e a n i m s m a e e k i r l i e and insp tients and fam2il0i1e5s t were involved in e h a a t p h t e n r o e l o s p m o u e c t o p a f y o n t a y m r t o s I e e d r e n m a w d , e e r m w i e o h ll Th f a o e e t i s h u a c W e b to & n t y o t a s o r c w e S s p i r r h o e l t y of a t B u o m s o r e r o o f n g o d d d e E v i n , e a y g a r d o I rec y n r a e v f o E . y e y n n r a . u h t o t j n e a s B t u s o d S T O R I E S n i u i a d s n r a a e n i h t e n d o t n g a a e h h t b t s r d d i l n f u e o t s c x e t ow i o t d e s z i u l l s a l e i w r o w l e l d h a n e s i a s u h c t i t t e u g beca b r e , l n a e t i e p r s a o o h h e w h t s t k l a o f n ts h t i w k r o w o t g n i t i c ex s t u b , n o i authorizat
Baylor Scott & White
v n i e r e w o h w e l p o e p y n a a m m ’ I o “ s . e r “There wer t’s life,” said Jennife on the n s e u i t c o a f p o e t h t y r f t o I d n a , m i h f o e s u a c y.” be a d y r e v e d n a h c a e l i fe
Somet i m o m m i t es , a s m t eople i ed, comp all grou s a a l ange h l it tak ssionat undred es to s of l
l a n i d e v l vo n o s r e p r e Joel Allison a bett A Letter from n i s ng i h t e v i t i s e po
u p of te
I am so grateful to be able to serve an organization as amazing as Baylor Scott & White Health. While we are all very proud of our advanced technologies and beautiful facilities, what makes Baylor Scott & White especially amazing are the thousands of men and women who come together every day with a singular focus: to deliver a level of quality, compassionate health care that exceeds our patients’ expectations. Baylor Scott & White Health is committed to transforming how health care is delivered in the future. Though ideas and innovation are important in that endeavor, ultimately, health care is not about processes and programs. It’s about people – patients and their caregivers. Whether it’s a complex transplantation procedure or a reassuring squeeze of the hand before a routine blood draw, making people’s lives better is what we do at Baylor Scott & White. Maintaining that focus is how we are truly charting a course for the future of health care.
2015
Baylor Scott & White Stories is a snapshot of how our people are changing lives, families and communities. For each story told, there are hundreds of similar accounts authored by Baylor Scott & White team members that go untold. And that is something for which we all can truly be grateful. Joel Allison
Chief Executive Officer, Baylor Scott & White Health
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M
s. Garison, I wanted to contact you to express our sincere appreciation for the doctors, nurses, and staff at your Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano. Our daughter Leigh brought her husband Austin to your emergency room on the evening of September 16 with severe breathing issues related to a diabetic episode. We (my wife, daughter, me and Austin’s parents) had no idea, at the time, how serious it was. Austin was moved to the ICU with serious Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA), and we were all very, very worried and concerned.
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A Grateful Father
Than Our daughter was also eight months pregnant with their first child! The ICU nurses were beyond incredible! They were so helpful, reassuring and very forthcoming with muchneeded information about Austin’s condition and what to expect in the hours and days to come.
As outstanding as all of the nurses were, I have to single out Jenny. She was the day nurse for three days and was, and is, an angel from heaven! She was so personable, intelligent, kind and professional. She was no-nonsense when she needed to be and so funny and warm when she could be. I just can’t put into words how confident Jenny made us feel that she and the other nurses and doctors would do everything they could to get Austin better. And they did! The doctors were also wonderful and we very much appreciate all they did for Austin. We have bragged about your great hospital to our family and friends and told them how impressed we were with the technology, medical expertise and great facilities, but mostly about your caring, talented and wonderfully skilled people.
nkful
Thank you so much for the team you have assembled and the wonderful place that is Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano. Jim Wills
Table of Contents 1
CEO Letter
5
An Inspiration to All
6
Family’s Best Friend
7
A Journey Made Easier
8
Laughter Is the Best Medicine
10
Never-Ending Love
12
Teenage Dreams
14
Love with No Bounds
16
How R U Feeling?
