Spotlight on Dana Huffman

Dana Huffman

As a nurse who functions in collaborative practice with physicians and nurse practitioners, it just makes sense that adaptability is important to Dana Huffman, LVN.

Each day she delivers competent and skilled care to patients and families as she adapts to play varying roles to help the multispecialty providers at Cook Children’s Mansfield.

“My role is fun!” Dana says. “Every day is different as the specialty clinics rotate through our space. We get to build relationships with the different departments, which is so rewarding because you learn something new every day.”

Dana personifies adaptability not only with her coworkers but also with her patients, because when it comes to delivering a one-of-a-kind Cook Children’s experience, the fact is we’re all in it together. When every member of each team plays their part, we’re able to create experiences that would’ve been impossible to do alone.

“In general, as a nurse, you have to learn to be adaptable as you accommodate to help the different patients who come into the office,” she says. “Everybody does things just a little bit differently, so you have to be willing to adjust and help out as needed.”

Working with this mindset has allowed Dana to develop strong relationships with her patients over time.

“It’s so fun to build relationships with the patients,” she says. “When that happens, the children and their parents get to know you and you continue to build that bond, which eases care because they’re comfortable and processes feel familiar.”

When she builds bonds with her patients and the specialists around her, she’s able to better her knowledge and improve the care she provides. During her time at Cook Children’s, Dana has become more familiar with various diseases, diagnoses and medical conditions.

“You can learn so much from patients,” she says. “They are honest and so resilient.”

Adaptability is a trait that Dana values in her personal life, too. Asked who her hero is, she answers, “My son,” without wavering.

“He’s my hero for so many reasons,” she says. “He’s a teenager who has dealt with the pandemic during high school. He has changed the way he has dealt with everything, even including my parents moving into our house with us. He’s adapting and helping while still being kind and funny. That’s tough!”

When we value adaptability and embrace togetherness in all aspects of our lives as Dana does, we can proudly say #WeAreCookChildrens.