F O R T H E E M P L O Y E E S O F C I N C I N N AT I C H I L D R E N ’ S
FALL 2015
SMALL ACTS, BIG IMPACT
WHAT’S INSIDE
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A Word from Brian Coley
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Wading in the Deep: Pastoral Care Builds Trust One Moment at a Time
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Summer of SURFing Solidifies Career Choice
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Glimpses of Goodness Lighten the Load
SMALL ACTS, BIG IMPACT When we think about people who do great things, we tend to focus on the big stuff — walks on the moon, cures for diseases, heroic rescues. And we tell ourselves, “I could never do that.” The good news is, you don’t have to. You can be great right here, right now in your everyday life. All it requires is that you pay attention. That may be a tall order in a place where so much is happening so fast. But it’s critical that we make the effort. If a coworker is struggling, if a patient is non-compliant with his treatment plan, if a family seems overwhelmed, making the time to listen and respond to even the smallest need can be the lifeline that enables them to take the next step forward. So often, we are unaware of the long-term effect of our actions. But being mindful of the potential power our words and deeds carry can inspire us to greatness we hadn’t considered possible to achieve. We believe that small acts have tremendous impact, that this is an integral part of our identity at Cincinnati Children’s. As you read your colleagues’ stories on the following pages, may you recognize how important you are in bringing our mission and vision to life.
Cindy Duesing, editor
Volume 3, Issue 4 | 360° is an employee
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Editor: Cindy Duesing
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of Marketing and Communications, MLC 9012, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center,
ON THE COVER:
Designers: Elyse Balster and Gina Johnston
3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH
In the big picture, details matter. Ceramic
Contributing Photographers: Chloe Herzog,
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worry stones for bereaved parents and other
Tine Hofmann, Mark Lyons and Chad Moon
keepsakes are small touches of compassion to help them channel their grief.
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A Word From Brian Coley There are 15,000 of us who come to work at a Cincinnati Children’s location almost every day. We all have defined jobs to do in this very complex organization that allow us to bring the best care to our patients as we work together to fulfill our mission to be the leader in improving child health. Those jobs keep us busy (sometimes extremely busy), and we all have a lot to accomplish during any given day. But beyond the demands of our job descriptions are the small acts of kindness and empathy and humanity that truly make Cincinnati Children’s special. You know them when you see them: someone stops in the concourse to help direct a family trying to navigate our campus; someone takes the time to listen to a coworker’s concerns about issues at work or at home; someone offers advice about a colleague’s latest research, paper or report; someone you don’t even know gives you a smile as you pass them in a hallway — how good does that feel? These are seemingly small acts, but they truly have a tremendous impact, especially when multiplied hundreds of times every day. And you never know how big an impact your small act may have on another person. The 2020 Strategic Plan calls us to realize our full potential by engaging, inspiring and enabling all employees to make a difference. As important as it is to be here for patients and families, we must also be here for each other. Some days our work can be as hard as it is rewarding. These small kindnesses, these moments of mindfulness, can bring a joy and delight to our work and remind us of what we all can be when we are at our best. In this issue you’ll read about how small acts and the connections they foster make profound differences in the experiences of our patients and coworkers. We all bring different gifts and talents to our roles here, and the stories within these pages illustrate how our colleagues have used their gifts to make Cincinnati Children’s a remarkable place. I hope you enjoy reading them.
Brian Coley, MD, radiologist-in-chief
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WADING IN THE DEEP Pastoral Care Builds Trust One Moment at a Time Cincinnati Children’s is a bustling place. You only have to walk down the main concourse on any given day to get a sense of it. As quickly as new buildings go up, we fill them, and with an inpatient census that consistently hovers between 400 and 500, we’re often bursting at the seams. In spite of the overarching busy-ness, staff do a wonderful job of connecting with patients and families. Smiles meet smiles. Hands touch hands. Hearts break. Comforting words are spoken. Hope rekindles.
Borgman likens her role to a patchwork quilt. “Our chaplains respond to every death — before, during and after,” she says. “I get involved after the death has occurred, coordinating with Debbie Palmisano in Palliative Care and Marcy Cameron Meyer, who supports patients in StarShine Hospice and the Fetal Care Center.” When a patient dies, the chaplain leaves a card on the unit. Anyone who cared for that patient can sign it and write a personal note to the family. Borgman places the card in an individualized bereavement packet that is specially created for them and mailed to the family a month after the death.
This is the world that Jan Borgman and Paul Beckman immerse themselves in every day. Borgman, manager of Bereavement Services, and Beckman, a staff chaplain in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, the ED and the Mayerson Center for Safe and Healthy Children, place themselves at the disposal of patients and families who would give anything not to have to be here. They also minister to staff who care for a constant flow of people at their most vulnerable.
