance at DHS. “This project allows us to provide practical, flexible, and free training to people interested in supporting caregivers. This online training allows people to Christopher Johnson, APRN KaylenWelter, PA-C