What an incredible morning we shared at the CNO Town Hall on March 16th.
If you were there, the energy in the room was palpable. Tammy unveiled our 2026 nursing theme: Elevating Excellence…I’m All In! It’s not just a slogan. It’s a commitment. A promise that we’re not standing still, that we’re building on the strong foundation we’ve already established, and that every single one of us has a role to play in taking UAMS nursing to the next level.
We celebrated some exciting announcements that morning. The t-shirt design dropped, and I hope you all ordered this week before it closed. We also learned about the new tuition discount available for UAMS graduate degrees, an investment in your growth, your future, and your continued impact on patient care. The Resource Nurse poster presentations were nothing short of amazing, showcasing innovation and dedication to supporting one another. The program will be opening again for a new cohort if you’ve been thinking about stepping into this role, start preparing.
Being “All In” also means defining what that looks like for each of us. Tammy sent out a survey asking how you personally show up “all in” every day, and your responses will help shape a pledge we’ll unveil at the Nurses Week CNO Kick-off on May 5. If you haven’t completed it yet, please take a few minutes before April 17. This pledge will be created by UAMS Nursing, meaning it will be built from your words, your experiences, your commitment.
Now, let’s talk about the RN Engagement Survey coming in June. At the Town Hall, I shared our 2024 results, and there’s a lot to celebrate. We improved in five of the seven categories and outperformed the benchmark in Leadership Access and Responsiveness. That’s not luck that’s you doing exceptional work and leadership listening and responding.
We also saw opportunities to grow, particularly in Autonomy and Interpersonal Relationships. Here’s the thing about autonomy: in the survey context, it’s not about doing what we want when we want. It’s about being trusted and empowered to practice at the top of your license, to make clinical decisions within your scope, to exercise professional judgment without micromanagement. That’s what the survey is asking for, and we need to make sure we all understand that, so your responses reflect your true experience.
Over the next seven weeks, leading up to the June survey, nursing leaders have tools they will use designed to ensure understanding of what the survey is asking. I encourage you to be fully engaged and ask questions as well as provide honest feedback. This isn’t about teaching you what to say. This is about making sure we’re all speaking the same language so that when you tell us your reality, we hear it clearly.
Your voice has always mattered here, and you have various platforms to use it. We’re investing time and effort into this pre-survey work because we want your thoughts and ideas to come across loud and clear. Your honest, accurate feedback helps us build a shared understanding, celebrate what’s working, and create plans that result in real, meaningful change.
This is Magnet 2.0: An Encore of Excellence in action. This is us moving onward and upward Elevating our Excellence and pledging our commitment to this effort! You matter…your voice shapes our future…and when you’re All In, we can continue to build something extraordinary together.
Brené Brown reminds us: “When we deny our stories, they define us. When we own our stories, we get to write the ending.”
Your experiences tell the story. This survey brings them into focus, allowing us to frame excellence and cultivate meaningful growth.
