Your name, title and department. How long have you worked here?
My name is Karla Jane Basco Cagandahan, and I am a registered OR nurse working in the CVOR. I joined Texas Children’s Hospital through the GN program in 2016, and I’ve been working in the CVOR for seven and a half years.
Tell us how you found out you won a super star award.
On Fridays we have meetings before our cases in the morning. Our manager asked everyone to meet up in the lounge before heading to our in-service. I thought we were just having a regular staff meeting and was surprised to find out that it was not. My work family surprised me with the award.
What does it mean to be recognized for the hard work you do? How has the organization helped you achieve your personal and professional goals?
It has been a privilege to be recognized. In the area of nursing that I work in we generally do not get seen because we are behind red lines. Therefore, to have been recognized has been a great honor.
To answer the second question, I would have to say the support from our leaders and our team has helped with my achievements in this organization. Working in the CVOR is a beast on its own, and having a supportive leader and team makes my job effortless.
What do you think makes someone at Texas Children’s a super star?
I think a super star embodies someone who is dedicated, compassionate and strives for excellence in everything that they do. Someone who is consistently committed to delivering the highest quality of care to our patients. However, also being humble enough to ask for help and support from their peers around them.
What is your motivation for going above and beyond every day at work?
Our job in CVOR is not easy. It takes commitment and time away from our families. But at the end of the day, we were all called to a job that we were meant to be at, and mine just so happens to be in CVOR. Therefore, I would have to say my motivation would be every patient that lays on the OR table. Every single one of them deserves the best care and I think that is enough to make a person want to be their best.
What is the best thing about working at Texas Children’s?
I would have to say the teamwork that embodies this institution.
What does it mean to you that everyone at Texas Children’s is considered a leader? What is your leadership definition?
If everyone at Texas Children’s is considered a leader, then everyone of us has to embody what our culture represents: to embrace freedom, lead tirelessly, live compassionately and amplify unity.
My leadership definition is having a leader that takes ownership in what they do and to lead their team in the right direction. A leader should be someone who is compassionate, honest, mature, and honorable.
Anything else you want to share?
I just wanted to say thank you, and I wish I could give this award to everyone that works in our unit. They deserve this award ten fold for all the hard work they do.