September 30, 2014

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Tens of thousands of people die each year from the flu. Although anyone can be affected, the elderly and young children – like the ones treated at Texas Children’s – are most susceptible to the illness.

Each year, an average of 20,000 children under the age of 5 are hospitalized because of influenza complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last flu season, more than 100 flu-related pediatric deaths were reported.

The best way to prevent the flu is by getting vaccinated each year. Many Texas Children’s patients, however, are too sick to receive the vaccination, which makes protecting yourself even more vital.

“We would never want to expose anyone to the flu,” Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer Lori Armstrong said. “We have a responsibility to keep every patient healthy.”

About 4,000 Texas Children’s employees already have taken one for the team and gotten their flu vaccine. Now it’s your turn to do what’s right for you and your patients.

Employee Health is administering free seasonal influenza vaccinations to all Texas Children’s employees, Baylor College of Medicine employees working in Texas Children’s facilities, Texas Children’s medical staff and volunteers. Leaders from Texas Children’s Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Health Centers and The Center for Women and Children will inform their staff about seasonal flu vaccination details.

Click here to view vaccination schedules for both Main and West Campuses. Employee Health strongly encourages you to get your vaccine at one of the times listed on the schedule. If you are unable to do so, please schedule an appointment to get the flu vaccine at the Employee Health Clinic after Wednesday, October 1.

And, remember, getting an annual flu shot is part of Texas Children’s P3 incentive plan, which is an important component of the total rewards you receive at Texas Children’s Hospital. As part of P3 , we are striving for at least 90 percent of our staff to get vaccinated by Monday, December 1. As of September 30, we were less than half way there.

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“Today was a banner day at Texas Children’s,” said Chief Quality Officer Dr. Angelo Giardino. “We have figured something out.”

Giardino, who attended the debrief of a two-day nursing care delivery summit, said he was hopeful for what the future of nursing at Texas Children’s has in store. The two-day summit brought together more than 60 frontline nurses, nursing leaders, representatives from human resources and leaders from across the organization. The frontline staff made a huge impact on the summit by bringing their ideas from the bedside to the leaders and investing in the re-design. The intent of gathering this particular group was to generate ideas, share concerns and form suggestions about the way nursing care is delivered by our 2,500 nurses.

“We felt the support of our leadership and other disciplines,” said Clinical Specialist Joellan Mullen. “They recognized the importance of the role of the nurse in patient care and quality outcomes.”

The strategy was to form groups that would then visit an area of the hospital unfamiliar to them. The groups each captured a day in the life of a nurse in order to determine the best strategy to improve the role of the nurses in that unit. By identifying challenges, they were able to understand what stands in the way of delivering the best possible care. Challenges included the need for better collaboration between the physicians and nurses during rounds, cluttered work spaces, a lack of standardization in pods, struggles with translation services, juggling the many duties of a nurse and role confusion.

“What I need from each of you is to be patient and hopeful,” said Chief Nursing Officer Lori Armstrong who listened to all of the reports.

It was a chance for not only Armstrong, but other leaders, including representatives from Human Resource,s to hear the needs of this dynamic group of employees at Texas Children’s and how their work can greatly impact patient outcomes. The three main overarching goals that were determined as a result of the summit are:

  1. Bring the RN closer to the bedside
  2. Ensure that the right discipline has the right responsibilities
  3. Ensure that there are no gaps in supplies, equipment or services needed to deliver care

“The Summit reinforced Texas Children’s commitment to empower the nursing staff to advocate for safe care for ALL patients by focusing on the right task done at the right time, by the right person,” said Patient Care Manager Tina Babb. “The Summit showed that Texas Children’s is committed to the future of nursing, health care, and our patients.”

As a result of the summit, an executive summary has been developed, a governance structure has been established with an executive steering committee, project steering team and work teams. The committee will begin meeting this fall and teams will kick off their work in January.

“What we learned from the summit was what action needs to be taken immediately to help our nurses deliver the best possible care to every patient,” Armstrong said.