17
Cherish Every Moment You Have
18
Walking in Others’ Shoes
20
Hello, World
22
The Ramp to Freedom
23
At Your Service
24
Pay-It-Forward Pizzas
26
Change a Life. Change the World.
27
A Grateful Patient Shares His Story
3
Legacy
ep ny h t f o so n so m a were aspects ter per p There ed in all I’m a bet s on the nvolv ennifer. “try to focuevery day sa i d J , a n d I ac h a n d of hims in life e t hi n g
4
An Inspiration to All
B
orn with cystic fibrosis, one young patient never knew what it was like to be healthy in life. In 2012, he received a double lung and liver transplant in Houston. Due to complications, his care was transferred to Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas, where he touched the lives of many Baylor Dallas team members, including Jennifer, a nurse practitioner. “He had such a large personality,” said Jennifer. “He developed a bond with everyone in the hospital, including the nursing staff, secretaries and cleaning personnel.” As the young man’s 21st birthday approached, the staff knew they wanted to do something special, so they threw him a surprise “mocktail” party complete with decorations. Jennifer even tried to orchestrate a Dallas Cowboys visit, because she knew the patient was a big fan. But she had no luck.
er t ha t w people patien
Soon after, the patient’s health began to decline, which inspired Jennifer to try again – this time, with success! Jennifer and her colleagues arranged for two Dallas Cowboys players to visit him in the hospital. “The patient was surprised and happy, and the players were truly humbled,” said Jennifer. “He had a hard time breathing that day, but he continued talking with the players anyway.” Unfortunately, the young man passed away about a month later, but he has left an inspiring legacy behind at Baylor Dallas. Jennifer described him as a “truly amazing kid.” “There were so many people who were involved in all aspects of the patient’s life,” said Jennifer. “I’m a better person because of him, and I try to focus on the positive things in life each and every day.”
5
e g I m m e fa t h h e i v r e a o p o n for t g t h l
FROM RESCUE TO COMFORT
After rescuing the dog from the hot vehicle, a 15-year-old boy arrived and acknowledged he was responsible for both dogs, but was unable to drive them home. DeLynn’s first instinct was to speak with the boy about the safety risks of leaving a dog in a hot vehicle. However, the teen began to cry.
6
Family’s Best Friend As guest relations manager at Baylor Jack and Jane Hamilton Heart and Vascular Hospital, DeLynn lives to make patients and their families feel welcome and as comfortable as possible.
DeLynn saw the boy’s anguish and sought to comfort him. She learned the boy’s father was admitted to the hospital the night before, and no friends or loved ones were available to assist the pair. DeLynn decided to fill that role.
With the help of her co-workers, DeLynn drove the boy and his dogs home so he could feed them. Then she drove him back to the hospital to be with his father. In the meantime, she had the family’s truck moved to a parking garage and provided the boy with parking and meal vouchers.
Comfort
One day, DeLynn was notified about a dog roaming outside the hospital. As she and a co-worker went to rescue the lost dog, she learned that there was a second dog locked in a car. Filled with concern, DeLynn knew she needed to act immediately. “The minutes walking up to the parked car were unnerving, knowing a tragedy may have occurred,” said DeLynn, “but thankfully no animals were harmed.”
Thanks to her efforts, the boy and his father returned home happy to be with their two best four-legged friends.
. do e e to lik er d ts e h r , ha en e’r I at i W el p n ce at r p rs. to h ca d wh o u b e , t h e d n a d t m ple wi ed , a ive di k a me eo pe ne nts y l fe loo y e p co e e ll li I mil hes m e th atm efu ger
A Journey Made Easier
J
ust imagine: Your family member is diagnosed with cancer at one facility and needs to receive treatment at another hospital 30 minutes away. On the day of your loved one’s first appointment, treatment is delayed because records from the previous hospital are mired in red tape. What would you do? One patient and his loved ones found themselves in this situation. Fortunately, patient service specialist Raelynn views all her patients as family and not just a medical record number, so she went the extra mile – and then further – to expedite the process. First, she worked diligently with the other hospital’s administrators to get the needed authorization, but she knew it would still take awhile to get the records sent over. Next, with no time to waste, Raelynn drove 30 minutes to the other hospital to pick up the patient’s records. “I did what I had to do. I look at our patients like family members. We’re here for these people, to help them cope with cancer, give the needed treatments, and hopefully live a longer life,” Raelynn shared. Chemotherapy isn’t something patients look forward to, but the employees at Baylor Scott & White McClinton Cancer Center try to make their experience as stress-free as it can be. “We’re here for their needs. It hurts us when they go on hospice or pass away, but nothing compares with what they’ve been through and what their families are going through.”
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My Story
Laughter Is the Best Medicine Sometimes all you need to make a patient’s day is a rubber chicken, a tutu and some bubbles. As a young nurse, I learned the power that these simple things held. Growing up, I often had family members ill and in the hospital. I noticed that the nurses’ attitude made the biggest impact on quality of life for their patients and on us as family members. This is also why my daily clinical practice includes wearing clown wigs and superhero capes while rounding on patients.
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Laugh While working at a local hospital, it became apparent that I was a bit different in my nursing practice. I was so different that the administration sent me to a workshop on changing society and health care with Dr. Hunter “Patch” Adams, of movie fame and founder of The Gesundheit Institute. I was one of the only health care workers there, so I got to see what the patients were really wanting in the health care setting. The verdict: laughter. After that experience, I organized my goofy antics and created a class to teach new nurses how to connect and laugh with their patients. New nurses are typically very task-oriented and sometimes forget to connect personally with the patient because they are working so hard to do their job correctly. I brought the class to Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine, and it has now become an hour-long program that I continue to teach to new nurses,
experienced nurses, ancillary staff, administrators and nursing students at facilities throughout our system. My goal is to encourage and inspire as many health care professionals as possible to use laughter in their clinical practice so that more patients and families like mine can have a hospital story that isn’t just about pain and sadness.
h
Melissa Williams, RN
Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine
Photo
9
Never-Ending Love
U
10
nbeknownst to the Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center at Dallas staff, the husband of a young terminally ill patient was planning to renew the couple’s vows on their seventh wedding anniversary. Once Marci, a palliative care chaplain, and the oncology staff learned of the husband’s plans, they were incredibly moved and wanted to help in any way they could. The husband hoped to host the ceremony in the chapel. However, his beloved wife was bedbound, suffering from emotional, spiritual and physical pain, so she could not travel across campus to the chapel. But she could make it down a few floors to the building’s Family Lounge.
“Our departments came together to help make the family’s unbearable experience more bearable,” said Marci. Marci helped decorate the lounge and set up a simple reception, while the nursing staff helped dress the patient in a wedding gown, and the family assisted with hair and makeup.
n t er “norm w as ow n i ie n ce d e k o o long urs, exper ent br was n ree ho a e pati her life elayed th t, going b alizedent was d steadfas ly Lounge he evi remained the Famiherever sh Marc orth fromto help w and f t’s room patien d. n e ed e
Once the details were finalized, Marci came in on her day off to support the patient, her husband, her young son and more than 50 family members and friends.
Love
The experience was overwhelming, and the patient broke down in tears as she realized her life was no longer “normal.” The event was delayed three hours, but Marci remained steadfast, going back and forth from the Family Lounge to the patient’s room to help wherever she was needed. When the patient was finally wheeled down to the Family Lounge, she looked beautiful. There was not a dry eye in the room.
“It was the most meaningful ceremony I’ve ever presided over,” said Marci.
