Connect Newsletter (July 27, 2023)

Prosper CPR Demo Draws Hundreds to Learn How to Save a Life

Knowing how to perform CPR is such an important lifesaving skill. About 200 patient families, neighbors and employees gathered at Cook Children’s Medical Center-Prosper on July 26 for a free hands-on CPR/AED demonstration provided by Cook Children's Project ADAM program. Participants at the safety event received automated external defibrillator (AED) instruction, drowning prevention tips, car seat safety information and more. 

Two local television stations covered the event, linking it to a cardiac arrest suffered by 18-year-old college basketball player Bronny James Jr., prompting local parents to want to be better prepared. Watch a news report here, featuring an interview with Danielle Moyé, M.D., a pediatric cardiologist.

“Some Great New Swag:" Under the Peaks Retail Store Now Open at Dodson

T-shirts, tumblers and toys, and of course, Peaks the Dragon, are all available at the new Under the Peaks store in Fort Worth. It opened to patient families, the public and employees on July 26. 

Kimberly Johnson, Retail Manager, Under the Peaks, shows us around on opening day of the new retail store in this cool video. The retail store is located on the first floor of the new Dodson Specialty Building,1500 Cooper St., Fort Worth.

"People love Peaks the Dragon. People want to wear Peaks the Dragon. People want to celebrate Cook Children's as a whole system, so they want to wear that apparel," Kimberly said.

Care Share Performance Update:

It's time for a quick update on our Care Share performance numbers. We are so close to achieving our goal of the 86% mark for "likelihood to recommend." Currently, we stand at 85.7%, and by continuing the great work we are doing as well as reducing the experience dips, we often see when school starts, we can make it happen.

As you know, maintaining our performance from FY 2022 and earning our Care Share bonus in November are essential milestones for us. So, how can each of us make an impact on these numbers? It's a question we often hear, especially from employees who may not directly interact with patient families.

Embracing our values wholeheartedly is one key answer.  Whether we are directly involved in patient care or providing crucial support behind the scenes, everything we do contributes to fulfilling our Promise. Let's remember to check in on one another, be there for our colleagues whenever possible, and embody the values of kindness, respect, generosity, collaboration, imagination, and safety in all that we do.

We've come a long way since the surge we faced last fall and over the winter, and we've made significant progress. But together, we can achieve even more. Let's continue supporting each other, recognizing great work, collaborating, and keeping that warm, caring spirit alive in everything we do. We aim to have every child and family feel seen, heard, informed, cared for and safe.  We have the power to make a real difference, not only in our Care Share performance but in the lives of the families we serve.

Thank you for being such an incredible team, and let's keep shining brightly on our journey towards excellence. Your dedication and compassion make all the difference.

As Megan Chavez, Vice President of the Cook Children's Experience, beautifully put it, "There is actual evidence that compassion is contagious."

Nursing: Embracing Our Values

Our series on the Cook Children's values continues. Today we are spotlighting how our amazing nurses are able to live our values every day in their special role by highlighting the value of Collaboration. The Behavioral Emergency Response Team (BERT) is ready to help when urgent situations arise. To learn more about our incredible nurses at Cook Children's, click here to view the 2022 Nursing Annual Report. 
 

VIDEO: Special Message at DAISY Award Winners Luncheon

The Nursing Department held a special luncheon for previous DAISY Award winners on July 10. The DAISY Award is an international program that rewards and celebrates the extraordinary compassion and skillful care given by nurses every day. During the event, they received a special thank you via video from none other than Bonnie Barnes, co-founder of the DAISY program. 

Watch the video and view photos from the luncheon here.

Pictured: Cheryl Petersen, Senior Vice President/Nursing and Chief Nursing Officer.

We are Hosting National Experts at Our Leukemia Symposium

Registration is open for the 2023 Leukemia Symposium, scheduled for Nov. 3-5 at the Medical Center-Fort Worth. This conference is an inter-professional forum addressing the latest advances in pediatric leukemia treatment and research. The focus is on the team-based approach to comprehensive care and the latest innovations in evaluation and management of acute lymphocytic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia. 