Patients walked the hallways of the Texas Children’s Bone Marrow Transplant Unit for the annual “Be The Match” walk, which raises awareness for the global bone marrow registry.

View our gallery:

September 23, 2014

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Flu season is right around the corner and leaders at Texas Children’s want you to protect yourself and your patients by getting a seasonal influenza vaccine.

Throughout this year’s flu season, you will hear from leaders across the organization about why you should get vaccinated and how you can encourage your co-workers to do the same. Texas Children’s CEO and President Mark A. Wallace delivers the first message of this year’s flu campaign here:

Quick, Easy, Free

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts this year’s flu season will begin in October but recommends people get vaccinated now to ensure they are protected, explaining it takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop and provide protection against the illness.

Texas Children’s is making that task quick, easy and free for all of its employees. Starting from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 23, on The Auxiliary Bridge and from 6:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and noon to 2 p.m. at West Campus’ lobby, Employee Health is administering free seasonal influenza vaccinations to Texas Children’s employees, Baylor College of Medicine employees working in Texas Children’s facilities, Texas Children’s medical staff and volunteers. Leaders from Texas Children’s Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Health Centers and The Center for Women and Children will inform their staff about seasonal flu vaccination details.

Click here to view future vaccination schedules for both Main and West Campuses. Employee Health strongly encourages you to get your vaccine at one of the times listed on the schedule. If you are unable to do so, please schedule an appointment to get the flu vaccine at the Employee Health Clinic after Wednesday, October 1.

P3 Incentive Plan

In addition to helping you stay healthy, getting an annual flu shot is part of Texas Children’s P3 incentive plan, which is an important component of the total rewards you receive at Texas Children’s Hospital. Employees working in other parts of Texas Children’s have their own incentive plans, all of which encourage workers to get a flu vaccine.

As part of P3, we are striving for at least 90 percent of our staff to get vaccinated. We were successful in achieving that goal last year, and organization leaders are confident that with YOUR support we’ll reach our goal again this year.

“Getting your flu vaccine is a big part of our compensation program, but most importantly, it’s about quality, service and safety for all of our patients, families and for you,” Texas Children’s President and CEO Mark A. Wallace said. “I’m going to get the flu vaccine and I want you to be right behind me.”

Additional information regarding Texas Children’s influenza vaccination policy can be found here. As a reminder, staff should be in compliance by Monday, December 1.

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Beyond Batten Disease Foundation delivers the largest investment in the history of Batten Research to Texas Children’s Hospital

No treatment. No cure. Fatal. That’s what the parents of six-year old Will Herndon of The Woodlands were told when their son was diagnosed with a disorder that strikes young, otherwise healthy children. Will, now 11, is blind, and the family is heart-broken, but driven to find a cure.

“We are so blessed to live in a community that has passion to believe that even the impossible can become possible if you truly believe change can be made,” said Missy Herndon, Will’s mother and founder of The Will Herndon Research Fund at Beyond Batten Disease Foundation.

Batten Disease is a rare, inherited pediatric neurological disorder, which begins with vision loss and seizures, followed by cognitive and motor impairment. Currently, there is no cure, and the disease is fatal in the late teens or early 20s. This prognosis is unacceptable for Will Herndon’s family and the hundreds of children affected with this condition. Beyond Batten Disease Foundation (BBDF) supports research to treat and cure Batten disease that strikes young otherwise healthy children around the age of five.

Missy and Wayne Herndon, Will’s parents, jumped into action after receiving the devastating news about their son. They partnered with Beyond Batten Disease Foundation to raise funds from generous donors in The Woodlands, the Houston area and Texas. Ultimately, these contributions and others have resulted in the largest investment in the history of Batten Disease research in the United States to Texas Children’s Hospital.

“I am so grateful for the tremendous support we have received from the families of The Woodlands and beyond. Our success is a testimony to the resources; love and faith each of them have shared since day one of Will’s diagnosis. There is no doubt in my mind this community is committed and a life-changing discovery will happen,” said Missy Herndon.

