Colleagues,
As a follow-up to the Nursing Town Hall session in late January, I’d like to respond to several of the questions during the session and in the post-event survey. Most of the questions are related to compensation, work environment, or career advancement, so I’ll address those rather than some of the more specific questions.
As you are aware, the past four years have been extremely difficult for healthcare institutions around the world. The financial and staffing challenges we are facing are all too common and not unique to us. Like other institutions, we are working on many different fronts to address these issues and to attract and retain qualified employees.
First, the financials. We are working to both increase revenue and cut expenses. Examples of recent cost-saving initiatives include fixing an issue of “new order” flags in Epic that remained after completion, which caused confusion and delays for PreOp nurses, new wheelchairs to improve patient transport, streamlining the hiring process, improvements to the Inpatient OR Checklist, and increasing clinic utilization at PRI through more efficient use of Epic. There are many revenue-generating strategies underway such as keeping our clinical operations fully open on MLK Day and President’s Day and adding providers and specialized care at community clinics to make UAMS Health more accessible to our patients.
Second, the staffing challenges. It’s a cliché, but my experience has been that money really doesn’t buy happiness. I am not minimizing the importance of compensation. Competitive wages are a top priority for our senior executive leadership, but job satisfaction depends on much more than salary – and this is where we can make things better. Our financial challenges prevent us from paying the highest wages in the market right now, so our goal is to have a comprehensive benefits package and an inviting, supportive culture that helps set us apart. Transparent communication, supportive leadership, stable nurse-to-patient ratios, opportunities for advancement, collaborative working relationships, and learning opportunities are all important parts of a healthy and desirable work environment. We must also provide the tools and resources you need to deliver high-quality care and gain personal satisfaction from your job.
Our nursing and UAMS Health leadership teams are committed to making UAMS the best place for all healthcare professions, and we are advocating for you. Some of the questions raised have to do with institution policies or University of Arkansas system policies and may take longer, but please know that we are escalating your concerns and working to address many of the issues you brought forward.
The labor market for nurses is very tight, and, as a result, UAMS nurses have received raises in the past few years. This is not the case for others across UAMS. As Chancellor Cam Patterson has said at recent Town Hall sessions, UAMS is hoping to be able to provide some type of increase in compensation in fiscal year 2025, which begins in July. What type of increase this is and how much it is depends on how successful we are in cost-saving and revenue-generating activities.
Over the past 17+ years, I’ve developed a passion for the mission of UAMS, and I can’t imagine working anywhere else with any other team. My goal is for every member of my UAMS team to develop this same passion.
This week’s announcement about the creation of the new Institute for Community Health Initiatives is an example of why I love working at UAMS. These efforts to reduce health disparities can truly change the lives of people all across Arkansas. Ultimately, that’s why we’re all here.
An example of UAMS nurses who are also passionate about the UAMS mission are those who are volunteering to support this weekend’s Little Rock Marathon. They are staffing three aid stations along the race route and a 10-bay medical tent near the finish line, and I am grateful for their commitment to helping others.
I hope you have a chance to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend!
Tammy Jones, PHD, RN, NE-BC
Chief Nursing Officer
Associate Vice Chancellor for Patient Care Services & Clinical Operations
Perioperative, Interventional & Imaging Services Division