Connect Newsletter (Jan. 22, 2026)

View Our Winter Weather Preparations 

Winter weather is expected this weekend, and Cook Children’s is busy making preparations. You can access the most up-to-date information about facility closures and delayed openings on the Cook Children’s website and via social media channels.

In addition, we’ve compiled some answers to common questions about inclement weather policies and procedures at Cook Children’s. Find those here.

In unsafe road and weather conditions, staff can stay at Cook Children’s after and in between shifts. We recommend bringing your own pillow and sleeping bag if you have one available. 

For the Prosper campus, requesting safe sleep accommodations can be made directly to the House Supervisors Office at 945-204-2914 or VOCERA.

For Fort Worth campus employees, we strongly encourage you to work with your leader to find space to sleep within your unit utilizing Cook Children’s provided air mattresses. The Employee Disaster Resource Center, located in the EVS Classroom, will be a one-stop shop for emergency supplies, toiletries, and air mattresses.

For more details, please click this article on Connect Newsroom.

If You Use Kronos in Any Capacity, Read This Message:   

Kronos will be replaced with the UKG Workforce Management System. To ensure your schedules, paychecks and PTO are correct, all staff are required to complete the UKG Workforce Management Training by the launch (go-live) date on Feb. 8, 2026.  

Training modules tailored to your role and scheduling responsibilities are now available on ULearn. Failure to complete this training may result in errors regarding your: 

• Paychecks
• Time clock submissions / schedules
• PTO submissions 

Access the required training on ULearn. 

Leaders: visit the UKG Resource site for important dates.

Nominate a Sepsis Superhero for the 2026 Clover Award 

We’re calling on you to help us honor a Cook Children’s Sepsis Superhero during Patient Safety Awareness Week, March 9–12. Deadline for submission is Monday, Feb. 16. 

The Clover Award was created in memory of Clover Annabell Harrold, a 9‑month‑old from South Carolina whose life was tragically cut short by sepsis. Her parents, Allison and Daniel Harrold, established this award to ensure Clover’s legacy drives awareness, action, and lifesaving vigilance.

This recognition celebrates individuals who make a powerful difference through rapid identification and treatment of sepsis—work that prevents life‑altering complications and saves lives every day. Nominate someone who exemplifies excellence in early sepsis recognition and timely intervention.

To submit your nomination for the Clover Award, click here

House Supervisors Respond to Growth at Medical Center – Prosper

The six house supervisors and two relief roles in Prosper are on duty every hour of every day to make sure each unit has the nurses and other staff needed for the next shift.

“Since we are growing at a rapid pace, you have to be comfortable with operating in the gray area and not really focusing on the black and white. Situations change here all the time,” said Lauryn Goff, RN, MSN, a daytime house supervisor in Prosper. “With the expansion of services and caring for higher acuity patients, we often work through new processes. Whether for our Med-Surg, PICU or Emergency Department, we remain focused on patient safety and setting our NICU staff up for success.”

To read more about how the house supervisors ensure the Prosper medical center runs smoothly, visit Connect Newsroom. 

Stay tuned for a story on the Medical Center- Fort Worth house supervisors next week. 

Finding Solace, Connection, and Hope at the First System-Wide Day of Remembrance

Health care workers are privileged to witness moments of profound joy for our patient families but also share in moments of deepest sorrow. For years, individual areas and departments at Cook Children’s have hosted ceremonies to honor the children whose lives, though too brief, left an indelible mark on their loved ones and our staff. 

This year, Cook Children's hosted an inaugural Day of Remembrance, merging departmental events into one system-wide event for every Cook Children’s family who experienced the death of a child between May 1, 2024, and April 30, 2025.  

To learn more about the event, hosted at the Fort Worth Zoo, visit Connect Newsroom. 

Share Your Content with Us

Do you have any tips, ideas or content you would like us to know about? We want to hear from you! Please view our SharePoint site and email us at InternalCommunications@cookchildrens.org. 

Check our CookNet calendar for more system-wide events and to find more content about our employees and news you need to know, bookmark our Connect Newsroom website.