Michael Howard, BSN, MM, MSN, MHA, Named Chief Nursing Officer for Arkansas Children’s Northwest

(LITTLE ROCK) June 13, 2017 – Arkansas Children's has named Michael Howard, BSN, MM, MSN, MHA, chief nursing officer (CNO) for Arkansas Children’s Northwest (ACNW). He will be responsible for planning, organizing and directing the overall operations of Nursing/Patient Care Services at ACNW. The announcement was made today by ACNW Senior Vice President/Chief Administrator Trisha Montague.

Howard comes to ACNW from the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio, where he served as the director of pediatric emergency services. For more than nine years he led the emergency services team and facilities, which includes two emergency departments, an urgent care center, a center for abused children and a staff of 120 personnel.

“Michael is an exceptional nurse leader who understands the complexity of healthcare delivery systems,” said Montague. “His ability to lead large-scale change has been proven throughout his career, and he does so with compassion and an unwavering dedication to excellent patient care.”

Michael received a bachelor of Nursing from Waynesburg College in 1996. He went on to complete a master’s in Management, a master’s in Health Administration and a master’s in Nursing from the University of Phoenix.

“As the chief nursing officer, I look forward to forming a multidisciplinary team that will provide excellent care to the children of Northwest Arkansas and beyond,” Howard said. “We will strive to provide family-centered care, and become an integral part of the community and families that we will serve.”

When it opens in January 2018, Arkansas Children’s Northwest will be the region’s first and only comprehensive pediatric healthcare center and will include:

• 24 inpatient beds to care for children requiring overnight stays
• 24-hour pediatric Emergency Department
• Pediatric surgery unit with five operating rooms
• An outpatient clinic with 30 exam rooms supporting more than 20 subspecialty areas and a general pediatric clinic
• A full range of ancillary and diagnostic services, child life and pastoral care
• Outdoor gardens, nature trails and interactive features designed for children
• A helipad and refueling station supporting Angel One, one of the nation’s leading pediatric intensive care transport services with more than 2,000 transports annually.