Many people throughout the state are aware of the vital contributions Baptist Health makes in serving the health needs of Arkansas with the highest quality of care, Christian compassion, and personal concern.
Baptist Health’s comprehensive statewide network of hospitals, clinics, therapy centers, and other health services provide coordinated care that improve the health of Arkansas communities.
But none of that can be accomplished without a strong health care workforce built on the high standards of Baptist Health to serve all those who seek care in its facilities during their times of need.
That is why continuing to develop the next generation of caregivers is so vital not only to patients at Baptist Health but to other health care organizations in the state that benefit from the nurses and other health professionals who graduate from Baptist Health College in Little Rock.
In 2021, Baptist Health once again sent about 200 new health care professionals into the state’s workforce. While about half end up working within the Baptist Health system, the other half go on to other important roles serving the health care needs of Arkansas.
Baptist Health continues to make a giant impact in the state’s health care by annually producing a large portion of the state’s professionals who serve the health needs of Arkansans even beyond the walls of Baptist Health facilities.
But none of that happens without people such as Charles and Patricia McClain –– and others like them who have made such incredibly meaningful gifts supporting nursing scholarships and continuing education at Baptist Health College.
Patricia McClain, herself a 1966 graduate of Baptist Health’s School of Nursing, is the reason more top nurses will be entering the workforce in future years. A former patient at Baptist Health when she was 11 years old, she will also be the reason more patients receive amazing care the same way she did.
Patricia’s loving husband, Dr. Charles McClain, knew after she passed away that there was no better way to honor her memory and long-term relationship with Baptist Health than to “pay it forward” by making a planned gift to benefit high-quality health care education at her alma mater.
“Making a planned gift was important for several reasons,” Dr. McClain said. “One was to help further the education of a deserving student who needed financial assistance. Another was to demonstrate to our family that charitable giving is a very important thing. We wanted some portion of our estate to be given to beneficiaries such as Baptist Health.”
The McClains were able to make this contribution through the “Legacy of Healing Partners” program, which enables donors to make a meaning gift through their estate in honor or memory of a loved one to help further the healing ministry at Baptist Health.
As a result, the Patricia E. Marshall McClain Nursing Scholarship will support future nursing students who demonstrate financial need at the Baptist Health College in Little Rock –– and might not otherwise be able to get started on their dream to enter the nursing profession.
This scholarship will be a lasting and loving memory of Patricia and her dedication and commitment to advancing health care professions for future generations of Arkansans.