130 Medical Circle, Nashville, AR 71852 www.howardmemorial.com 870-845-4400 main 870-845-4178 fax
March 2020
To the communities we serve:
Our hospital follows the Centers for Disease Control’s recommended infection prevention and control practices, including minimizing the chance for exposures, placing any patient with known or suspected COVID-19 in a separate location, providing personal protective equipment to health care personnel (gloves, gowns, masks and goggles), and educating staff, patients and the community on proper hand hygiene.
Our hospital is educating the public that the best way to prevent infection is by following the same preventive measures used during the normal cold and flu season. Wash hands regularly, cover coughs and sneezes, and stay home from work or school if you are sick to prevent the spread of infection.
Our hospital participates in emergency preparedness training year-round and is prepared to handle an influx of patients, should that occur. Hospitals communicate and coordinate directly with each other regularly and, in times of large-scale disasters.
Since, last week, Howard Memorial Hospital has been meeting internally and with local officials to ensure the safety of our patients, staff and community. Here are the things that we have in place at this time to address COVID-19:
o Screening everyone that enters into the facility via the ER and Main Lobby by asking three questions and obtaining a temperature. If a patient meets criteria for COVID-19, the patient is escorted outside to a separate area for medical screening exam.
o Using testing guidelines from the Health Department in Little Rock along with our private reference labs.
o All area ambulance services have been asked to screen patients over the phone before going into the home and transporting to the hospital and make the hospital aware of symptoms and screening results so proper precautions can be made prior to the patient arriving to the Emergency Department.
o Patients with respiratory symptoms have a mask placed and our staff will utilize the appropriate personal protective equipment before interacting with the patient.
o Our main lobby entrance is closed at 5:30pm Monday through Friday and reopens at 7am. On weekends, everyone must enter through the Emergency Department entrance. Staff are located in these areas to conduct screenings of everyone entering the facility.
o If we have a confirmed case in our area (Southwest Arkansas or Texarkana) we will move to the next stage for a much more aggressive lockdown of the facility.
Improving the health of the communities we serve
130 Medical Circle, Nashville, AR 71852 www.howardmemorial.com 870-845-4400 main 870-845-
4178 fax
As always, Howard Memorial Hospital is here for your healthcare needs. We continue to
be prepared for any emergency, large or small. If you have any questions, please feel
free to contact us.
Sincerely,
Howard Memorial Hospital
Administration and Staff
Arkansas Map of Covid-19 Positive Cases 03.19.20
A Message to UA Cossatot Students!
I wanted to personally let each and every student who attends UA Cossatot know that everything we are doing during this crisis is to make sure you stay safe and still receive the education you expect to get from UA Cossatot. Currently we have moved all of our courses online and we will keep offering them online as long as we need to in order to keep you as safe as we can from COVID-19 exposure.
During this trying time, please reach out to us for ANY help you need. I also wanted to remind students that we can’t beat the COVID-19 outbreak without your help. Please take this virus very seriously and please practice good hand-washing habits and PLEASE refrain from meeting closely in large groups. This virus spreads mainly by close human contact and if we can eliminate that behavior, at least for a while, we can limit the spread of this virus.
What you do and how you respond personally to this epidemic will define your entire generation!
Please be safe, call or email me any time, and GO COLTS!
Chancellor Cole
Notice from Howard Memorial Hospital
For your protection –
Only those visitors accompanying patients are allowed until further notice. No more than one visitor per patient is recommended.
The cafeteria is opened for employees, physicians, patients, visitors accompanying patients and non-employed staff working on the HMH Campus.
Open Letter to all of our Friends in Southwest Arkansas
As president of the Nashville Chamber of Commerce, I just wish to say that our organization, as well as the chambers in neighboring counties, are concerned with the current economic difficulties that are being caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. And while no cases have yet been confirmed in Southwest Arkansas, we urge everyone to take this seriously. We can help minimize the spread by limiting our travel. With spring break just days away, many families are rethinking their travel plans. Many theme parks and major tourist attractions have closed and we are advised to avoid gatherings of ten or more. As a father, I understand how hard it is to disappoint our children, but traveling to large population centers just doesn’t seem prudent at this time. We have plenty of things to do right here in our backyard. The Coronavirus has even popped up near Texarkana and Hot Springs. Some people say it’s inevitable that the virus will come to our corner of the world.
I believe we must do what we can to impede its spread. Public schools were shut down in Arkansas for a reason, to reduce the risk of exposure to our children. But if we go to an out of town shopping center, or a resort, or head out of the area for whatever reason, we risk bringing Covid-19 home. We have a responsibility to not only think of our own personal health, but also the wellbeing of everyone in our circle of family and friends. The sooner we stop the spread, the sooner we can get back to normal. So, in addition to washing our hands, keeping a safe distance from one another, and staying home when we are sick, let’s remember to shop local…..it’s good for your community, the sales tax you pay stays here, and…….it’s healthier!