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Creative
ery be e n v h t e has n Nig erienc to Teeable to b le exp come e whong. “They .“They are e friends atifyi e saysl and mak h s ” , l xcited their she ou t o f 12
I
Teenage Dreams t’s no secret that being a teenager can be difficult. But it’s especially tough when you’re a teen in a children’s hospital under constant supervision. After all, gaining independence is supposed to be part of growing up. Katelyn, a child life assistant at McLane Children’s Scott & White Hospital, wanted to help ensure the hospital’s teen patients had the same opportunity as their peers. “Teens need to be reminded they are not alone. They need independence, friendship and to get away from their diagnosis,” said Katelyn. That’s why she developed “Teen Night,” which allows teenage patients to get out of their rooms twice a week for fun-filled, no-parent activities, including games, arts and crafts, cooking, trips to the garden and more. “Because the nights were such a big hit, we created a teen reunion, where patients who’ve left the hospital can come back and reunite with friends,” said Katelyn. “We had one patient drive almost two hours to attend the reunion.” Katelyn didn’t stop there. She knows teens need a space all their own, so she applied for and received a $8,300 grant to create a teen space – a special place where teens can relax and hang out. Katelyn continues to improve the program. For example, she created a Teen Night to-go bag for patients unable to attend due to health restrictions. The
whole experience has been very gratifying. “They come to Teen Night excited,” she said. “They are able to break out of their shell and make friends.” She said excitement for Teen Night has spread. “Now, when teens arrive at the hospital, one of the first questions they ask is, ‘When is Teen Night?’”
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My Story 14
Love with No Bounds The idea of adopting children was something I was always passionate about because I came from a family with adopted siblings. My husband had a brother placed for adoption when he was young, but was able to meet him years later. A turning point in my husband’s life was in 2010 after the devastating earthquake in Haiti. He couldn’t get the images of the children left without parents and of our two empty bedrooms out of his mind. We felt led to open our home to an adopted child, and that year we started the journey to adopt a Haitian child, because we thought that was God’s plan for our future family.
F
God did have plans for our family, just not a Haitian child. We didn’t meet the government’s requirements, but we did for Africa, and that adoption process took two years. When we prepared to leave for Africa to bring home our beautiful, 16-month-old son, Ezekiel (Zeke),
ore , bu i t is ed if ik e us he m m h t ha l ov e t et ask look l a t o i ’ t s n o e s G l e d n a and J , ho do possib e s y k m i o e m s e h t t tle b t ell Z i d l nd it’ e n t u s o W e d f b . e we do d for the orld and ’m honor praye ed the w gs, and I search r blessin are ou mom. their
my mom and I wrote a book for him to help explain why his parents look different from him. It uses the analogy of mixing different ice cream flavors to help him understand that even though our skin looks different, something yummy is made when all the flavors mix together. It also celebrates our similarities. We read it to him on the first day we called him our son in June 2012. Since then, we self-published the book, That’s a Yummy Color, and give it to other transracial adoptive parents like us. Our story of adoption and the book reached our U.S. congressman, who nominated us for the Angels in Adoption Congressional Award, which we received. When we accepted the award, we had the opportunity to advocate and lobby for the improvement of adoption laws with members of Congress.
Family When Zeke was four years old, we were contacted by an adoption agency about a baby who needed a family, this time in Texas. In March 2015, we adopted a newborn, Josiah.
I get asked if it is hard to adopt a child who doesn’t look like us, but love is choice, and it’s impossible to love them more than we do. We tell Zeke and Josiah that we prayed for the best little boys, and God searched the world and found them. They are our blessings, and I’m honored to be their mom.
Kayci Prince
Marketing and Public Relations Manager
Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano
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t n e i t ing How R U Feeling? a p e c a m i r t emb d T g n l o fu l l y es a n t g t n n o e a n ch g e m e styl e ma n a s e as
exting is not just for teenagers. Sometimes texting is a lifeline for better health. Assisting impoverished patients is all in a day’s work at Scott & White Clinic in Brenham. Many of nurse practitioner Deborah’s patients are indigent and require ongoing visits because of chronic health issues. Keeping in touch with her patients is vital.
