HJAR Nov/Dec 2023

38 NOV / DEC 2023  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS   Healthcare Briefs people connect to and access health and social services. They help community members navigate their healthcare, apply for insurance or Medicaid, and access other vital resources. UAMS Community Health & Research launched its CHW Training & Apprenticeship Program earlier this year to train and engage CHWs in underserved communities across Arkansas. To date, nearly 40 new CHWs have enrolled in the program. “By offering college credit for the completion of our training program, UAMS and UAHT are cre- ating new pathways for community health work- ers to further their education and their careers in the health field,” said Krista Langston, executive director of community programs at UAMS Com- munity Health & Research. The CHW training program includes 160 hours of classroom education — including 80 hours of initial in-person and virtual learning coursework throughout a two-week period — and 2,000 hours of on-the-job training. Participants in the program must have a high school diploma or GED. Participants in the program are eligible to receive up to seven hours of college credit within the University of Arkansas system. The program is the first in the state of Arkansas to offer college credit for CHW training. In addition to the college credits, students in the program will also receive a monthly stipend. They will be enrolled at the University of Arkan- sas Hope-Texarkana but may transfer the cred- its to another university after completion of the program. “We are very excited to partner with UAMS to offer the Certificate of Proficiency in Com- munity Health Worker,” said Laura Clark, UAHT vice chancellor for academics. “This partnership allows students to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to be an essential part of community health. The partnership also will enable students to earn this certificate without the added expense of tuition and fees.” CARTI Expands Urology Team with KeithMooney, MD CARTI is expanding its team with Keith Mooney, MD. He and John Paul Brizzolara, MD, who joined CARTI Urology in May, will see patients at the pro- vider’s flagship campus in Little Rock. Mooney brings more than 35 years of urologi- cal experience to CARTI. He is a graduate of Hen- drix College and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, where he completed residen- cies in surgery and urology. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of the American Association of Clinical Urologists, American Boards of Urology, American Urologi- cal Association- South Central Section, Arkansas Medical Society, and Arkansas Urological Society. New Surgeon Joins Jefferson Regional Surgical Associates Jefferson Regional announced that Irfan Qureshi, MD, has joined the physician team at Jefferson Regional Surgical Associates. Qureshi specializes in general, trauma, and crit- ical care surgery. He received a medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sci- ences in Little Rock, followed by general surgery residencies at the University of Florida in Jack- sonville and the University of Colorado in Aurora. Qureshi completed a fellowship in trauma/surgi- cal critical care at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. He is certified by the American Board of Surgery. Jefferson Regional Surgical Associates is located at 1609 West 40th Ave., Suite 403, in Pine Bluff. Baptist Health College Little Rock’s Grads Have High Passing Rates of Board Certification Exams Baptist Health College Little Rock’s spring 2023 graduates celebrate high board passing rates across seven programs of study. Each area of study has a board certification exam specific to the program. Completion of these exams allows students to begin working in their field. This year’s graduating class of 155 students successfully took their first steps to becoming leaders in healthcare. Traditional and accelerated nursing program graduates take the required National Council Licensure Examination Registered Nurse (NCLEX- RN) to become a licensed nurse. The BHCLR annual first-time pass rate for the NCLEX-RN as reported by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing for the 2022-2023 reporting year was 90.2%. This was higher than any other nursing program in the Little Rock metro area. In addition, this spring’s graduating class of 58 had a first-time pass rate of 98.2%. Practical nursing graduates complete the NCLEX-PN to become a licensed practical nurse. The BHCLR annual first-time pass rate for the NCLEX-PN as reported by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing for the 2022-2023 reporting year was 84.2%. In addition, spring 2023 gradu- ates have a first-time pass rate of 100% with 10 students left to test. “Students have embraced the move to active learning in the classroom and are demonstrat- ing evidence of critical thinking and clinical judg- ment skills. Graduates have shown competency in the program curriculum requirements, have adequately prepared for the NCLEX-RN and PN exam and have responded to our encouragement to test quickly after graduation,” said Laura Ham- ilton, MNSc, RN, dean of nursing at BHCLR. “We are proud that they have trusted us in this pro- cess and have partnered with us for incredible outcomes.” Allied health programs with a 100% passing rate include radiography, surgical technology, sleep technology, and nuclear medicine. Medical lab- oratory sciences had an 83% pass rate. Aleksandar Blubaum, MD, JoinsWashington Regional Ozark Urology Clinic Aleksandar Blubaum, MD, recently joined Washington Regional Ozark Urology Clinic, where he provides diagnosis and treatment of urologi- cal conditions. Blubaum earned a medical degree from the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He Keith Mooney, MD