Congratulations to our new Board of Directors members
Donna Koestler, DNP, Ed.D, MSN, RN, CNE
Nursing Education Representative
Donna is an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Delta State University. She has been a member of the Arkansas Center for Nursing since 2016. She has 15 years of teaching experience in the college and university settings.
Randi Mackey, BSN, RN
At-Large Member
Randi is a Clinical Research RN at UAMS. She is a new member of the Arkansas Center for Nursing. Randi has experience in the ICU setting as well as the Central Live and PIV specialties. Randi also has experience in development and fundraising of non-profits and healthcare organizations.
Who We Are
Our Mission
To promote a culture of health for the citizens of Arkansas by advancing nursing education, practice, leadership, and workforce development.
Our History
The efforts that resulted in the formation this organization began in 2011 with a group of nursing leaders. The Arkansas Action Coalition (AR AC) was formed and consisted of four Pillars: Practice, Education, Leadership, and Workforce Data. The AR AC was awarded a state implementation grant by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to implement initiatives to promote academic progression (RN to BSN, RN to MSN, etc.) programs and new graduate residency programs, Nurses on Boards training, and 40 Nurse Leaders Under 40 recognition. The AR AC also collaborated with ARNA to remove practice barriers for APRNs. This work has continued to grow and improve nursing practice in the state.
In June 2016, the Arkansas Action Coalition became part of a new nonprofit organization, Arkansas Center for Nursing, Inc. (ACN). The ACN was created to continue the work of the Action Coalition, increase the workforce and data focus, collaborate with other organizations with similar goals, and establish sustainable funding for the work. ACN is the state’s nursing workforce center and is a member of the National Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers. One of the exciting new goals of the Center is to publish reports related to the supply, demand, and educational capacity of the nursing workforce in the state.
Our Purpose
- Serve as a statewide data clearinghouse regarding nursing practice, nursing workforce supply and demand, and nursing education.
- Publish reports of the current state of the nursing workforce, including nursing supply, demand, and educational opportunities to the citizens of Arkansas.
- Promote a culture of health for the citizens of Arkansas.
- Promote a diverse nursing workforce to meet the needs of the citizens of Arkansas.
Meet the Executive Director
Ashley Davis, MNSc, RN, CNE, PhD(c)
Ashley Davis recently assumed the role of Executive Director for the Arkansas Center for Nursing, Inc. Ashley has a clinical background in Pediatric Cardiology and has been a Nurse Educator for the past 12 years. She has been very involved in the work of the Arkansas Center for Nursing, Inc. and was named to the 40 Nurse Leaders Under 40 in 2017. Ashley has a passion for the mission of the ACN and was a co-author for the 2018 State of the Nursing Workforce in Arkansas report.
Ashley's dissertation work is with nursing student stress and depressive symptoms and the use of mindfulness meditation to improve the well-being of undergraduate nursing students.
She is married to her husband John and has 2 children, Allie (10) and Sam (6). She is a second-generation nurse and taught alongside her mother for 9 years.
Ashley is excited about leading the ACN to new heights through member engagement, dissemination of workforce data, and programs aimed at creating a culture of health in Arkansas.
Our Work
Data Resources & Reporting
Coordinating the collection, analysis, and dissemination of statewide nursing workforce data.
Leadership
Empowering nurses in Arkansas to lead culture of health initiatives & guide redesigning health care to provide improved care for all populations.
Education
Promoting academic progression, lifelong learning, & workplace transition among Arkansas nurses.
Practice
Improving consumer access to high quality, cost efficient health care by removing practice barriers so that nurses may practice to the full extent of their education, training, licensure, & certification.
News & Events
Big news about nurses and healthcare in Arkansas.
Fundraising
Creating sustainability for the current and future work of the ACN.