May 4, 2020

Each year during Nurse’s Week, we pause nationally to celebrate nurses and their contributions to our patients and profession. The World Health Organization declared 2020 the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife, which draws attention to the important role of nurses in advancing patient care and improving outcomes.

To celebrate National Nurses Week from May 6 to 12, Texas Children’s Nursing Retention Council has taken great pride in developing plans to ensure that our more than 3,700 nurses from across the system know how deeply valued they are and how much we appreciate them for their hard work, dedication and sacrifice especially during these challenging times.

“Given the current COVID-19 situation, we organized our Nurses Week activities differently this year to ensure we follow social distancing guidelines to keep everyone safe,” said Tarra Kerr, director of Nursing for the Emergency Center at Texas Children’s Medical Center Campus. “While our current situation won’t allow us to physically gather in large groups, we have developed a series of celebrations at the unit level as well as several virtual activities centered on health and well-being to remind our nurses how important it is to take care of themselves so they can provide the best care to their patients.”

The Nursing Retention Council partnered with The Employee Well-Being team and our chaplains to create virtual support during this unprecedented time. Click here to view a flyer highlighting virtual activities – self-care sessions and blessing of the hands – that will be offered multiple times during Nurses Week.

2020 Nursing Excellence Awards

To kick off Nurses Week from May 6 to May 12, Texas Children’s recognized our 2020 Nursing Excellence Award honorees for their commitment to improving nursing care and patient outcomes. Since a formal ceremony could not be held this year due to COVID-19, leaders hosted their own recognition celebrations on their units.

Congratulations to this year’s Nursing Excellence award recipients. Excerpts from their nominations are included below.

  • Staff Nurse of the Year: Julie LaSalle (Staff Nurse, CICU)
    “Julie is one of the smartest, most compassionate individuals I have ever met. It is no exaggeration to say that she is universally adored and respected by all disciplines who work in the CICU. Julie listens to her staff when she charges and is eager to jump in and help in any situation; whether it is resolving issues with an upset family, helping out in a code situation, or even just holding an upset baby. Many registered nurses on the unit refer to Julie as “The Mama Charge Nurse.” She is tender and kind, but also direct and stern when need be.”
  • Nurse Preceptor of the Year: Jan Neuhoff (Staff Nurse, IRU)
    “Jan exemplifies the definition of a dedicated preceptor…Jan devotes herself to her orientees to ensure they have a true understanding of not only nursing at Texas Children’s but what a rehabilitation nurse is…Jan is a true gem and asset to the IRU.” A former orientee had this to say about Jan: “She gave me the confidence I needed to become an efficient rehab nurse once I got off orientation. She always made sure that I understood the rationale behind the nursing skills that I needed to learn…When I felt unsure, she was always there, assuring me that she would be there to guide me…She is an awesome nurse!”
  • Nurse Resident of the Year: Kaitlyn Pawelek (Staff Nurse 1st Year, NICU 2)
    “Kaitlyn is a very fast learner, who pays great attention to detail. She is very compassionate and tender with her patients but is very quick to think and is prompt in action in times of crisis… Her clinical judgement and time management skills are impeccable. She is incredibly quick and retains what she has learned enthusiastically, always keeping the patient’s safety and best interest at the forefront… Some of her other great assets include her patience and communication skills. Kaitlyn is a great advocate for her patients who are unable to speak for themselves as they are infants. She consistently strives to provide the best care for her tiny patients…Her positive attitude, passion for working with newborns and their families, the ability to thrive in the high-pressure, fast-paced environment of the NICU….and the ability to be a team player makes her stand out among the other GNs.”
  • Nurse Leader of the Year: April Lyle (Patient Care Manager, BMT)
    “April’s diligence, perseverance in challenging times, professionalism, passion and smile are some of her qualities that I admire. She will ensure a project or task is completed to its fullest before submitting, she remains steadfast and loyal throughout changes and she never gives up – she always sees any challenge through to resolution. Her work ethic and commitment to work together as a team are exemplary.
  • Advanced Practice Nurse of the Year: Linda Brock (Clinical Lead II/PNP, Otolaryngology)
    “As a leader, Linda has worked tirelessly to implement onboarding processes that improve the work environment and allow her staff to transition successfully into practice. Linda goes above and beyond to ensure that her team members are heard, and she is attentive to their individual needs… Linda has established herself as a dedicated leader who is committed to the professional values, collaborative relationships, leadership, and family-centered care that are the cornerstones of advanced practice.”
  • Advanced Degree Nurse of the Year – Karla Abela (AD of Clinical Practice, PICU)
    “Karla is an authentic leader with a passion for service. She leads by example and sets the tone for clinical practice, education, and research in the PICU. In her role as Assistant Director of Clinical Practice for PICU, Karla is able to make a difference every day by influencing outcomes for our patients… Karla is dedicated, passionate, and is able to influence others toward common goals. Mr. Wallace’s Maxim #6 –Leaders lead people; managers manage an asset, process, or thing – describes Karla very well. She often leads system-wide projects and is able to pull people together and gain commitment while keeping focus on our patients and desired outcomes. Her ability to influence has impacted outcomes related to pain management, infection prevention, and staff satisfaction.”
  • Friend of Nursing – Marsha Zimmerman (Org Development Consultant Sr.)
    “Marsha consistently goes above and beyond her regular job duties and personifies the Texas Children’s values in all that she does… I cannot underscore enough the value of Marsha’s presence and contributions to our work…Marsha encourages an atmosphere where nurses feel supported and comfortable sharing their perspectives. She is a great mentor and never misses an opportunity to interject with a teaching moment.”
Houston Chronicle’s Salute to Nurses

