• Skip to main content
  • Skip to main content
Choose which site to search.
UAMS Health Logo UAMS Health
Nurses
  • UAMS.edu
  • MyChart
  • Giving
  • Emergency Room
  • About Us
    • Hospital Overview
    • Lifestyle
    • News
    • Nursing Philosophy
    • Why I Chose UAMS Nursing
  • Center for Nursing Excellence
    • About Center for Nursing Excellence
      • Contact Us
    • Advanced Practice Providers
    • Communication
      • CNO Corner
      • CNO’s Nursing Address
      • Nursing Annual Report
        • Archived Nursing Annual Report
      • Nursing Excellence Newsletters
      • Nursing Grand Rounds
        • Nursing Grand Rounds 2023
        • Nursing Grand Rounds 2024
        • Nursing Grand Rounds 2025
      • Staff Meeting Content
      • Take 2
    • Nurses Week
      • Nurses Week 2024
        • 2024 Awards of Excellence
        • 2024 Professional Nursing Awards
        • Nurses Week 2024 CNO Store
        • Nurses Week 2024 Employee Discounts
        • Nurses Week 2024 Get Healthy
        • Nurses Week Activities 2024
        • Spirit Week Activities/Opportunity to win DAILY UAMS Swag
      • Nurses Week 2025 CNO Kick-Off Video
      • Other Ways to Win Swag
      • Recipe Downloads
      • Recipe Submission (March 18 to April 9)
    • Practice
      • Culture of Inquiry
        • Evidence-Based Practice
          • UAMS Evidence-Based Practice Model
        • Innovation
          • BioVentures FAQ
        • Quality Improvement
        • Research
      • UAMS Resource Nurse Program and Application
        • Inpatient Resource Nurse Program
        • Resource Nurse Program Application – Ambulatory
        • Resource Nurse Program Application – Inpatient
    • Professional Development
      • Professional Development – Clinical Ladder
      • Professional Development – RN IV/V
        • RN IV/V Workshops
      • Professional Development — National Certification
        • Become a Nationally Certified Nurse
        • FAQs About National Certification
      • Professional Development — RN to BSN
    • Recognition Matters
      • In Remembrance of a Nurse
      • Nomination for DAISY Award
      • Nomination for the BEE Award
      • Professional Nursing Awards
        • Advancement of Nursing Practice Award
        • Excellence in Advanced Practice Award
        • Excellence in Nursing Education Award
        • Outstanding Community Service Award
        • The Betty Casali Transformational Leadership Award Guidelines
        • The Mary Helen Forrest Legacy in Nursing Award
      • The Daisy Nurse Leader Award – Honoring Nurses Internationally In Memory of J. Patrick Barnes
      • UAMS Nurses in the Media
    • UAMS is Proud to be Magnet Designated
      • Magnet Champions
  • Future Nurses
    • College of Nursing
    • Job Shadow
    • New Graduate LPNs
    • New Graduate RN Residents
      • Frequently Asked Questions for New Graduate RN Residents
      • New Graduate RNs Transition to Practice Program
    • Student Jobs – Clinical Care Assistants (CCA)
  • Give to UAMS Nurses
  • Jobs and Sign-On Bonuses
    • Clinical Areas
      • Ambulatory/Outpatient Clinics
      • Inpatient (24/7)
        • Critical Care
        • Emergency Department
        • Float Division
        • Medical
        • Oncology/Transplant
        • Surgical
        • Women and Infants
      • Other Practice Departments
      • Perioperative Care
      • Psychiatric Research Institute (PRI)
    • Employment Information
      • Available Jobs and Sign‑on Bonuses
      • Hotel Lodging Program
      • RN Nurse Refer
      • Salary and Benefits
      • Transfer to PRN
    • Contact Us
      • Directions
      • Inquiry Form
  1. UAMS Health
  2. Nurses
  3. Resource Nurse Program:  Leading Quality Improvement

