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Surgeries and hospital stays can cause stress for any family, but caring nurses can help lift the burdens felt by patients and their loved ones. As par t of the Nor th Metro Healthcare Awards, presented by the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce, a panel of health care exper ts from across the U.S. selected a Nurse of the Year who has demonstrated his or her commitment to caring for patients, advancing the nursing field and overcoming adversity.
This year’s recipient is Steve Jackson II, a registered nurse at Arkansas Heart Hospital in Little Rock.
“Nursing is such a rewarding career because each and every day, I have the amazing opportunity to touch people’s lives when they need it the most,” he said. “As nurses, we are there to offer the utmost in competent care as we listen and become the bridge between patient and doctor.”
A native of Hope, Jackson is the son of the Rev. Steve and Kaye Jackson. After graduating from Hope High School in 2008, Steve Jackson II attended the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, where he began a pre-nursing program that led him to complete the registered-nursing program at Baptist Health School of Nursing in Little Rock in 2015. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville in 2016.
Motivated by a passion for helping others and an interest in health care services, Jackson began his health care career at the Little Rock Cardiology Clinic in 2008. His work there deepened his interest in health care and ignited his desire to advance his education.
After becoming an RN, Jackson joined the post-anesthesia care unit at Arkansas Heart Hospital, where he earned the hospital’s All Heart award. Although some days are rough, he said, he enjoys working with his teammates to provide the best care for their patients.
“On any given day at the Arkansas Heart Hospital, I have the privilege of comfor ting families, providing them with updates and answering their questions,” he said. “As simple as this may sound, nursing is actually one of the most challenging health care professions, but it makes such a big impact.”
Jackson was nominated for Nurse of the Year by Jamille Rogers, who met Jackson through a mentorship program at UCA seven years ago.
“His fun-loving, high-energy personality def initely drew my attention to him,” Rogers said. “He is very organized and does an amazing job with multitasking.”
Jackson is an active member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., the UCA Alumni Association and New Hope Missionary Baptist Church. The church par tners with Baptist Health on a monthly basis to provide health
screenings for the community. Jackson said the program gives him an opportunity to connect with church members and other health care professionals.
“This year, I look forward to expanding this par tnership and coming up with new ways to increase our community par ticipation,” he said. Jackson also has something else to look forward to this year; he plans to marry the love of his life, Jane McFerran, this summer.