Connect Newsletter (June 8, 2023)

Our Values in Action: Welcome to Prosper

This is the third in our Values in Action series of articles highlighting ways the Culture Platform is practiced in daily life at Cook Children’s Health Care System. This week, we learn all about how we put the Culture Platform in place as we opened Cook Children's Medical Center-Prosper. As leaders hired hundreds of people, the incoming employees spent from two weeks to three months onboarding at the Fort Worth campus to experience the workplace culture for themselves.

“Our goal with the culture platform is simple. We focus on our values in order to make sure we are providing the same high quality care and one of a kind experience our patients and families have come to expect when seeking care under the trusted Blue Peaks," said Kevin Greene, MHA, Vice President, Administrator of Cook Children’s Medical Center – Prosper.

This Just In: Our Nursing Annual Report

We have created a culture of nursing that fulfills the Promise of Cook Children's. Our nurses are here every day of the year, caring for our patients and collaborating with one another. 

Please take the time to look through the 2022 Nursing Annual Report.  Hot off the presses, it highlights inspiring stories of the extraordinary care and relentless commitment to our values, and includes details on nursing initiatives, future plans and significant accomplishments across the System.

ICYMI: Workday Wednesday Newsletter

Stay up to speed on our changes to the new Workday platform with the latest edition of the Workday Wednesday Newsletter. 

You’ll find information on the following:

• Workday to improve data reporting on Workforce, and an introduction to Merridth Simpson, AVP, Human Resources Operations. 
• Badge swipe forms. 
• The latest freeze date chart for this week.
• Important news on signing up for Workday training. 
• A helpful archive section to help you get caught up on anything you may have missed. 
  
   

Twice! Jane Justin School is a School of Excellence

For the second year in a row the Jane Justin School at the Child Study Center at Cook Children’s has been named a National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) School of Excellence. This honor is presented to private special education schools that meet rigorous professional criteria and have demonstrated truly exceptional dedication, commitment and achievement in the field of special education. Congratulations to Matt Robinson, Tracie Mann, Kim James-Kelly, Claire Cartmel and the staff for their amazing work.

DAISY Award Winner “Has An Amazing Bedside Manner”

Congratulations to Lauren Rodriguez, BSN, RN, Staff RN in the Emergency Department, the June recipient of the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.

Lauren’s nominator, the mother of an infant treated in the Emergency Department, praised Lauren for explaining complex medical terms, test results and next steps.

“Lauren has an amazing bedside manner, and you can tell she genuinely cares about her patients and the people with them,” the nominator wrote. “I was scared and confused, and she was very comforting and empathetic. She took extra care to make sure everything was done correctly.”

Photo: (left to right)

Deborah Boudreaux, Kara Dorman, DAISY Winner Lauren Rodriguez, Natalie Carpenter, Cheryl Petersen, and Dawn DeWall

Save the Date: End of Life Nursing Education Consortium

Join us for a two-day End of Life Nursing Education Consortium from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Aug. 24-25, 2023, in the Hochberger Auditorium at Cook Children’s Medical Center-Fort Worth.

It’s not just for nurses! It is for all health care providers, including physicians, child life specialists, respiratory therapists, clinical therapists, and social workers who are committed to:

• Providing palliative care education to staff
• Improving systems of care
• Building relationships with those who can work with to accomplish goals
• Having a vision
• Being a leader

How to register: Please email Sarah.Smith2@cookchildrens.org if you would like more information regarding continuing education and attending the event. There is no cost for internal staff members.

ICYMI: An Important Update about Occupational Health Requirements

As we prepare to move to the Workday Human Resources platform and the temporary absence of a performance evaluation process to monitor Occupational Health annual requirements, we have put in place a system to help ensure that employees are being compliant with these requirements. 

Action needed:

We have added a TB Questionnaire to everyone’s annual ULearn required courses. Everyone must submit a new form via ULearn during June 2023 and again in June 2024, even if you’ve completed it earlier this calendar year for your evaluation. If you answer YES to any of the questions regarding symptoms or risks of tuberculosis, you will need to email Occhealth@cookchildrens.org for an evaluation. 

All patient-facing staff are required to complete respiratory mask fit testing every 12 months. Please schedule this through the Occupational Health page on CookNet in a timely manner. (Navigate to the Quick Links on the right side of the page and find the document “Respiratory Protection & Mask Fitting.” You must be on the network to view it). 

Mask fittings will now take place at Occupational Health, 901 7th St. Suite 4200, Fort Worth. If your department is outside of Cook Children’s Medical Center-Fort Worth, including employees at Cook Children’s Medical Center-Prosper, a mobile mask-fitting team will continue to travel to your location for completion each year. 

Employee completion of these requirements will be monitored through ULearn and supervisors will be notified if their staff are not compliant. Human Resources and Occupational Health will obtain a list of non-compliant staff at the end of June and those individuals will be contacted. 

Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant? What's Your Next Move?

Are you thinking about or currently pursuing an advanced practice nursing or physician assistant degree? Or are you a new graduate NP/PA looking for a great team? 

Join us for an in-depth guide on how to become a hospitalist or Short Stay Unit advanced practice provider. During the session you will also have the opportunity to meet the leadership team and gain a better understanding of how each team cares for the inpatient pediatric population. 

The informational session is scheduled for 10 a.m. on June 21, in the Pavilion Classroom 1 at Cook Children's Medical Center-Fort Worth.

Questions? Email Kandy Norem. 
 

Celebrating Community Health Improvement Week

Community Health Improvement Week is a time to honor those working in partnership to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities while advancing health equity.

Take a Break in our New Wellness Room

We are all busy with our shifts and responsibilities at work. Our Wellness Program has opened a special Wellness Room for employees to take a moment for themselves and relax in a quiet space. The pilot project is a partnership with North Texas Healthy Communities. The room is stocked with grown up coloring books, fidget toys, stress balls, word search books, and journals.  Be sure to scan the QR code inside the door and take an anonymous survey. 

The Wellness Room is in Cook Children's Medical Center-Fort Worth, in the basement  by classroom B0032D.  Exit the hallway between classroom 5 and the computer classroom. The Wellness Room is the third door on the right. It doubles as a Lactation Room.

Safety and Security For All 

For the first time, Cook Children's observed Hospitals Against Violence Day on June 2, and employees and visitors learned all about various types of violence, including domestic violence, social media safety, human trafficking, workplace violence and firearm safety.  The special event drew more than 300 people!

View photos from the event, as well as helpful safety resources with tools and techniques for everyone in our community.

Save the Date to Save a Life: Our Next Blood Drives

Donating blood is critically important to saving lives of families in our community. Please join us for our next Carter BloodCare blood drive at Cook Children's Medical Center-Fort Worth on July 17. Sign up here.

Another drive is scheduled for Aug. 18 at the Rosedale Office Building (ROB), so mark your calendars.

Stay tuned to CookNet and the Connect Newsletter for more details and sign-up links. In the meantime, here are some FAQs about the donation process so you can learn more.