Covid-19 is serious, but panic and the spreading of misinformation will only create more problems. Let’s be wise in our travels, make smart decisions for our children, and be mindful of the needs of the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. C’mon Southwest Arkansas! Let’s show America how to get through this!
Sincerely,
Loren Hinton
UA Cossatot Scholarship Application Open through April 1
The UA Cossatot Scholarship Application is open until April 1 of each year. The deadline to complete the application for the 2020-2021 academic year is approaching, and UA Cossatot encourages all current and incoming students to apply.
The UA Cossatot Scholarship Application is one application where students can apply for institutional and foundation scholarships online and is located at www.cccua.awardspring.com.
For more information about the UA Cossatot Scholarship Application, please contact UA Cossatot Foundation Director, Dustin Roberts, at 870-584-1172 or droberts@cccua.edu.
UA Cossatot's Center for Student Success Notice
Canceled Events at UA Cossatot this Month
Due to the COVID-19 coronavirus, UA Cossatot has closed its campuses to students and the public until after spring break. Certain events have been canceled and will be rescheduled.
The college has canceled the lunch-and-learn event set to take place in De Queen on March 19. The second annual Miss UA Cossatot pageant scheduled for March 28 has also been canceled and will be rescheduled for a later date.
UA Cossatot has also temporarily suspended facility rentals and community events held at all UA Cossatot campuses until further notice.
The college apologizes for any inconvenience and wishes to thank the public for their support.
Howard County Children’s Center and Rainbow Learning Center Open in Nashville
Howard County Children’s Center and Rainbow Learning Center will be open.
We ask that no visitors come to our facility at this time.
Parents, when you drop off your child, we ask that you do not go past the locked doors. Staff will be available to take your child to their room.
We are checking staff temperatures, adult clients, and the children's as well.
HCCC adult clients that live in the community will not be attending day hab or Work Activity.
To All UA Cossatot Students
The safety of our students is our number one concern at UA Cossatot, and the coronavirus pandemic has made this more important than ever. We want our students to learn and we want them to have a safe environment in which to learn. That is why effective IMMEDIATELY all UA Cossatot campuses will be closed to students that take on-campus courses. All UA Cossatot campuses will be locked to outside individuals as well. This mirrors today’s announcement by Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson that all K12 schools will be closed at least through spring break.
Students, your education is important to us, that is why we have also created an online component to every in-class course at UA Cossatot. While you are away from campus, your instructors will still be able to work with you to ensure you get the most out of your education during these very trying times. You will be learning even more about that this week.
This campus closure is for ALL campuses and will be reevaluated after spring break. At that time, we will determine whether we need to keep the campuses closed or reopen them at that time. I urge you all to visit our website to learn more about the coronavirus and ways you can protect yourself. Please wash your hands often and practice social distancing if you can.
Thank you for your time. We appreciate you!
Dr. Steve Cole
Chancellor
UAC
From the Office of the Chancellor
In the UA Cossatot update that was sent on March 12th, we indicated that the Coronovirus situation was extremely fluid and could change at a moment’s notice. That moment is now as earlier today Governor Hutchinson and Education Secretary Key announced that all K12 schools will be closed this week. Our institution has a wonderfully close working relationship with all of our K12 districts and we share many of the same students. With that being said, UA Cossatot will follow suit and will close our campuses to students this week. We will continue to be closed to students until after spring break, where, at that time, we will reevaluate the Coronavirus situation. Our campuses will also be locked and closed to visitors and outside entities.
All UA Cossatot employees will be working on Monday. We will assess that situation on a day-to-day basis.
All UA Cossatot courses have been converted to have an online component and faculty will have the ability to teach this week via the Blackboard Learning System. While our maintenance department has already been working overtime to keep our campuses clean, over the next two weeks we will have the opportunity to deep clean our campuses as per CDC guidelines.
Please know that our campus will continue to work closely with the University of Arkansas System Office, UAMS, and other government entities to ensure our pandemic plan regarding COVID-19 continues to protect our students, employees, and other stakeholders.
UA Cossatot will continue to update our status on our cccua.edu website, our ED88 Facebook page, and other media outlets. These are very different times that call for very different measures and we appreciate our community’s understanding of this necessary decision.
Regards,
Dr. Steve Cole
Chancellor, UA Cossatot
Nashville City Park Temporarily Closed
Park closed until further notice.
The Nashville city park is closed to the public until further notice. If you had an event scheduled in the park such as a pavilion or park building rented for sometime in March, please call our office after 9 a.m. Monday to reschedule or to cancel.
Please understand this is not a decision that was made without much thought and direction. I will pass along more information with regards to park events as information becomes available.
Mark Dale, City of Nashville Director of Parks.