Craig and Charlotte Benson of Austin created Beyond Batten Disease Foundation in 2008 after their daughter, Christiane, was diagnosed with Batten disease. In 2009, Wayne and Missy Herndon launched The Will Herndon Fund as part of the Foundation in honor of their son. The Fund’s mission is simple; SAVE WILL and the hundreds like him, and in the process create promising treatments for so many other neurodegenerative conditions.

Mrs. Herndon presented a check from the Foundation to Texas Children’s Hospital for $1.75 million. The money will go to the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital. This follows another $2.5 million dollar gift in 2009 from Jim and Cherie Flores and Beyond Batten Disease Foundation. The grants totaling $4.2 million dollars are the largest investment ever made in the history of Batten research. The money allowed a team of researchers from Italy to come to Texas Children’s to conduct research. The researchers have identified six potential drug compounds that are currently in testing. The $1.75 million from the Foundation will support the critical steps necessary to eventually translate basic research into future clinical trials, ultimately to treat children in a race against time for their lives.

“We are profoundly grateful that the Beyond Batten Disease Foundation has chosen to support Batten disease research at Texas Children’s,” said Dr. Huda Zoghbi, director of the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s. “Children like Will Herndon and Christiane Benson are the inspiration for accelerating discoveries about this devastating disorder, and this next phase of research is a critical step in that process.”

The Herndons spoke for the first time to the Houston media last week about the disease that strikes children that formerly ran, laughed and sang. View KHOU coverage.

The Herndons hosted the 6th Annual HOPE Under the Stars event in The Woodlands to help fund the research to find a cure. The celebration honored the amazing support of The Woodlands community and announce the new grant at Texas Children’s Hospital featuring the most promising research in the history of the disease.

September 16, 2014

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Texas Children’s Newborn Center is ranked No. 2 in the nation, but this impressive ranking is more than just a number. It demonstrates our hospital’s commitment to improving the long-term outcomes of premature and critically-ill infants in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Each year, more than 2,000 newborns are treated in all levels of our NICU where they receive the most comprehensive neonatal care available. Our Newborn Center combines research, advanced technology and world-class expertise to treat a myriad of complex medical conditions affecting newborns.

Texas Children’s is one of only two hospitals in the Greater Houston area that provides Level IV NICU care, which is the highest level of neonatal care available for extremely sick infants. Many community hospitals with less advanced NICUs transfer their patients to Texas Children’s where our neonatologists collaborate daily with an expert team of neonatal nurses in the Newborn Center.

91714Neooutcomesinside640“Improving neonatal outcomes is what our Newborn Center is all about,” said Texas Children’s chief of Neonatology Dr. Stephen Welty. “We use a collaborative, interprofessional approach to deliver high-quality care to our NICU patients, which include premature infants as well as full-term babies with complex medical diagnoses.”

Texas Children’s has reached numerous milestones to improve neonatal outcomes.

  • Supported by our dedicated team of neonatal nurses in the Newborn Center, Texas Children’s neonatologists collaborate with physicians and surgeons from diverse pediatric subspecialties to ensure infants receive comprehensive NICU care. For instance, our Newborn Center has organized an interprofessional group of pediatric gastroenterologists and surgeons to treat babies with digestive health issues.
  • Our Newborn Center partners with Texas Children’s Fetal Center to ensure babies in utero have the best possible outcomes after birth. Remarkable advances in fetal medicine have led to innovative therapies to treat congenital diaphragmatic hernias, spina bifida and heart disease. Our hospital recently performed a laparoscopic surgical procedure to correct spina bifida while in the womb.
  • Texas Children’s is one of only two hospitals in the Greater Houston area to offer total body cooling treatments to babies deprived of oxygen at birth. This therapeutic treatment allows oxygen-starved brain cells to heal thereby decreasing the potential risk for severe neurological damage. Texas Children’s is the first and only pediatric hospital in Texas to offer whole body cooling treatments to infants during ambulance transport to our Level IV NICU.
  • Since neonatal nutrition is vital to helping NICU babies grow, our Newborn Center is the first hospital in the world to add human milk fat to the diets of premature infants weighing less than 3.3 pounds. A recent Baylor College of Medicine study led by our own Texas Children’s Neonatologist Dr. Amy Hair, and published in The Journal of Pediatrics, found that adding human milk fat to the diets of premature infants in our NICU improved their growth outcomes.
  • Texas Children’s has implemented an exclusive human milk diet fortified with proteins and carbohydrates derived from human milk to nourish our premature infants to health. The fortifiers add calories and nutrients without changing the volume of milk to help infants grow adequately in the NICU.
  • Texas Children’s has developed a donor breast milk program to ensure babies in the NICU have access to donor breast milk if mother’s milk is not available. The Newborn Center also houses a Milk Bank and lactation support programs for mothers to ensure their babies get off to a healthy start.

