May 18, 2016

51816nursesweek640It’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 to advance patient care and enhance patient experience and outcomes.

Besides the exceptional, around-the-clock care they provide our patients, one distinct attribute that patient families admire the most about our nurses – their compassion.

Their endless compassion, comfort and support can be seen and felt across the entire organization. A nurse clutching the hands of a parent who just received tough news about their child. A nurse standing by the patient’s bedside whose family can’t be there during treatments. A nurse exchanging family time during holidays and weekends to spend time with families in the hospital. A nurse calming a mother’s fear as she prepares to give birth to her first child. As you can see, nurses leave a lasting impression on every patient and they are at the core of the experience patients have while in our care.

As we saluted nurses across the country, from May 6 to May 12, Texas Children’s celebrated our amazing team of more than 3,000 nurses. This video spotlight celebrates our nurses’ successes, accomplishments and the daily contributions they make to our patients and families at Texas Children’s.

Nurses Week activities

The theme for Nurses Week this year was Culture of Safety: It Begins with You. Texas Children’s Nursing Retention Council organized several activities that centered on health and wellness to remind our nurses how important it is to take care of themselves so they can provide the best and safest care to their patients.

Activities included educational presentations, Bike to Work Day, blessing of the hands, a Fiesta Friday bar and photo booth, massages, yoga, a healthy cooking demo and cake deliveries.

On May 10, Nursing leadership hosted the Nursing Excellence Awards luncheon honoring eight recipients for their commitment to improving nursing care and patient outcomes.

The award honorees included:

  • Staff Nurse of the year: Leah Garza
  •  Preceptor of the year: Evelyn Barren
  •  Rookie of the year: Amy Aaronson
  •  Certified nurse of the year: Christopher Sturrock
  •  Leader of the year: Amanda Wollam
  •  Teams of the Year: Central Line Maintenance and Hygiene
  •  APRN of the year: Colleen Brand
  •  Friend of Nursing: Dr. Kevin Roy

View a photo gallery below of the awards luncheon and other activities.

The Houston Chronicle Salute to Nurses included Ann Demny from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Saeed Yacouby from Anesthesiology who were among the top 10 award recipients.

Click here for more on the Houston Chronicle Salute to Nurses honorees.

In addition to the two nurses honored in the top 10, 23 Texas Children’s nurses were recognized as being among the top 150 in the Greater Houston area.

Lindsay Broom
Lisa Davenport
Sheranda Fesler
Holly Gregersen
Stephanie Gruner
Diana Harter
Amy Hemingway
Kellie Kainer
Jason McMullen
Leilani Mijares
Mary Beth Murphy
Gigi Neidinger
Tanya Nelson
Jacqueline Newton
Jonathan Rangel
Guillermo Reyes
Leslie Santos
Aleida Stark
Lois Tracy
Sharon Wahl
Becky White
Amanda Wollam
Pamela Zimmerman

To learn more about Nursing at Texas Children’s, click here to view By the Numbers.

51816surgerydesign640Texas Children’s Hospital is proud to announce the American College of Surgeons (ACS) has verified the hospital as a Level 1 Children’s Surgery Center.

The one-year verification was awarded following an extensive pilot site visit in May 2015. During the visit, Texas Children’s assisted in the review and refinement of guidelines set forth by ACS with the goal of improving the safety and quality of pediatric surgery performed at centers across the country. At this time, Texas Children’s is among only two Level 1 Children’s Surgery Centers in the United States, and the only children’s hospital in Texas and the southwest region to earn this distinction.

“We are honored to be one of the inaugural hospitals to receive this esteemed verification,” said Texas Children’s Surgeon-In-Chief Dr. Charles D. Fraser Jr. “As a leader in pediatric surgical care, we believe it is important for children to undergo surgery with a focused, dedicated team of specialized pediatric surgeons, anesthesiologists, radiologists, intensivists, nurses, staff and support departments committed to pediatric care. We carefully track our outcomes with the goal of providing the best possible results. We are honored to be recognized for our commitment to high-quality care for our patients.”

A Level 1 verification requires Texas Children’s to provide surgery and anesthesia for all major pediatric specialties for children of all ages – from premature infants to adolescents. Additionally, the hospital must have not only the highest level Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), pediatric emergency medicine physicians and pediatric radiologists available all day, every day, but also the most robust data collection, outcomes assessment and quality improvement efforts.

A team of 25 physicians, nurses and members of the administration, anesthesiology, nursing, the outcomes and impact service, the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), quality, radiology, surgery and transport teams served on Texas Children’s ACS verification committee.

The Department of Surgery at Texas Children’s represents more than 90 full-time pediatric-focused surgeons who are also faculty members at Baylor. Surgeons, advanced practice providers and more than 700 Texas Children’s staff members are dedicated to caring for and improving the health of children through patient care, education and research. The team’s efforts are evident in the more than 26,700 operative cases performed, more than 1,200 trauma admissions and 144,800 outpatient clinic visits in 2015.