16
One resource she discovered that could help her is CareMessage, which uses texting for patient communication and can send health educational modules to the patient. It proved to be an “ah-ha” moment for Deborah. “One long-time patient was not fully embracing lifestyle changes and disease management of diabetes. After signing up for the educational modules, the patient responded to the consistent texts, started implementing the educational pieces about the disease, started losing weight and gained control of her health again,” she said. For her efforts, Deborah received the Lone Star Association of Charitable Clinics’ Innovation Award. “The point of us being here is to provide good care to people with chronic diseases,” Deborah expressed. “My staff and I enjoy what we do because we’re making a difference in the health of the community.”
Cherish Every Moment You Have Ed, a chaplaincy resident at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas, had planned to enlist in the Air Force upon graduating high school, but a previous car accident prevented him from passing the physical. It turned his world upside down. As Ed dealt with this devastation, he received an urgent call one day. His father Edward Sr. was in the hospital for kidney failure. Ed’s parents grew up in a rough area, and his father got caught up in a lifestyle of drugs and alcohol to cope with the rejection he felt as a child. Eventually, Edward Sr.’s life choices took a toll on his body, and he needed a kidney transplant. Instantly, Ed knew he would be the one to donate a kidney. He heard a voice tell him, “don’t be afraid.” While the transplant procedure was successful, Ed’s father ended up returning to some bad habits and losing the kidney. Fortunately, Edward Sr. lived another 15 years on dialysis. He was best man in Ed’s wedding and was around to see the birth of his two granddaughters. So Ed has no regrets.
Today, Ed is in his second year as a chaplain resident at Baylor Dallas and works in transplant care. He had never considered a career in hospital ministry, but he believes his past experiences make him even better at his job. Every day, Ed goes out of his way to connect with patients on a personal level because he knows firsthand the arduous journey of an organ donor. He’s learned to cherish every moment with a loved one because he realizes it could be gone in an instant.
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Walking in Others’ Shoes
B
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ethany, a Baylor Scott & White operations consultant with a big heart, had always dreamed of visiting Africa. When an opportunity arose to visit Africa to help those in need through a mission trip, Bethany did not hesitate to say “yes.” To help fund her aid trip to Uganda and Kenya, Bethany applied for a Fred Roach International Mission Scholarship from Baylor Scott & White Health’s Faith In Action Initiatives (FIAI). “The support I received from Baylor Scott & White allowed me to help others in need and to experience a new culture,” said Bethany. “Not only did Baylor help fund my trip, but they recognized the importance of my ministry efforts.” Bethany’s efforts focused on providing shoes to students in dire need. The FIAI scholarship wasn’t the only thing vital to helping her fulfill that mission. Without her knowledge, her
Giving
Besides shoes, Bethany also delivered smiles by teaching the students through hands-on science experiments. It was a treat for both her and the kids, who were accustomed to a lecture-based teaching style. Bethany also spent time in the clinic taking patients’ vital signs, which she enjoyed immensely since she is not in a clinical role at Baylor Scott & White. “The most rewarding part of my trip was seeing how proud the people there were, even though they had so little,” said Bethany. “I realized the trip was not about the students receiving shoes, but it was about us giving the students our time to learn their story.”
d ow e d ec e ive i t e al l a n d t o rt I r h W d suppo “The r Scott &ers in nee e” Baylo help oth w cultur m e to i e n c e a n e exper
colleagues had launched a fundraising campaign to help her deliver shoes to 150 students of the Galileo School in Bul Kur, Uganda.
