Three UA Little Rock nursing professors have been named to the Arkansas Center for Nursing’s 40 Nurse Leaders Under 40 list for 2022.

The honorees from UA Little Rock include Stephanie Bartlett, assistant professor of nursing, Dr. Josy Nduku, assistant professor of nursing and RN-BSN program coordinator, and Judy Staley, assistant professor of nursing.

“I am thrilled to have three of the top 40 under 40 nurses in Arkansas working for the UA Little Rock School of Nursing,” said Dr. Sloan Davidson, director of the School of Nursing. “Judy, Josy, and Stephanie are outstanding registered nurses and faculty.”

The list honors emerging young nurse leaders throughout the state. All the recipients were recognized during an Oct. 12 ceremony at the Benton Event Center. The Arkansas Center for Nursing’s mission is to promote a culture of health for the residents of Arkansas by advancing nursing education, practice, leadership, and workforce development.

The 40 Nurse Leaders Under 40 recognition is designed to identify, celebrate, and encourage dedication and leadership in the nursing profession. The selection process is highly competitive. The selection criteria include a commitment to excellence, service, and outreach within a community, leadership qualities, and contributions to nursing advancement.

More information about the honorees:

Stephanie Bartlett began working in the healthcare industry as a nursing assistant in 2007. She earned her associate degree and bachelor’s degree in nursing from UA Little Rock and completed a master’s degree in nursing at the University of Southern Alabama. She joined the UA Little Rock nursing faculty for a second time this year after previously teaching here from 2016-2018. She has been recognized on AY’s Best Women in Health Care list for the last two years.

“I feel so honored and humbled to receive this recognition,” Bartlett said. “Healthcare is evolving rapidly, and we are going to need leaders within the nursing field to step out and step up to help take our profession to the next level. I feel honored to be viewed as someone who can do just that. From a young age, I always knew I would be in the medical field. I knew I was smart, but I wanted to be more than just a provider. I wanted to be the nurturer, the caregiver, the support, and encouragement for every patient I encountered. Nurses have a unique opportunity to truly touch the lives of their patients. That is what I want my legacy to be.”

Judy Staley began her medical career as a medical assistant in 2004. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in nursing from UAMS in 2016 and a master’s degree in nursing from WGU in 2020 and will begin a doctorate program in nursing in 2023. She has more than 10 years of experience working as a nurse in internal medicine and pediatrics. She has earned two national certifications in nursing, the Certified Nurse Educator Novice and Inpatient Obstetric Nursing, and was also recognized as a Nurse Hero 2022.

“I was extremely honored when I was notified of this award,” Staley said. “I know many nurses that have received this prestigious award, and I am incredibly proud to say I am a part of this group of nurses. I became aware of how much a single person can support you at some of your most vulnerable times in life after my sister passed away when I was in the second grade. I decided to pursue a career in nursing because it gives me a chance to impact my patients, the community, and students positively. In the same way that was demonstrated to me in the past, I want to be the nurse and educator who can assist in making a terrible circumstance seem possible.”

Dr. Josy Nduku, a native of Douala, Cameroon, received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Science in Nursing, and Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Central Arkansas. She has worked at UA Little Rock for six years and served as program coordinator of the online RN-BSN program since 2020. Her area of clinical practice focused on adult cardiovascular nursing, where she cared for clients with acute and chronic cardiac conditions at CHI St. Vincent Infirmary and UAMS.

Her awards include the 2021 Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching for the College of Business, Health, and Human Services, 2022 Arkansas Nursing Research Outstanding Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Research Award, and Scientific Teaching Fellow from the Mobile Institute on Scientific Teaching.

“Receiving the 40 Under 40 Arkansas Nurse Leaders Award has been a confirmation that the work I am doing in the nursing profession is valuable,” Nduku said. “It empowers me to keep going in my efforts to improve our profession both at the state and national levels. My desire to serve the less fortunate led me to a career in service. Nursing was a definite choice because I also wanted to be in the medical field.”