Resource Nurse Program:  Leading Quality Improvement

The UAMS Resource Nurse Program was implemented in 2008 with the express purpose of improving patient outcomes through the engagement of clinical nurses in quality improvement projects.  This program started with a focus on infection prevention, skin care, pain, safety, and diabetes for inpatient nurses for 6-month terms.  Over the course of 15 years, the program has grown into a robust course of quality training and initiatives for both inpatient and ambulatory nurses, working on quality improvement projects that align with the UAMS Vision 2029 strategic goals.  Resource nurses who successfully complete the program requirements receive a financial stipend and the end of the term.

Last spring, nurses from inpatient and ambulatory areas submitted a letter of interest with peer evaluation and nurse leader support statements to engage in the FY23 Resource RN program.  The term began in July and started with completing Leading Quality Improvement (LQI) training on FOCUS PDSA processes.  Resource Nurses met with quality improvement coaches and nursing leaders monthly to design and execute a quality improvement project using the FOCUS PDSA model.  The Resource Nurses utilized improvement huddles to bring attention to the project in their areas, educating staff on the problem, goals, and implementations.  The Resource Nurses reviewed data, including process and outcome measures, to track the progress of their projects.  The FY23 Resource Nurse Program came to a close last month and on March 30th, a graduation for the Resource Nurses was held in celebration of their amazing accomplishments in impacting quality patient care.   There were three podium presentations of quality projects and poster presentations of others.  Projects included improvement of typical nursing sensitive quality indicators like falls, hospital acquired pressure injuries (HAPI) and hospital acquired infections (HAIs).  Other projects worked to improve patient experience, like Jacob Mitchell, BSN, RN, in Infusion B (left), who improved clinic workflow and patient scheduling to reduce the number of patients arriving to Infusion B on an unscheduled day.  Kortne Dodds, BSN, RN, Women’s Health Center (right), recognized the need to improve support for patients who had experienced early pregnancy loss.  Her project focused on improving bereavement support for these patients.

Jacob Mitchell, BSN, RN
(Image credit: Jean Prince)
Kortne Dodds, BSN, RN
(Image credit: Jean Prince)

\

Congratulations to all the FY23 Resource Nurses!

Resource NurseUnit/AreaProject
Amy HaleF9Reduce Patient Falls
Christina CooleyPRI 5Reduce Patient Falls
Melanie MasonNICUReduce CLABSI and HAPI
Amber WestphelingH4Reduce CLABSI and HAPI
Mary DavidsonF4Reduce Falls with Injury
Chloe UhrynowyczH7Reduce Falls with Injury
Teresa WoodInf BDecrease Number of IV Attempts for Infusion B Patients
Jacob MitchellInf BReducing Unscheduled Patient Arrivals to Infusion B
Brenda WillettSUSLImproving Patient Education to Reduce Readmissions
Kristal WatsonEndoscopyEndoscopy Procedure Room Turnover Time
Stephanie MoranPeriopMissing Neurological Assessment for Preoperative Neuro Surgical Cases
Kortne’ DoddsWomen’s HealthBereavement Support for Patients with Early Pregnancy Loss
Angela Ward Chandani Patel Amanda Murry Janet PerryIMSL Family Medicine ClinicsImproving Timely Foot Exams for Diabetic Patients

Resource nurses embody excellence by enhancing processes to improve patient outcomes.  Interested in engaging in quality improvement for your patients as a Resource RN?  The FY24 Resource Nurse Program will start in July and the selection period will begin soon.  Talk with your nursing leadership if you are interested in serving as a Resource Nurse next term.

Posted by Rebekah Thacker on April 14, 2023

Filed Under: Newsletters

UAMS Health LogoUAMS HealthUniversity of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Mailing Address: 4301 West Markham Street, Little Rock, AR 72205
Phone: (501) 686-7000
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement
  • Notice of Privacy Practices
  • Price Transparency

© 2025 University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences