September 5, 2023

Art brings people together in numerous ways. Whether it’s enjoying the same piece of art or making something together, it can provide unexpected connection and joy. The process of creating art has been researched to demonstrate substantial benefits from improving self-esteem and self-efficacy to relieving stress and anxiety.

The Workforce Well-Being team is excited to introduce their new Expressive Art for Well-Being program. Each month they will offer immersive, open studio time for Texas Children’s team members to come and create something beautiful while connecting with fellow employees. These activities, through different mediums and techniques, are designed to be outlets for self-expression and stress.

Emily McElmurry, our EAP representative in Austin and the architect of these projects, has a master’s degree in art therapy and has worked in many different settings utilizing art as a tool to nurture mental well-being. “It can offer participants the opportunity to self-express and heal,” she says. “The great thing is that anyone can make art – there is no right or wrong way!”

Check the Connect calendar for a time that works best for your schedule, and drop in to make some magic with your hands! For more information on the resources and activities available during Mindfulness Month, head to the Well-Being in Action page.

Monthly Art Therapy Well-Being projects:

  • September is Mandalas – Coloring mandalas is a means of meditation with the circles being associated with restoration of the body, mind and heart.
  • October is Forest of Trees – Topiary is the art of turning living plants into sculptures. This activity is made to facilitate connect and teamwork, and will be done in a group.
  • November is Gratitude Wall – The Gratitude Wall will be a meditative art installation for team members to use slips of paper to share, read, reflect and share gratitude.
  • December is Woven Together – This project will honor our heroes and ancestors through a piece of thoughtful, memorial art.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to create and connect with your One Amazing team members!

August 22, 2023

For many, the summer included a flurry of activity, including travel, dining out, going to the movies, attending camp or just relaxing with friends and family. Unfortunately, this level of activity, especially in crowded spaces, brings with it a higher risk of exposure to airborne infectious agents, including respiratory viruses and bacterial pathogens.

There has been a steady increase in COVID-19 transmission numbers in July and August. Wastewater data shows a steep increase in viral load over the past few weeks. Our teams are monitoring the data (hospital and regional) closely as this trend may continue and possibly accelerate as the new school year begins.

Please stay vigilant, and protect yourselves and our patients against COVID-19.

Helpful reminders
  • Stay home if you feel sick and get tested if you have COVID-19 symptoms.
  • Employee Health Virtual Assistant. Access the Employee Health virtual assistant from any device, any time, on or off the Texas Children’s network for COVID-19 related guidance and support.
  • Hand hygiene. Clean your hands frequently and thoroughly to protect yourself and your patients. Clean your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer available at many locations in our health care system. Follow the Five Moments for Hand Hygiene ENG|ESP.
  • Masking. At work, especially in patient care areas, masking is encouraged. In the community, consider masking, particularly in crowded areas. Masks are strongly encouraged for those with high-risk conditions. Masks will continue to be freely available at many locations in our hospital and health care system. For questions regarding individual risk status, consult your PCP or Employee Health.
  • Vaccines. Stay current with COVID-19 vaccine boosters and be prepared for new vaccine formulations available this fall for influenza and COVID-19. Also, new RSV vaccines for expectant mothers during pregnancy, as well as workforce members 60 years of age and above, will be available soon. Please consult with your PCP or Employee Health if you have questions or concerns about your immunization status.

For more information, please visit our COVID-19 Command website on Connect.

 

August 21, 2023

Interprofessional health care providers, presenters and exhibitors convened at Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute (NRI) on Aug. 3, 2023 for Texas Children’s Professional Day Summit. The enterprise-wide event led by Nursing Professional Development (NPD) offered opportunities to enhance knowledge and skill application for health care professionals, thereby improving professional practice and patient outcomes.

This year’s theme was Prioritizing Quality Care & Clinician Wellness. Dr. Angie Rangel, Jill Stonesifer and several NPD team members welcomed conference participants by sharing the purpose of the event and its significance to professional practice. System Chief Nurse Executive Dr. Jackie Ward kicked off the event with opening remarks on the value of interprofessional teamwork, lifelong learning and its impact on clinicians and patients. Keynote speaker Dr. Beth Ulrich followed with a presentation on Creating Health Work Environments to Improve Clinician & Patient Outcomes. Conference participants then broke into sessions focused on Pediatrics, Women’s Health and Professional Practice to discuss current issues and health care trends, as well as exchange ideas and share best practices.

Between sessions, registrants networked, explored featured exhibitors, participated in wellness activities and received door prizes. The event was free for Texas Children’s employees and offered continuing education credits to physicians, nurses, social workers and respiratory therapists. Auditorium presentations were also livestreamed to West Campus, The Woodlands and Austin MoPac for those who could not attend in-person. Click here to see the full agenda.

Participants shared their experiences from the summit:

“The theme echoed at TCH Professional Day Summit was ‘learning never ends.’ It was an amazing curriculum that covered a large variety of topics facing our health care industry today…I really enjoyed learning about strategies and quality initiatives from our peers across the organization. I definitely plan to apply the knowledge learned with our department.” – Rachel Gonzales, Assistant Clinical Director (Radiology)

“Every presentation I attended was thought provoking and interactive. All the presenters were engaging, and discussions with colleagues across disciplines and campuses provided fruitful dialogue to make the presentations even more thoughtful. I look forward to attending the next summit!” – Brittany Walters, Clinical Nurse Coordinator (International Office)

“Congratulations on a successful conference! I thought it was a wonderful chance as a physician to learn about a wide variety of topics from the nursing perspective. I was impressed with the keynote as well as the final talk on Nursing Ethics from Dr. Nancy Yuill, and was proud to be part of the program myself.” – Dr. Daniel Lemke, Emergency Medicine

“The topics were not only relevant, but also extremely informative. I particularly appreciated the sessions surrounding the legalities of nursing licensure and how to protect it. Professional Day Summit is an event I would definitely encourage others to attend for NCPD credits!” – Chloe Smith, Staff Nurse (Radiology)

Putting together a successful conference of this scale was possible thanks to the hard work, collaborative planning and ongoing commitment to shared learning from Texas Children’s NPD team: Yaima Aleman, Sonia Alvarado, Jana Broussard, Tori Baker, Jaime Choate, Ronda LeBlanc, Karina Moreno, Tanya Nelson-Hall, Natalie Richards, Jill Stonesifer, Jessica Ramirez, and Gayle Young. The team also extends a special thanks to Education and Professional Development Shared Governance Council partners and volunteers who helped make it happen.

Click here to learn more about this year’s Professional Day Summit, and stay tuned for its return in 2025!

Did you know 70 percent of our passwords are vulnerable to a brute force attack? According to a recent assessment of Texas Children’s password integrity, our current policy allows compromise of password in as little as seven minutes.

Weak and stolen credentials are the #1 cause of data breaches. No immediate action is needed. Wait until you receive a change password request to use the new 12-character password within 90 days of Tuesday, August 29.

What does the updated password policy mean for me?

  • It requires everyone with a Texas Children’s Login ID to choose a new password once a year instead of every 90 days!
  • It changes the minimum password length from eight to 12 characters.
  • Under our new policy, it will take a computer 34,000 years to crack a password!

Need help creating your new password?

  • Mix it up! Use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols.
  • Try a phrase with multiple words you can remember in your head…difficult to guess, but easy to remember.
  • Use the TCH Password Strength Meter to test your password prowess!
  • Please register for password self-reset. If you forget your password, you can reset it without the need to call the Service Desk.
August 14, 2023

Enabling our One Amazing Team to show up as their best and most authentic selves allows us to be better in everything we do. Texas Children’s is a premier provider of women’s health care, and we want to deliver that same level of attention and care to the women of our organization through every stage of life.

This week, we are showcasing several distinctive benefits available for women at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women.

Women’s Health Resources for Team Members
  • The Pavilion for Women services include: OB/GYN, The Endometriosis Center, Women’s Physical Therapy, Urogynecology, Women’s Place, Center for Reproductive Psychiatry, Family Fertility Center, Menopause Center, and much more.
    • Family Fertility Center is at the Medical Center campus and The Woodlands
      • Fertility benefit includes 100% coverage for infertility treatments up to $20,000 lifetime (maximum combined medical and pharmacy benefit) for employees and each individual dependent covered under a Texas Children’s medical plan. Coverage may vary depending on Place of Service.
    • Menopause Center: Physicians specialize in treating menopause symptoms, conditions and related health issues including irregular periods, hot flashes, sleeplessness, night sweats, mood changes, depression, overactive bladder and bone loss.
      • The Menopause Matters Discussion Series will resume in the fall of 2023. New classes will be posted under our upcoming educational events.
      • Click here to see Dr. Doghor discuss managing menopause symptoms in the summer and treatments available.
  • Patient Education and Resources:
    • The Growing Your Family Guide provides information and resources helpful to anyone expanding their family. This guide contains items such as an overview of health benefits, breastfeeding and lactation support, adoption assistance, FMLA guidance and the Return-to-Work process.
    • Prenatal and Postpartum Classes (All Classes & Facility Tours) such as childbirth preparation, infant CPR, basic baby care, breastfeeding, and sleep & scheduling offer employee discounts of 20% to 50%.
    • Bella Luna Boutique: All employees receive a 10% discount on select products.
  • Pavilion for Women Radiology imaging services are covered at 100%* for employees and covered dependents enrolled in the Texas Children’s health insurance plan, regardless of the referring physician (upon insurance approval).
    • Services include ultrasounds, bone density (DEXA), interventional radiology (biopsies, vascular procedures) and more.
    • *Professional services, including the provider visit and reading of the image, are subject to your plan deductible and coinsurance.

Front Office Specialist Ciara Smalling returned to Texas Children’s to work for her pediatrician. She’s now a positive presence for parents and children. Read More

The more we know, the more we understand, the more we connect. Click to read this month’s DEI update. Read More