Best Hospitals to Work for in Arkansas

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Working in Arkansas’ healthcare industry may be a good idea because of several positive indicators, such as above-average access and affordability and high employer-sponsored insurance spending per enrollee, according to The Commonwealth Fund 2020 report. 

To help you find one of the best hospitals to work for in this state, we’ve listed some of the top hospitals in the state. All five are Magnet hospitals. The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) bestows this recognition on facilities that have excelled in many organizational areas, including lower missed nursing care rates and higher nurse-perceived quality ratings.

Best Hospitals in Arkansas

The following organizations are rated as top hospitals by the ANCC, U.S. News & World Report and Medicare. Our rankings were also compiled using oth trusted sources, such as The Leapfrog Group and Healthgrades.

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Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH), the only Level I pediatric trauma center in the state, is ranked No. 1 in Arkansas and nationally ranked in seven pediatric specialties, including pediatric cancer, pediatric cardiology and heart surgery and pediatric nephrology, by U.S. News & World Report.

The facility has a Silver Level Beacon Award of Excellence from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) for its pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). 

In 2021, ACH was named one of the Best Places to Work by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. In 2020, it won the Nephrology Nursing Certification Advocacy Award from the Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission (NNCC) for its cohesiveness and team-based approach in pediatric dialysis.

Learn more about Arkansas Children’s Hospital:

• Administration: nonprofit 
• Location: Little Rock, Arkansas
• Hospital network: two facilities
• Employees: 5,000+ (across the entire network)

Baxter Regional Medical Center

Baxter Regional Medical Center (BRMC) is rated high performing in abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, heart attack and back surgery by U.S. News & World Report.

The facility was named one of the Best Places to Work by Arkansas Business for the fourth time in 2021 and received the America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Surgery Award from Healthgrades three years in a row. 

It was also recognized with the National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR) Chest Pain Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry Achievement Award — Silver Performance from the American College of Cardiology in 2019. 

BRMC was considered a top rural hospital in the United States by the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) in 2018.

The federal government gave it a three-star rating.

Learn more about Baxter Regional Medical Center:

• Administration: nonprofit 
• Location: Mountain Home, Arkansas
• Employees: 1,700+

CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs

CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs is rated high performing in heart failure, kidney failure and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) by U.S. News & World Report.

The hospital was named one of the 100 Top Hospitals in the United States by Fortune/Merative in 2022 and received the Vascular Surgery Excellence Award from Healthgrades two years in a row.

It has an “A” grade from The Leapfrog Group for its hospital safety. 

The federal government gave it a four-star rating.

Learn more about CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs:

• Administration: nonprofit 
• Location: Hot Springs, Arkansas
• Hospital network: four facilities 
• Employees: 5,500+ (across the entire network)

CHI St. Vincent Infirmary

CHI St. Vincent Infirmary is rated high performing in colon cancer surgery, heart attack, heart failure and colon cancer surgery by U.S. News & World Report.

The hospital was named one of the 15 Top Health Systems by Fortune/Merative in 2022. It also received the NCDR Chest Pain Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry Achievement Award — Platinum Performance from the American College of Cardiology the same year.

Learn more about CHI St. Vincent Infirmary:

• Administration: nonprofit
• Location: Little Rock, Arkansas
• Hospital network: four facilities 
• Employees: 5,500+ (across the entire network)

Conway Regional Medical Center

Conway Regional Medical Center is rated high performing in kidney failure by U.S. News & Word Report. 

The hospital was named one of the Best Places to Work by Modern Healthcare in 2021 and a Best-in-Class Employer by Gallagher the same year. It is also certified as a Great Place to Work. It received the Outstanding Patient Experience Award two years in a row from Healthgrades.

Learn more about Conway Regional Medical Center:

• Administration: nonprofit 
• Location: Conway, Arkansas
• Employees: 1,708

What makes a best hospital in Arkansas

Check out some factors that set these five Magnet hospitals apart from other health organizations in Arkansas.

Benefits

Besides salary, in Arkansas, you can find employers offering useful benefits, including health insurance, wellness programs and discounts.

Growth opportunity

Another factor in common among the above-listed hospitals is the possibility of working as a specialist and having more career opportunities, such as becoming a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) or a nurse practitioner (NP).

Employee satisfaction

According to a Victorian Managed Insurance Authority (VMIA) study, worker engagement strategies — like flexible benefits and a competitive salary — boost treatment effectiveness and reduce the level of hospital-acquired infections. Satisfied nurses are also less likely to experience job fatigue and burnout, two prevalent health problems nowadays.

High patient satisfaction

Ensuring patient satisfaction is important for top-performing hospitals and it’s not difficult to achieve it. You can take advantage of well-established communication processes, cleanliness of the hospital environment and discharge information, for instance.

Other factors that make a top hospital

Commitment to safety records, a customer-centric approach and ethics also contribute to the success of a hospital. Keep reading to find out how. 

Safety record is critical

Hospital safety can be assured by the use of treatment guidelines or an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) — the patient’s medical and treatment history in a digital version. Both are healthcare records that avoid medical errors. 

Hospital policies focus on customer services 

There are easy ways to implement a customer service-oriented approach as a nurse and the best hospitals appreciate it. Transform the patient experience by apologizing if you’re late and making an effort to always remember the names of your frequent patients. 

Latest technology and training improve healthcare

From online appointments to advanced tools — such as digital scanners, virtual reality and smartwatches —  technology works more and more to improve patient care. By using portable and functional devices, healthcare costs are reduced.

Ethics lead the way

As the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated, in certain situations, the number of patients can exceed the hospital’s capacity. There will always be challenging situations in hospitals like this, and healthcare professionals need to be able to make the right decisions based on strong values and ethics.

Next steps

Getting hired by one of the above-listed Arkansas hospitals may be one of your biggest achievements, whether you are a recent graduate or an experienced nurse.

Continue reading to discover the most efficient strategies to start working in the best hospitals as a nurse.

Build your resume

When you write a resume, if you’re a registered nurse (RN), your license has to be in the title of the document. Follow our nursing resume guide and put yourself one step ahead of the competition.

Join a nurses association

To increase your chances of landing your dream job, join a nursing organization, where you may have mentoring and networking opportunities. As an alternative, you can join a nursing union, where it is possible to help improve working conditions.

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Attend industry educational conferences and workshops

Taking part in nursing conferences is another beneficial initiative to be competitive in the labor market. Also, check our advice on working in Arkansas and learn about more opportunities, such as workshops and health courses.

Keep up with continuing education requirements

One of the education requirements in Arkansas, whether you’re a RN, a licensed practical nurse (LPN) or an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), is having 15 contact hours every two years with Continuing Education Units (CEU) courses.

We offer free Arkansas CEU courses. Learn online and stay up to date in the comfort of your home.

Search for job openings

Search for a job in a smart way with Incredible Health. We match your goals, experience and preferences to the best employers and you can get hired in under 20 days on average.

Transfer your nursing license to Arkansas

If you’re not from Arkansas, it’s important to know that it’s a compact state. You’ll have to follow some procedures while transferring your nursing license. Learn everything you need to know with our guide.