House Supervisors Respond to Growth at Medical Center – Prosper
The essential team of house supervisors at Cook Children’s Medical Center – Prosper proactively address daily challenges while maintaining a high standard of care and prioritizing safety.
It’s a role that requires leadership, problem-solving skills, strategy and good communication. When needed, house supervisors fill in as administrators, patient advocates and overnight makers of infant formula. They respond to situations from a fire alarm to a behavioral health emergency. House supervisors also keep tabs on severe weather, resources in short supply, medical alerts and building security.
At Cook Children’s Medical Center – Prosper, six house supervisors and two in relief roles report to Sheralyn Hartline, VP of Nursing and Patient Services.
“I've told this team numerous times that I'm super thankful for them,” Sheralyn said. “I have complete confidence in the group. They certainly make my job easier and rise to every challenge. A lot happens here every day and they handle it.”
Like a central hub, a house supervisor is on duty every hour of every day to make sure each unit has the nurses and other staff needed for the next shift. They also help generate a smooth flow of patients to prevent backlogs.
Sheralyn said the house supervisors might respond to situations such as IV infiltration or parents who are upset. Good listening skills are a must.
“I feel like we wear 20 different hats depending on the day because we have multiple things that pop up,” said Lauryn Goff, RN, MSN, a daytime house supervisor in Prosper. “I get pushed out of my comfort zone and experience new things every single day.”
Many similarities overlap in the role of house supervisor in Prosper and Fort Worth. But Sheralyn pointed out it can take a more clinical direction in Prosper at the 69-bed facility. One example: Responding to IV infiltrations.
Lauryn said she and her colleagues in Prosper interact frequently with Teddy Bear Transport.
“Each transfer is looked at more in-depth,” Lauren said. “Our primary goal is patient safety while looking at the clinical picture instead of just automatically sending kids to Fort Worth. Is there anything that Fort Worth would be doing differently that we don't have here? If there is a gap, then the transfer occurs.
House supervisors in Prosper encounter the challenges that come along with a new medical center and the continual expansion of services, such as the NICU. The job requires flexibility, listening and curiosity, Lauryn said.
For instance, flexibility was key during the nine months of construction it took to turn empty shell space on the medical center’s second floor into a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). The PICU was initially located on the fifth floor when the medical center opened in January 2023. It was moved to its long-term home one year later.
“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,” Lauryn said. “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.”
Lauryn wants her colleagues to know that the house supervisors are there to provide support, answers and resources.
She expressed gratitude for the Cook Children’s culture of collaboration and for the Fort Worth house supervisor group.
“From orienting us to today, they have been nothing but supportive and an incredible resource for our team. I know I still personally call them for help and advice, and they are always available and willing to help us,” Lauryn said.
“It's a unique opportunity to be a part of a hospital that's growing as fast paced as we are. I'm incredibly grateful for the peers I work with. We really rely on each other.”
