It’s hard to contain the celebration of nursing to just one week at Texas Children’s. Every day there are inspirational stories that demonstrate how our nurses go above and beyond for our patients and their families to ensure they have the best experience and the best possible outcomes while in our care.
To celebrate National Nurses Week from May 6 to 12, Texas Children’s Nursing Retention Council planned a series of celebrations at the unit level and partnered with our chaplains and our Employee Well-Being Team to offer virtual activities – blessing of the hands and self-care sessions – to honor our more than 3,700 nurses across the system and to show how deeply valued they are and how much we appreciate them for their hard work, dedication and sacrifice especially during these challenging times.
While Nurses Week activities were planned differently this year to maintain social distancing, nurses organized their own celebrations on their units. Some of these activities included a sombrero ball toss, scavenger hunts, bingo, and several units celebrated “show your pride” day where nurses wore their favorite T-shirt representing a different theme for each day – College Pride Day, Disney Magic Day, Sports Team Day, Super Hero Day and Texas Children’s/Unit Pride Day.
Throughout the week, nurses received a generous outpouring of support from the community. Three local grocery store chains – H-E-B, Randall’s and Kroger – delivered hundreds of colorful, Texas grown-flowers and snacks for our nurses at Texas Children’s Hospital Medical Center Campus, Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus and Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands to show their appreciation and support for all that they do for our patients and their families.
“As nurses we strive to make everyone who walks onto our campus feel listened to, loved and taken care of,” said Sarah Pierce, an acute care staff nurse at Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands. “This is exactly what our community has shown us through the outpouring of gifts, food, and heart filled thank you notes. The appreciation and compassion our community has shown not only to nurses but our support staff (because it takes a village) is incredible and humbling.”
Coinciding with Nurses Week, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels conducted a spectacular 30-minute flyover across the greater Houston area including the Texas Medical Center on May 6 to salute our health care workers, first responders and other essential employees on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. To celebrate our nurses and our One Amazing Team heroes at Texas Children’s, President and CEO Mark Wallace shared this special tribute video which is inspiring and uplifting.
Additionally, as a tribute to our doctors, nurses and health care workers on the frontlines, Purple Songs Can Fly, in collaboration with patients from Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Centers’ Long Term Survivor Program and staff from The Periwinkle Foundation, shared this inspirational music tribute video.
Nurses Week: Awards and Recognitions
During Nurses Week, Texas Children’s recognized our Nursing Excellence Award recipients and our 15 Houston Chronicle Salute to Nurses honorees, two of whom were honored as Greater Houston’s Top 15 Nurses of the Year. Click here to read the Connect article and a list of our 2020 award recipients.
Texas Children’s also recognized the 2020 recipients of the Molly Mae LeBlanc Nursing Scholarship, named in memory of Molly Mae, a beloved and former patient at Texas Children’s. The program provides tuition assistance to patient care assistants (PCAs) and RNs who are pursuing BSN or MSN nursing degrees. The first scholarship was awarded in 2018. Since then, several 2018 and 2019 scholarship recipients have graduated from their degree programs and are now working as nurse practitioners.
- Lisa Goodlander is a staff nurse on 7WT. She has worked at Texas Children’s since 2019. She is enrolled in the University of South Alabama MSN program for Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. She anticipates graduation in 2022.
- Stephanie Hritcko is a PCA on 7N Abercrombie. She started at Texas Children’s in 2015. She is enrolled in the University of Texas BSN program and plans to graduate in May 2021.
- Sarah Pesek is a staff nurse in the Emergency Center. She has been with Texas Children’s since 2018. She is enrolled in the University of South Alabama’s MSN program for Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and anticipates graduation in December 2020.
Texas Children’s also honored our 2020 recipients of the David and Polly Roth Nursing Education Scholarship that provides tuition assistance to Texas Children’s employees in certain roles (like PCA, MA) that are pursuing professional nursing/BSN degrees. Established by Dr. David Roth and his wife, Polly, the first scholarship was awarded in 2017. The 2017, 2018 and 2019 scholarship recipients are now working as RNs at Texas Children’s today.
- Judith Barraza is a certified medical assistant at Texas Children’s Pediatrics, and has been with Texas Children’s since 2016. She is enrolled in the Chamberlain BSN program and plans to graduate in 2023.
- Lura Lumsden is a patient care assistant in the Float Pool. She joined Texas Children’s in 2015. She is enrolled in the Chamberlain BSN program and anticipates graduation in 2021.
- Alexandria McLean is a unit clerical assistant at West Campus. She joined Texas Children’s in 2014. She is enrolled in the University of Texas – Medical Branch BSN program and is expected to graduate in 2021.
Nursing scholarship winners
Nurses Week activities