Howard County Memorial COVID19 Preparedness
UA Cossatot Currently Not Hosting Public Meetings
UA Cossatot is not hosting public meetings in their facilities until further notice due to the Coronavirus, Therefore, Sevier County Extension has moved the Pesticide Applicator Training to the Farm Bureau Bldg. in De Queen. What: Pesticide Applicator Training When: Thursday, March 19, 202 at 5:30 pm Where: Farm Bureau Bldg. in De Queen
UA Cossatot Scholarship Application Due April 1st
The 2020-2021 UA Cossatot scholarship application is due April 1. The online application can be found here: https://cccua.awardspring.com/
Students are encouraged to finish their application early and then follow up with whomever they have chosen to provide their recommendation letters.
Completing this online scholarship application before April 1 is the best time for students to apply for scholarships for the upcoming academic year and gives them access to all the scholarships we have available.
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Miss UA Cossatot Pageant Cancelled
The Miss UA Cossatot Pageant scheduled for March 28 in Lockesburg has been cancelled due to health concerns.
From the Office of the Chancellor
UA Cossatot is working closely with the University of Arkansas System Office, UAMS, and other entities to ensure our pandemic plan regarding COVID-19 protects our students, employees, and other stakeholders. Our team has met non-stop for the past several weeks to enact measures to address the COVID-19 outbreak. These measures include sharing more information campus-wide regarding prevention, altered course scheduling, restricted campus usage, and campus closures, should that need arise.
We have communicated this link on our UA Cossatot webpage to all students and employees: https://www.cccua.edu/novel-coronavirus
This link includes useful information regarding what UA Cossatot is doing locally and it offers students and employees health and safety information about COVID-19.
UA Cossatot campuses continue to prepare for our college community’s safety as well as possible closure as we have:
Created online versions of all non-technical courses offered at UA Cossatot. We are currently working on all technical courses to ensure students can maintain learning, even while being away from campus. Initiated a policy where, until further notice, we will not be allowing the use of our facilities by outside groups.
Directed our Medical Division to cancel clinical rotations at local health care facilities and teach Medical Department lecture courses via Zoom software. Developed an IT plan that allows personnel VPN access to their workstations. This will allow UA Cossatot to operate from a business standpoint while not being on campus.
Cancelled the second annual UA Cossatot Scholarship Pageant that was to be held on March 28th. We do not have a reschedule date. Encouraged UA Cossatot employees to limit non-essential business travel. While no members of the UA Cossatot community have been diagnosed with COVID-19, UA Cossatot is preparing for the potential of local transmission and we are aligning our efforts with local leaders, The UA System, UAMS, and the Arkansas Department of Health.
These are just a few of the preparations we have made to keep our students and campus community updated and better protected from the COVID-19 outbreak.
Campus leaders are meeting daily to assess this very fluid situation. We will continue to monitor and adjust our efforts, keeping student, public and, employee safety in mind.
Regards,
Dr. Steve Cole Chancellor, UA Cossatot
Cossatot Community College
Information as of: March 16, 2020 At UA Cossatot, health and safety of our campus community are top priorities. As the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak rapidly evolves in the U.S. and worldwide, UA Cossatot will continue to provide the latest updates and guidance for the campus community in one place online: cccua.edu/coronavirus.
UA Cossatot Holds Seventh Annual Come Fall in Love Event for High School Juniors
“Come Fall in Love” is an event that takes place at UA Cossatot every February. It is designed for juniors in high school to fall in love with UA Cossatot. Approximately 500 high school students visited the college to learn about careers, educational opportunities, and how they can achieve their goals by enrolling at UA Cossatot.
This past month, UA Cossatot hosted seven “Come Fall in Love” events to seven local area high schools. The high schools that brought their students to the college included; Foreman, Kirby, Ashdown, Nashville, Dierks, Horatio, and De Queen.
Upon arrival, the students were greeted and welcomed by UA Cossatot staff. Throughout the day, several sessions took place concerning career readiness, financial planning, and testimonies from alumni. The college also designated time for students to learn about programs offered at UA Cossatot, student organizations at the college, and services the college’s Educational Resource Center provides.
Students were able to sit in on college classes, play games, receive program information, and take pictures. The college also provided the students with a free lunch before they returned to their high school.
UA Cossatot Director of Student Services, Suzanne Ward, said, “Providing the basic information regarding college prior to the senior year is crucial. The more students know about career goals, academic programs, college life, and financial planning for college, the better decisions they can make about their future.”
For more information about UA Cossatot, please contact Student Services at 870-584-4471. To learn about college opportunities offered at UA Cossatot while in high school, please contact the Director of High School Programs, Julie Rhodes, at 870-584-1343.
International Women's Day was March 8th
International Women's Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women throughout the world. UA Cossatot celebrated across all three campuses on Monday, March 09, 2020 bringing awareness to all students, faculty and staff of the college by wearing a pink or purple shirt. Thank you to all who participated!