For more information about Texas Children’s Department of Surgery, visit texaschildrens.org/surgery.
For more information about the Level 1 Children’s Surgery Center verification, visit the ACS website.

51816RoulaZoghbiSmith175Roula Zoghbi Smith of Business Planning is the latest Texas Children’s Super Star leader. “I think people that are passionate about delighting those they come in contact with – through quality work, interactions, and customer service – possess a unique attribute that drives them to be true super stars,” Smith said. Read more of Smith’s interview and find out how you can nominate a Super Star.

Q&A: Roula Zoghbi Smith, April – June 2016 Leader

Your name, title and department. How long have you worked here?
Roula Zoghbi Smith, Assistant Director in Business Planning. I have worked at Texas Children’s for six years.

What month are you Super Star for?
April – June 2016

Tell us how you found out you won a super star award.
My leader, Paola Álvarez-Malo, scheduled a meeting with our Business Planning team. She seemed very serious at first as she instructed the team that she needed their help. She asked them to take down my birthday decorations because she needed them to plaster my office with stars and confetti because I had won the Super Star Leader award. I was in complete shock and disbelief! It was an incredible surprise, and I had the privilege of celebrating this great honor along with my birthday later that day with my team.

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 is such an honor to be recognized at Texas Children’s as there are so many hardworking and talented employees within the organization. Texas Children’s has contributed to my ability to achieve my personal and professional goals through leadership development, mentorship from leaders across the organization, and by affording me a variety of opportunities to grow in my career.

What do you think makes someone at Texas Children’s a super star?
I think people that are passionate about delighting those they come in contact with – through quality work, interactions, and customer service – possess a unique attribute that drives them to be true super stars.

What is your motivation for going above and beyond every day at work?
My motivation for going above and beyond is rooted in the incredible people here at Texas Children’s – both patients and employees. My goal is to ensure that both our patients and employees have stellar experiences within our organization.

What is the best thing about working at Texas Children’s?
The best thing about working at Texas Children’s is working with one amazing team! I feel privileged to work with the Business Planning team (Aisha, Angie, Brad, Josh, Kathleen, Megan, and Paola) on a day to day basis. They are a complete joy to work with and put a smile on my face every day. Working with them and many others highlights what incredibly bright and committed people exist within our organization.

What does it mean to you that everyone at Texas Children’s is considered a leader? What is your leadership definition?
I believe that every individual, regardless of role or title, has the opportunity to be a leader through actions and influence. Leadership is doing the right thing for your people, customers, and the organization, even when no one is watching.

Anything else you want to share?
I would like to thank all the wonderful people who have mentored me throughout my career at Texas Children’s as well as all of my team members (past and present) in the Business Planning, Pavilion for Women, and Leadership / Organizational Development teams. I would especially like to thank Chanda Cashen Chacón, Opera Wagner-Ross, Sarah Maytum, Perry Ann Reed, Diane Scardino, Mark Mullarkey, Alec King and most of all Paola Álvarez-Malo.

51816drparsons175

Dr. Will Parsons, a pediatric oncologist at Texas Children’s Cancer Center and associate professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, will participate in the efforts to accelerate cancer research through the National Cancer Moonshot Initiative. Parsons will join the National Cancer Institute’s Blue Ribbon Panel Working Group on Pediatric Cancer, which is providing insight and direction to the Moonshot initiative.

The Moonshot initiative was announced in January by President Barack Obama and is being led by Vice President Joe Biden. The initiative aims to accelerate current cancer research efforts and break down barriers to progress, making more therapies available to more patients, while also improving the ability to prevent cancer and detect it at an early stage.

The NCI, in consultation with the National Institutes of Health and the White House, assembled the Blue Ribbon Panel, a working group of the National Cancer Advisory Board, to provide expert advice on the vision, proposed scientific goals and implementation of the National Cancer Moonshot. The panel will consider how to best advance the themes proposed for the Moonshot, including an intensive examination of the opportunities and impediments in cancer research.

The Blue Ribbon Panel’s working groups, including the pediatric cancer group, will gather input from the cancer research community and industry across specific disciplines and sectors. The findings and recommendations of the panel and its working groups will be reported to the National Cancer Advisory Board (NCAB) later this summer. The NCAB will use the panel’s findings to provide final recommendations to the NCI director, who will in turn deliver a report to the White House Moonshot Task Force and ultimately to the President.

“I’m excited about the potential of the Moonshot initiative to improve care for children with cancer through collaborative research,” Parsons said. “We look forward to contributing to these discussions based on our experience at Texas Children’s Cancer Center.”