Each year, thousands are nominated for the Houston Chronicle Salute to Nurses award and 15 outstanding nursing professionals are chosen to be honored as greater Houston’s Top 15 Nurses of the Year. Donna (DK) Lovick, a transition coordinator in the Heart Center, and Jenny Tcharmtchi, patient care manager in the PICU, were among the top 15 award recipients. Baylor College of Medicine nurse Stoney Snider from the Transition Medicine Clinic was also on the Top 15 list. Click here for more on the Houston Chronicle Salute to Nurses honorees.

In addition to the two nurses honored in the top 15, a total of 15 Texas Children’s nurses were recognized as being among the top 150 in the Greater Houston area.

Loralie Arzadon (West Campus – Nursing Operations Leadership)
Nicole Corso (Emergency Center)
Kimbereley Edwards Fitts (General Medicine/Transplant)
Leah Garza (Cancer Center and Hematology Center)
Kellie Leake (Ob/Gyn)
Donna (DK) Lovick (Legacy Tower – Heart Center)
Jennifer Mauney (Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit)
Karen Morales (Transport Services)
Kerri Phelps (Acute Care)
Rhoda Phillips (Cancer Center)
Diesa Samp (Renal and Transplant Services)
Clarisete Scota (The Woodlands – Acute Care)
Drew Sikes (Ob/GYN)
Stoney Snider (Baylor/Transition Medicine Clinic)
Jenny Tcharmtchi (Legacy Tower – Pediatric Intensive Care Unit)
Jackie Ward (Associate Nursing Chief/Vice President of Nursing)

Congratulations to our nurses! Happy Nurses Week!

Nursing Excellence Awards photos

When Kirsti Clifford found out she was pregnant with her second child, she was excited beyond belief. She was grateful to be giving her daughter a sibling and she was looking forward to pregnancy and delivery more so than with her first child because she knew what to expect. Then the pandemic happened and Clifford’s anxiety rose right along with it.

“There is so much unknown.” Clifford said. “I have felt much more uneasy this time and am trying to be really careful. I am limiting my exposure, social distancing and not going out unless I have to.”

To reduce the anxiety of expectant moms like Clifford, and to lower their risk of COVID-19 exposure and infection, Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women has opened a drive-through prenatal clinic at our Medical Center Campus.

A group of Texas Children’s obstetrics and gynecology physicians in consultation with the American College of Obstetrician Gynecologists (ACOG) came up with the idea while discussing how to adequately care for pregnant mothers while reducing their risk of contracting COVID-19 while traveling to hospitals or clinics for a prenatal exam.