We hope you will take advantage of this unique opportunity to network with your peers and hear from a distinguished panel of experts from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Children's Mercy Kansas City, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Texas Children's Hospital, and The Hospital for Sick Children.

Mark Your Calendars: Beat the Heat Sweet Treat Events

Let's get together for a fun moment of connection and a sweet treat to beat the heat in August! Employees around the System will get to enjoy a scoop of ice cream at onsite events next month, and leaders at other locations will be able to craft special events just for their teams. 

Staff members are encouraged to wear polka dots on the day of their sweet treat and take a photo of themselves in their “sprinkles” to enter a raffle for their chance to win a $5 Starbucks gift card. (Be sure your outfit is work appropriate). And you can also try to win a $5 gift card by entering the Create Your Own Cone Raffle. Print out a template posted on CookNet and get creative with fun decorations.

More details on how to enter the raffles and a list of all the specific locations of the Sweet Treat Events are posted here on CookNet.

And guess what? Melt Ice Creams has offered a special 10% discount to Cook Children's employees throughout August at their Magnolia, Bishop Arts, Sundance Square and Stockyards locations. 

#TreatYourself: Miracle Treat Day on Thursday, July 27

It's national Miracle Treat Day on Thursday, July 27, and $1 or more from every Blizzard Treat sold at participating Dairy Queen locations is donated to Children's Miracle Network member hospitals.  View the list of participating stores in our area where the funds raised will go directly to Cook Children's. 

Taking Care of You: Mental Health Resources

We invite you to take a moment to look at a new list on the Healthy Me Wellness Program page on CookNet, where employees can find resources available for mental health, including Employee Assistance Programs (EAP), ULearn courses, and more. 

These resources are among the ways that Cook Children's is working to help employees reduce burnout and stress. We want you to be proactive and take advantage of the many programs, classes and other options that can help you care for your well-being. 

Employees Care: Give Today for Their Tomorrows

Twelve-year-old Macie, the daughter of Cook Children’s employee Melodie Davis, created this bluebonnet artwork, when she was a patient here. It is her art that is featured in the gift for 2023 Employees Care hOUR donors. 

Our employees may have different reasons for giving to Employees Care, but all share a common goal: to provide our patient families with the best care possible while under our blue peaks. 

“The Employees Care campaign makes a huge impact! It did for my kid and does for our patients and families every day. Thank you for the care you give our kids. You make a difference in the lives of children and families. I see it every day and experienced it first-hand three years ago,” said Melodie, who is the Director of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), Dialysis.

Please visit the Employees Care page on CookNet to make your donation today.

VIDEO: Construction Update for TCU Medical School

Are you watching the progress of the Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University's medical education building on Rosedale Avenue in Fort Worth? Several of our physicians are on the faculty of the medical school – they’ll be our neighbors right here in the medical district. Episode 5 of the series “On Site: Construction of the Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University with Founding Dean, Stuart D. Flynn, M.D.,” takes a look at the exterior wall facade and waterproofing that will cover the exterior of the four-story facility. 

Organize, Plan and Own Your Future: Making Financial Health a Priority for Women

You can learn principles of budgeting and saving at a Fidelity virtual event on Aug. 8. The one-hour webinar also covers ways to design an investment plan to meet specific financial goals, and how to stay on track by creating an investing personality for yourself.  

Fidelity online sessions are offered throughout the year as a benefit for Cook Children’s employees.

Find Upcoming Events in the Calendar on the New CookNet

Keep tabs on important deadlines and upcoming events. Be sure to check the Cook Children’s calendar for system wide events. If your team would like to add an event to the calendar, please reach out to us in the weeks leading up to your event by emailing us at InternalCommunications@cookchildrens.org. 

The calendar is here or at the bottom of the CookNet home page. You may also add the calendar to “My Important Places” using the tagged URL.