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My Story 20
Hello, World It was a typical night in Labor & Delivery when a young couple arrived in the early evening. The mother, who was 40 weeks and four days pregnant, was experiencing light to medium labor pains. So I brought them into the triage room for evaluation. They were anxious, which is perfectly normal, so I explained what we were doing and why. It’s not unusual to have a false alarm, and we sent the couple home. The baby didn’t seem ready to enter the world…just yet. But in the early morning hours, the baby had other plans for mom and dad – and for our team. When the couple called to say the labor pains were worse, I just had the feeling that this baby was going to be born very soon, so I set up the room to be ready for a potential delivery when the time arrived.
Blessed By now, the father was more nervous than the mother, and he had a lot more questions, which is very normal for expectant fathers. (I often find myself having to take care of both parents!) Communication is key, so I shared with them what to anticipate and the next steps of our care, all while simultaneously massaging the mother’s stomach to make her as comfortable as possible. In a matter of minutes from the time the doctors were paged, the birth was underway. We had no time to waste. I got ready to bring this new little one into the world, which turned out to be a healthy 10-pound, 12-ounce baby boy, with no complications for mom or baby.
The best part of my job is seeing the miracle of life happen every day. I’m grateful that my years of experience and training have prepared me for emergencies like this one, but I’m also blessed to have been a part of this new family’s life.
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Laura Clausnitzer, BSN, RN
Scott & White Hospital – Round Rock
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w w y a t
The Ramp to Freedom Before becoming a full-time chaplain at The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano, Doug tapped into his compassion and entrepreneurial spirit to launch an organization providing free handyman services to seniors. He soon realized the high demand for safe wheelchair ramps, yet lacked the resources and knowledge to build them. So his organization partnered with Dallas Ramps to provide homeowners safe ramp access to their homes. 22
When Doug heard that the nurses and staff at The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano and The Heart Hospital Baylor Denton wanted an opportunity to give back to the community, he knew exactly what to do. He connected them with the same organization as he had before, now known as The Texas Ramp Project.
Serve
The Texas Ramp Project identifies eligible seniors, conducts an evaluation of the site, designs the ramp and provides the materials for each ramp. After this, it’s in the volunteers’ hands to complete the project.
In December 2014, Doug and six volunteers from the hospitals ventured into the cold to build their first ramp.
The fulfillment and joy from giving seniors the gift of freedom encouraged the volunteers to expand their efforts and recruit co-workers. In April 2015, 28 volunteers built five additional ramps for seniors in need throughout Dallas County. And now, plans are set to build more ramps in the near future. “Every day, staff members build trust with their patients at the hospital, but this allows us to extend that trust to serve people where they live,” said Doug. “It’s exciting to work with folks who are energetic and willing to invest themselves in something.”
wh e n with you’re d you hsick pat ealinAg i a v e al l t h t o g e n ts , them e way foo . r
At Your Service nyone who has rushed a loved one to the hospital understands the feelings of helplessness and panic. Your mind is racing with scenarios, and the last thing you need is construction slowing you down – especially if that construction is blocking access to the emergency room. That was the situation many patients found themselves in one cold, rainy day as they tried to make their way to the emergency room entrance at Scott & White Memorial Hospital in Temple. Perhaps the only thing more unexpected was an angel in a golf cart that came to their aid. That angel was Elizabeth, unit medical technician. Elizabeth didn’t hesitate when asked by her supervisor to navigate patients and families through the routine construction. “These are sick people who need our help. This was a time for me to be there for them,” Elizabeth said.
BEING THERE FOR THEM
She spent 13 hours outside looking for patients and families to chauffeur to the emergency entrance. She braved the cold weather, the chaos, the many questions from patients, and was there for them. For many, she was the first hopeful face they saw. Elizabeth believes that “when you’re dealing with sick patients, you have to go all the way for them.” Though patients arriving for help were often confused and in pain, they were mainly grateful to have Elizabeth’s smiling face and warmth to welcome them.
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A
pril’s duty as director of nurses for the emergency department at Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest Medical Center is to ensure her nursing team members have everything they need. That includes enough sleep and food to properly care for patients in their hospital. But caring for nurses at other hospitals? “Of course,” April said, “because I believe supporting all nurses is in my job description.”