“Providing access to prenatal health care while limiting exposure of both obstetric health care professionals and patients to COVID-19 is challenging,” said Dr. Mark Turrentine, a Texas Children’s obstetrician and gynecologist. “Although reductions in the frequency of prenatal visits and implementation of telehealth interventions provide some options, there still remains a need for patient–health care professional visits.”

The drive-through prenatal care clinic at Texas Children’s allows pregnant women who do not need to be seen in the clinic to remain in their vehicles while being assessed by a health care professional, thus reducing potential patient, health care professional, and staff exposure to COVID-19.

View photos of the drive-through clinic below.

The drive-through visits include key elements of a prenatal exam such as blood pressure measurements for evaluation for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, fetal heart rate assessment, and selected ultrasound-based measurements or observations, as well as face-to-face patient–health care professional interaction.

“Patients using the drive-through clinic feel reassured that they can actually see a health care provider and hear their baby’s heartbeat without having to come into our facility and risk being exposed to the virus,” Turrentine said. “Our providers like it as well. They enjoy being able to provide patients with an option that might better suit their needs during these unprecedented times.”

Clifford said she used the drive-through clinic at the Medical Center Campus for her 30-week appointment because she didn’t want to take any unnecessary risks, and that it turned out to be a great decision. She said she got her blood pressure taken and that, more importantly, she got to hear her baby’s heartbeat.

“I appreciated the setup because we can still get some of the important monitoring that we need to feel reassured,” Clifford said. “It’s a creative solution that I would opt to use again.”

In conjunction with Turrentine and other Texas Children’s obstetrics and gynecology physician, Obstetrician and Gynecologist-in-Chief Dr. Michael A. Belfort recently published a paper about the drive-through prenatal clinic in Obstetrics & Gynecology, the official publication of ACOG. In that paper, Belfort said the drive-through model is projected to reduce the number of in-person clinic visits by 33 percent per patient compared with the traditional prenatal care paradigm, using equipment and supplies that most obstetric clinics in the United States can access.

“What we have seen so far at Texas Children’s is that the concept of a drive-through prenatal clinic works,” Belfort said. “They are reducing patient anxiety without compromising quality of care. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.”

Texas Children’s is also using drive-through capabilities for a variety of services including per-operative COVID-19 testing at all three of our hospital campuses and will expand these options as we continue to refine how we care for our patients.

As we celebrate Nurses Week and the World Health Organization’s declaration of 2020 as the Year of the Nurse, Chief Nursing Officer Mary Jo Andre highlights the important role of the nursing profession and shares a special video spotlighting several of our nursing heroes and the countless ways they are making a difference. Read more

If your working hours have been temporarily changed because of how our operations have been impacted by this pandemic, your Texas Children’s benefits coverage still remains the same.

Hit the “What’s New” button on the front page of the COVID-19 Resources site for the latest information and updates on available benefits and community resources, including your:

  • 403(b) Savings Plan
  • Dependent Care Flexible Savings Account
  • Health Care Flexible Spending and Reimbursement Accounts
  • COVID-19 Care and Coverage
  • Child Care
  • Dental Emergencies

You can also access your benefits online to review your elections 24/7 from any desktop or mobile device.

Texas Children’s Health Plan is continuing its pursuit of an accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). This is the most widely-recognized accreditation program in the United States and going through the process demonstrates the health plan’s commitment to quality.

“The fact that we are continuing our process in the face of COVID-19 demonstrates the high level of commitment we have to our members,” said Emmalou Torres Cabrera, Director of Quality Management at Texas Children’s Health Plan. “The quality of our care isn’t wavering due to this pandemic. In fact, we are working to ensure that we raise the bar even more so.”

The first big milestone in the process was completed on April 14 with the submission of 262 documents. The next step is preparing for the file review that surveyors will focus on during the virtual audit, which replaces the onsite visit on June 1 and June 2.

Cabrera extends appreciation to everyone involved in the process, with special recognition to Quality Improvement Specialists Rosendo Cardoso Gonzalez, Jeremiah Judkins and Joshua Fernelius.

