Sparks Health System announced Friday (Aug. 30) the promotion of Shelly Weilenman, RN, MSN, CENP, to the position of Arkansas market chief nursing executive, effective Sept. 3, 2013.
Weilenman serves as administrator & chief nursing executive at Summit Medical Center in Van Buren. Her newly expanded position gives her oversight of nursing at both Summit Medical Center and Sparks Regional Medical Center in Fort Smith.
Weilenman brought nearly 30 years of health care experience with her when she joined the Summit staff in October of 2012.
“I’m excited to embrace this opportunity,” said Weilenman, adding, “I am passionate about both the science and the art of nursing. I look forward to working with my colleagues at Sparks in our collective mission to provide this region’s best nursing care.”
Weilenman earned a master’s and bachelor’s degree in nursing with honors from the University of Mississippi School of Nursing. She also received an associate degree from North Arkansas Community College in Harrison, Ark., and she was inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau international nursing honor society. A registered nurse, Weilenman is also certified in Executive Nursing Practice by the American Organization of Nurse Executives.
Weilenman also serves on the Board of Directors for the Van Buren Chamber of Commerce and on the University of Arkansas Fort Smith’s Advisory Committee on Nursing.
Summit Medical Center’s CFO, Anthony Brooks, will work as interim administrator at Summit until Weilenman’s successor is named.
Sparks Health System includes Sparks Regional Medical Center, Sparks Clinic (an employed multi-specialty physician group), PremierCare (a physician-hospital organization), Sparks Home Health and the fully hospital-integrated Marvin Altman Fitness Center.
Summit Medical Center is a fully accredited, 103-bed acute care hospital. The medical staff includes numerous specialties such as Anesthesiology, Cardiology, Emergency Medicine, Family and Internal Medicine, Bariatric and General Surgery, Orthopedic and Plastic Surgery, Pediatrics and Wound Care.