24
When April heard about the July 2015 movie theater mass shooting in Lafayette, La., she knew that Lafayette General Medical Center was about to go on lock down, meaning all nurses would be focused on treating patients being rushed there under difficult circumstances. She was all too familiar with the process, as her hospital recently dealt with a similar situation following a gang shooting at a local restaurant that made national news. She knew how such a chaotic situation made nurses feel: anxious and tense. The last thing on the nurses’ minds was food.
fo e l ves t h e ms
Pay-It-Forward Pizzas
Selfless
h ey pus eds ss. Th at ne selfle t’s wh ten s are se tha nt, of Nurse gh becau at mome d to fuel throu ppen in th they nee et to eat to ha ng that ey forg i , so t h orgett
“Nurses are selfless. They push through because that’s what needs to happen in that moment, often forgetting that they need to fuel themselves, so they forget to eat,” said April. She ordered several pizzas and had them delivered to the hospital to feed the ER nurses and staff. “The pizza was merely a small gesture of support,” said April. “We’ve actually sent pizzas to other hospitals in similar tragedies, and it has developed into a tradition of pay-it-forward.” “No matter what hospital you work at, we’re all just doing the best thing for our patients, the best way we can, so we should support each other to support them,” said April.
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Change a Life. Change the World.
A
group of committed people is all it takes to change lives. Gina, a nurse practitioner at Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest Medical Office, developed a passion for mission work while in Ethiopia. There, nurses function like doctors, providing medicine and care to people in hard-to-reach places. The group trekked through villages and tended to patients who walked hours to receive treatment. She helped many patients during her month visit, but could not care for everyone.
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Gina and her team faced many challenges. The older equipment provided often didn’t function properly, and their supply of medicine was limited. “We had enough to do the job, but it felt like we put a Band-Aid over a gaping wound,” Gina explained. “If we had more, we could have treated patients better, but we did well with what we had.”
Committed Gina claims that cultural boundaries were another issue. “Village members are prescribed remedies from their witch doctor, making it difficult to convey information to patients so they can properly take care of themselves.”
Gina believes her mission work changed the way she treats patients back at home. “Mission work made me more compassionate – when they leave, they know I listened.”
d
A Grateful Patient Shares His Story Hello, Jennifer: I now believe, by the grace of God, I am alive today and living what I have coined “Life 2.0,” thanks to The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano and all of their fine men and women who unselfishly and tirelessly provide world-class cardiac care to their guests. I am writing today, wishing to express my personal thanks to you and everyone associated with Marketing at Baylor. Your organization selected me to share my story with the masses about my care and how my life was changed afterwards. You have participated in providing me the finest gift of our times: I call it Life 2.0, and it goes well beyond just having a second chance. Living “Life 2.0” is a miraculous journey for me, in many facets of my life – physically, emotionally and spiritually. In short, I have adopted a daily cardio exercise regimen. I have beat diabetes. I find myself doing little things
27
every day I never did before such as being kind to a stranger, honoring those around me, genuinely being happy for others and being at peace myself. When I say I went from the “dark” to the “life,” I just can’t find the words to describe the inner transformation I have experienced.
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There is a fine marketer named Brien Caldwell at The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano who first connected with me and sent me on my journey. He, along with Randy Johnson, gave me the opportunity to speak to health care providers to help them understand the value of doing all of the little things they do. I was also selected to share my story as part of the advertising efforts. I can’t begin to tell you how many lives I have personally heard about that were impacted by the video you produced about me. So yes, the surgeon put me back together again, but the Marketing people in the Baylor organization touched me in ways they may not even know.
nu in ass
June and I recently created a plaque and presented it to Mark Valentine and Randy Johnson. It is our thank-you letter to all of their employees.
Your organization touched me deeply and was causation for starting a remarkable experience in life for me and my family. Please never hesitate to call on me if I can ever do anything for you. All the best to you and yours, Kevin Kirksey K2.0
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