“Our NICU has seen a significant reduction in the rate of necrotizing enterocolitis since we implemented the exclusive human milk feeding protocol in 2009,” said Dr. Patricia Bondurant, DNP, RN, and vice president of Nursing at Texas Children’s Newborn Center. “Necrotizing enterocolitis is a potentially deadly intestinal infection common in premature infants.”

These remarkable achievements are just a snapshot of what our Newborn Center is doing every single day to improve the long-term health and developmental outcomes of our NICU patients.

Click here to learn more about Texas Children’s Newborn Center and click here to take a video tour of our impressive Level IV NICU where miracles happen all the time. (there are two links in this sentence – you can get from the Connect story)

September 9, 2014

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Premature infants have special nutritional needs. Since their fragile bodies cannot consume as much breast milk as full-term babies, they need extra nutrients, minerals and protein to help them grow.

A recent Baylor College of Medicine study led by Texas Children’s Neonatologist Dr. Amy Hair, and published in The Journal of Pediatrics, found that adding a cream supplement in the diets of premature infants improved their growth outcomes in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

“When premature babies are born, their lungs and other organs are still developing,” said Hair. “They need extra calories to help them grow adequately while in the NICU, thus improving their long-term health and developmental outcomes.”

Hair’s study examined 78 NICU infants weighing less than three pounds at Texas Children’s Newborn Center and the University Health System at San Antonio. Half of the infants received an exclusive human milk diet consisting of mother’s own milk or pasteurized donor breast milk, and a protein fortifier. The other half received the exclusive human milk diet plus a cream supplement derived from pasteurized human milk fat. Researchers found that premature infants who received the cream supplement had better growth outcomes in terms of weight and length than infants who received just the exclusive human milk diet.

“Premature babies can tolerate only a certain amount of feedings since their stomach and intestines are extremely sensitive,” said Hair. “The cream supplement is a natural way to give them fat and boost their caloric intake without changing the volume of milk.”

Texas Children’s is the first hospital in the world to add human milk-based cream to the diets of infants who weigh less than 3.3 pounds. Since our tiniest NICU patients are fed an exclusive human milk diet, this has significantly reduced the rate of necrotizing enterocolitis, a severe and potentially deadly intestinal infection common in premature infants.

“A mother’s milk is the best nutrition a baby can have, which is why we feed only breast milk to the babies in our NICU,” said Nancy Hurst, director of Women’s Support Services at Texas Children’s. “We depend on the generous mothers who donate their excess breast milk to our Milk Bank to ensure our NICU infants have a better chance of survival during this critical stage in their young lives.”

Additionally, Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women has implemented numerous breastfeeding programs for new mothers to ensure their babies get off to a healthy start. The hospital’s focus on neonatal nutrition underscored by its initiatives to promote successful breastfeeding, has helped Texas Children’s inch closer towards achieving the Baby-Friendly Hospital designation.

Click here to learn more about Texas Children’s Milk Bank Donation Program, and click here to read Dr. Hair’s Journal of Pediatrics study.