NCQA surveyors will ensure that the health plan is meeting quality standards in the following areas:

  • Quality Management and Improvement
  • Population Health Management
  • Network Management
  • Utilization Management
  • Credentialing and Re-credentialing
  • Members’ Rights and Responsibilities
  • Member Connections

For more information about the National Committee Quality for Assurance, visit NCQA.org

Michael Mizwa has been named Chief Executive Officer of Baylor College of Medicine International Pediatric AIDS Initiative (BIPAI) at Texas Children’s Hospital.

Mizwa has served as the Chief Operating Officer and senior vice president of BIPAI since 2010. His vision and his strategic planning with BIPAI leaders throughout the network has resulted in the organization being internationally recognized for excellence in patient care, research and education.

Mizwa has 33 years of experience in non-profit HIV/AIDS prevention and social services and extensive experience globally in pediatric HIV/AIDS program development, administration and management, human resources development and government relations.

He has received numerous local, state, and national awards in HIV prevention and leadership, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention’s Price Fellowship in HIV Prevention Leadership for developing the first HIV/AIDS offender education training-of-trainers program throughout the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

“I know that you all join me in thanking Mike for accepting the position of CEO,” said BIPAI Board Chair Claire Bassett. “He has the full support of the BIPAI board and the leadership of Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital.”

Bassett added that everyone invested in BIPAI can take great pride in the advances that have been made since the organization began 20 years ago but there is still much to be done for the children and families in the BIPAI network.

For more information about BIPAI and the work they do for children and families across the globe, click here.

Facing vulnerability

The following passage was written by Texas Children’s Chaplain James Denham.

We made it to May!  I celebrate that we have walked through the beginning of all of this. I, like you, am tired. As Mark Wallace encouraged us in his blog post, we are filling in the gaps for each other when our journeys through the past two months have challenged us and tired us out.  We fill the gaps and get through it.

Sometimes, we get through because of some things that mean a lot to us, like a smile or stirring music or amazing food or that beautiful beach we love. Most times, though, it is people who show us the way and lead us with their extraordinary compassion. Brene Brown writes that “To love someone fiercely, to believe in something with your whole heart, to celebrate a fleeting moment in time, to fully engage in a life that doesn’t come with guarantees – these are risks that involve vulnerability and often pain. But, I’m learning that recognizing and leaning into the discomfort of vulnerability teaches us how to live with joy, gratitude and grace.” Indeed, her words ring powerfully true to me.  It is a true wonder to me to see just how many people here at Texas Children’s embody this quote.

I wonder who you know here at Texas Children’s who leads by loving others so fiercely? I wonder who you see here at Texas Children’s who leads through their whole hearted belief and grace?  I wonder who you see here at Texas Children’s who leads through facing vulnerability with joy? I wonder who you see here at Texas Children’s who leads by fulling engaging in their life and work here in the face of uncertainty?  The answer I trust is many.  And I trust that there are specific names who come to mind too.  These are the people who inspire strength in us, who engender positivity or teamwork, who sustain our faith when we need it, who inspire us to love and lead more fiercely, even when we feel vulnerable.

My answer to this: our Texas Children’s nurses, across the board.  I stand amazed at these nurses who embody Brene Brown’s words.  During this pandemic and our response, they stand face to face with patients, adults, kids, mothers, fathers, and others who bring their vulnerability, and they have loved their patients fiercely through advocacy and genuineness regardless of the PPE they wear, celebrated moments and progresses through masks, believe in serving the those are sick with their whole heart, and who yet embody the joy of ordinary things, gratitude for life, grace towards others, and grit that we all need.  This week as we begin the move into May and the march to summer with lots of uncertainty, we march forward with the fierce strength of our nurses, and the fierce strength of one another at Texas Children’s.

What I am challenging you to do is not be afraid to face the vulnerability of our lives now, not with just your own resources, but with the presence of others who can encourage us on through these times.  In the kid’s book, Wonder, R.J. Palacio states this: “Courage. Kindness. Friendship. Character. These are the qualities that define us as human beings, and propel us, on occasion, to greatness.”  Our nurses embody those qualities.  And you and I know others who do too, whether staff here or your kids or neighbors or those at your place of worship.  Be grateful and let them know how you appreciate them.  Tell a story to others about them.  Call them.  Show your joy for the people that get you through.  And then just like them, let courage, fierce love, kindness, friendship, and character define you too.