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Information for Nurses

At Arkansas Children's, our nurses work to make children better today and healthier tomorrow within the framework of Patient and Family-Centered Care. 

 

APRN Information

At Arkansas Children's, Advanced Practice Providers (APP) play a crucial role in delivering specialized, high-quality care to children across the state. As highly trained healthcare professionals, APPs provide expert clinical care, enhance patient outcomes, and improve access to essential medical services. From diagnosing and treating illnesses to leading innovative care initiatives, APPs are integral to our mission of making children better today and healthier tomorrow.

Nursing Recognition

At Arkansas Children's we deeply value the vital role nurses play in delivering compassionate, high-quality care that transforms lives and strengthens communities. Through programs like the DAISY Award, Nursing Excellence Awards, and Preceptor of the Quarter, among many others, we honor their unwavering dedication, exceptional skills, and commitment to taking care of our patients and families. Recognizing nurses not only celebrates their contributions but also reinforces our commitment to fostering a supportive, empowering environment that enables them to thrive and continue making a meaningful impact. 

Nursing Annual Reports

Arkansas Children's Hospital Patient Care Services Center for Nursing Excellence department produces a comprehensive Nursing Annual Report that highlights nursing's commitment to our core values: Safety, Teamwork, Compassion and Excellence. The report includes teamwork and collaboration across Arkansas Children's Hospital departments. Highlights include nursing research, quality and safety, community outreach, recognition, and awards.  Our Nursing Annual Report is an outstanding reminder of the exceptional work our nurses and clinical partners do each day. 

 

Daisy Award Nominations

The DAISY Award For Extraordinary Nurses recognizes the compassionate care of extraordinary Registered Nurses (RN). It was established by the DAISY Foundation - a foundation for the elimination of Diseases Attacking the Immune System in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. The Barnes family established the foundation in their son Patrick's memory because they had experienced firsthand the skills, caring and compassion of many nurses. The award is given to recognize outstanding nurses at Arkansas Children's Hospital.

There are three main criteria for selecting recipients for the DAISY Award: Compassionate, Quality, Family-Centered Care 

    Quality of Care

  • Provides high-quality, family-centered, and compassionate care while upholding the ACH safety and behavioral standards
  • Supports evidence-based practice while promoting achievement of positive patient outcomes
  • Develops and supports an environment in which high quality care is provided

    Interdisciplinary Relationships

  • Promotes positive interdisciplinary relationships and views them as essential to exceptional
    patient care
  • Collaborates with health care team members and promotes a sense of mutual respect among all disciplines

    Nurse as Teacher

  • Incorporates teaching into all aspects of patient care and recognizes its importance in the development of other nurses as well as in the provision of quality family-centered care communication
  • Models excellent interpersonal skills, has a positive attitude and exhibits outstanding customer service skills
  • Encourages and values feedback

Model of Care

Patient and Family-Centered Model of Care

Model of Care graphic.We believe that the family is the primary source of strength and support for the children, adolescents, and adults we serve. We view family members as vital to enhancing the patient's health and well-being. We respect and honor the beliefs, values, and perspectives of each patient and family member, regardless of their individual circumstances. We strive to demonstrate compassion, respect, collaboration, support, and advocacy for each patient and family member.
Arkansas Children's nurses partner with patients, families and other disciplines to plan, deliver, and evaluate individualized care which achieves optimal outcomes for each patient. Nurses also collaborate with patients, families, and other providers to create an empowered environment where "best practices" can be evaluated and implemented to assure safe, evidence-based and comprehensive care. 

Evidence-Based Practice Professional Practice Model

Arkansas Children's nurses realize patient and family-centered care through our practice model which incorporates professional development, shared decision making, interdisciplinary teamwork, and evidence-based practice. Arkansas Children's strives to create a nurturing professional development environment that empowers nurses to advance their education and skills to provide specialized care. Arkansas Children's nurses are responsible for their own professional development and for nurturing the professional development of colleagues and students. Because we value the expert knowledge of our nurses, we believe that shared decision- making creates an environment of shared accountability for excellent outcomes. Interdisciplinary teamwork is also key to excellent outcomes. In this empowered environment, nursing care is planned, delivered, and evaluated using the principles of evidence-based practice.

Shared Decision-Making

Shared Decision Making graphic.Shared Decision-Making, formerly known as Shared Governance, has been a cornerstone of healthcare since the 1970s. It empowers those closest to the patient and family to actively engage in shaping decisions that impact care delivery and the work environment. This collaborative framework enables healthcare professionals to contribute to decisions involving clinical practice, quality improvement, practice standards, patient care, staff engagement, and the overall patient experience.

At Arkansas Children's, we recognize that healthcare professionals have a responsibility to influence how decisions are made to ensure excellence in clinical practice and workplace dynamics. A vital aspect of this process is the application of research and evidence-based practices to achieve the best possible outcomes.

Our approach to shared decision-making is guided by four key principles: accountability, partnership, equity, and ownership. These values ensure that every voice is heard, fostering an inclusive and innovative environment focused on exceptional care for our patients and families.