Rose Named to Emergency Nurses Association 20 Under 40 Class
Dr. Crystal Rose, an assistant professor of nursing at UA Little Rock, has been recognized as one of the top young emergency nurses in the country.
The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) has named Rose to its 2023 20 Under 40 Class, which highlights up-and-coming nurses under the age of 40 who are making significant contributions to emergency nursing.
“I am extremely proud to be nominated and selected for the ENA 20 Under 40 Class,” Rose said. “Emergency nursing is my passion, so it’s very rewarding to be recognized among my peers and leaders in emergency nursing from across the nation.”
Rose earned her LPN from Ozarka College, RN from the University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville, bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), master’s degree in nursing from the University of Phoenix, and Ph.D. in nursing science from UAMS.
She began her nursing career as an LPN at age 18 in a rural medical-surgical unit in Arkansas, where she often assisted in the emergency department. She continues her emergency nursing work while working weekend shifts as a charge nurse at Unity Health – White County Medical Center in Searcy.
“I think nursing gave me the opportunity to help others when they have their greatest need, and I work to help them get through the hardest parts of life,” Rose said.
During her day job as a nursing professor, Rose serves as the RN-to-BSN program coordinator and teaches healthcare economics to nursing students at UA Little Rock.
“Crystal has brought great life to our RN-to-BSN program with her wealth of experience as not only an educator/administrator, but as a seasoned Emergency Department RN,” said Dr. Sloan Davidson, director of the School of Nursing. “She has remained active in practice during her time as full-time faculty and earned this recognition due to her hard work and expertise.”
Prior to joining UA Little Rock, Rose served as dean of health sciences at Arkansas State University-Newport and was instrumental in building the university’s nursing program and as director of the Arkansas Rural Nursing Education Consortium.
Rose serves on the board of the Arkansas Center for Nursing as well as the practice chair for the Arkansas Emergency Nurses Association, where she publishes articles on evidence-based best practices for emergency nurses in Arkansas in the association’s quarterly newsletters. Because she’s committed to helping people in emergency situations, Rose has recently earned her EMT certification to gain additional knowledge in pre-hospital care.
When asked what advice she would give to future nurses, Rose said that “nursing is the best profession to dedicate your life to. If you think nursing is for you, run toward it. You have a great peer and support system to help you get through the hard times.”