In addition to coordinating the Working Groups, the Blue Ribbon Panel is accepting cancer research ideas to be considered under the Moonshot from the scientific community and general public. Individuals and groups are encouraged to submit their ideas through July 1 to CancerResearchIdeas.cancer.gov.

Parsons is director of the Pediatric Center for Precision Oncology at Texas Children’s Cancer Center, as well as the co-director of the Brain Tumor Program and the Cancer Genetics and Genomics Program. He specializes in the treatment of children with brain and spinal cord tumors, and his team’s research has been critical to the understanding of genes involved in pediatric solid tumors, leukemias, and histiocytic disorders.

In addition, Parsons’ research program focuses on the clinical application of genomic technologies in pediatric cancer care. He is the co-principal investigator with Dr. Sharon Plon, professor of pediatrics – oncology at Baylor, on the Baylor Advancing Sequencing in Childhood Cancer Care, or BASIC3, study, a National Human Genome Research Institute and National Cancer Institute-funded Clinical Sequencing Exploratory Research project to examine the usefulness of tumor and germline whole exome sequencing in children newly diagnosed with certain cancers. He also serves as the Children’s Oncology Group study chair for the NCI Pediatric MATCH study, a precision oncology clinical trial for children with relapsed and refractory cancers that is planned to open in late 2016.

51816KateMazur175The Clinical Research Center/Research Resources Office has presented the Clinical Research Award for Second Quarter 2016 to Kate Mazur, instructor and pediatric nurse practitioner, Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Centers.

This award was established by the Clinical Research Center in collaboration with the Research Resources Office to recognize and honor individual contributions to protecting the best interest of the research subjects and compliance with applicable rules and regulations.

Mazur’s research activities in the CRC focus on conducting clinical trials of novel therapies to treat pediatric cancers. She actively participates in the consent process and screening, management of patients enrolled on Phase I and II clinical trials, as well as palliative and supportive care for these patients and their families.

May 10, 2016

DeborahBurke175Deborah Burke of Human Resources is the latest Texas Children’s Super Star employee. “I have learned from my leaders that at any level you should still be able to assist someone or if you can’t help that person, get him or her to the right person,” Burke said. Read more of Burke’s interview and find out how you can nominate a Super Star.

Q&A: Deborah Burke, February 2016 Employee

Your name, title and department. How long have you worked here?
Deborah Burke, Project Analyst in the Talent Acquisition Department for Human Resources
I have been at Texas Children’s for 16 years and 3 months

What month are you Super Star for?
February 2016

Tell us how you found out you won a super star award.
My leader led me into a room of coworkers and surprised me with a cake. I thought we were going to a surprise wedding shower for her.

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 means a great deal to me. I really appreciate when a leader takes the time to send an email or to thank me. It makes me know that I am making a difference – that I helped. That is why I chose Human Resources. My leaders have nurtured me and guided me. I have learned from them that at any level you should still be able to assist someone or if you can’t help that person get them to the right person. Take time to listen, engage and assist. It’s amazing how much of a difference you can make by doing those three things.

What do you think makes someone at Texas Children’s a super star?
I think a super star is someone that goes above and beyond consistently. You have to enjoy what you do and live it. You don’t think what you are being asked to do is your job or not you just do it and you do it to the best of your ability.

What is your motivation for going above and beyond every day at work?
My leaders. I have tremendous respect for them and I look to them for guidance and sometimes they probably don’t even know but I am watching and listening.

What is the best thing about working at Texas Children’s?
I have been give many opportunities which has allowed me to grow and foster relationships with employees and leaders. I truly enjoy my job daily.

What does it mean to you that everyone at Texas Children’s is considered a leader? What is your leadership definition?
I think coworkers, new hires and staff members will observe how you are approaching your role at Texas Children’s and it is important to make not only a good first impression but to be consistent. Sure we all have bad days but it is how you handle that bad day which leaves an impression on others. Leadership to me is someone that takes the time to teach, explain situations and keeps everyone informed so that there is no miscommunication. Leadership is remembering those underneath you are watching and you must continue to reach out and teach and guide them.

GeneveraAllen175Dr. Genevera Allen, a Rice University professor and neuroscientist at the Neurological Research Institute (NRI) at Texas Children’s, has been nominated to receive a new CAREER Development Award from National Science Foundation (NSF).

Allen is Rice University’s Dobermans Family Junior Chair of Statistics and an assistant professor in the departments of statistics and electrical and computer engineering. She is a statistician, mathematician and neuroscientist who also holds a joint appointment in pediatric neurology at the NRI.

CAREER awards support the research and educational development of young scholars who are likely to become leaders in their field. The five-year grants, which are among the most competitive awarded by the NSF, are given to only about 400 scholars per year across all disciplines.

This $400,000 five-year grant will allow Allen to develop new suite of statistical tools that can be used to tackle big biomedical datasets that will help to better understand complex medical disorders and to develop personalized therapies.