The packet is designed to look like hand-made paper and tied with a dark green ribbon. It contains information about grief, community support groups and websites. Each is tailored to the family with age-appropriate resources for siblings, parents and grandparents who live locally or out of town. If the parents are separated or divorced, they both get their own packet.
Although they have no miracle cures or cutting-edge treatments to dispense, Borgman, Beckman and their Pastoral Care colleagues offer something invaluable — A their full and wholly compassionate presence. Turns out, it’s powerful stuff.
“We offer the packet in Spanish, as well,” says Borgman, “and we’re working with the Destination Excellence team and interpreters to translate the information into other languages and to ensure that the materials we offer are culturally sensitive.”
STITCHING THE PIECES TOGETHER
The packet matches the bereavement boxes that parents receive, which hold keepsakes like photographs, locks of hair, hand and foot prints and hand molds.
Borgman came to Cincinnati Children’s in January 2005 from Cancer Family Care, where she had been director of the Grief and Bereavement Institute. She was recruited to establish a bereavement program here. “The chaplains and Child Life always provided bereavement support,” she explains, “but as the hospital grew, we needed a more formalized program to make sure support levels were consistent for all families.”
“We used to give the packets to the families when they left the hospital, but the parents on our End-of-Life Committee advised us to wait for a month to mail them. When you first come home after your child’s death, you’re too dazed and busy with funeral arrangements and visitors. The information gets put aside and lost. But if you wait a month, things quiet down and people go back to their
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lives. Typically, that’s when the grief really starts to set in. Then the packet arrives.” EXTENDING CARE
Parents on the committee also challenged the bereavement team to extend support to families whose children die away from the hospital. Said one mother, “My son was cared for here for 17 years and died at home. Why would you not reach out to families like mine during this loss?”
Anyone on staff who hears of a patient’s death notifies Borgman. She coordinates with Health Information to flag the patient’s medical record so that when you click on it, a message pops up saying you are entering the chart of a deceased patient. This alerts everyone that all mailings, appointment reminders and notices about special camps should be discontinued. The patient’s billing account is also flagged. No bill is sent for the first 90 days after the child’s death. At the 45-day mark, a notice goes out to the family saying the medical center is working with insurance to resolve their account. The goal is that no bereaved family will get a bill. “Families must work with us and their insurance company to make sure we have the right information, or they must apply for Medicaid,” says Borgman. “But our Customer Service team takes it from there. It’s the last thing we can do for them. One family had already sold one of their cars and was going to put their house on the market and move into an apartment to pay their bill. When they realized they didn’t have to do that, they were so incredibly grateful.”
(above) Jan Borgman, manager, Bereavement Ser vices, assembles a packet of information for a grieving family. (below) A plastic pouch for a lock of hair and some worr y stones are just a few of the items provided to families in the bereavement box when a child dies.
She adds, “We feel that if we can’t change the outcome for your child physically, we can at least care for you by relieving the financial burden of your child’s care. Then you can move forward.” Borgman and her team consider bereavement support part of the continuum of care — building on the great work that has already been done to help this child and this family. They hold a service of remembrance twice a year for patients who have died. They send a card on the first birthday after the child’s death and on the one-year anniversary of their passing. “Some of our families have been here a long time, and they’re so far from their own families,” says Borgman. “We become their family, so it’s a big adjustment when they go back home.” Despite the inherent sadness of her job, Borgman considers herself the luckiest person at Cincinnati Children’s. “Each day is a reminder of how fragile life is. Last fiscal year, we had 339 inpatient and offsite deaths, as well as 93 fetal care deaths. Life has changed forever for these families. But if even one family feels like we cared enough to reach out to them, then that’s a good day.” A L ASTING LEGACY
Paul Beckman has been ministering to patients at Cincinnati Children’s for 17 years. The children he sees are critically ill, either as a result of devastating disease or traumatic
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injury. The families he serves are deep in crisis and desperately in need of a gentle hand and a calming presence as they struggle to make life-and-death decisions for their child. One of those decisions is whether or not to donate their child’s organs and/or tissue once death has occurred. Approaching a grieving family about this topic requires a great deal of sensitivity and trust. When a patient comes to the ED with a critical injury, Beckman or one of his colleagues will initially meet with the family in the trauma bay to offer support. When the patient is transferred to one of the intensive care units, the chaplain transitions with him or her, helping the family settle in, supporting their spiritual and emotional needs, facilitating communications with the medical team, and in the process, building trust. “We offer non-medical support,” says Beckman. “Our focus is on ‘being with’ the family in whatever way they need — whether it’s offering spirituality and prayer or getting them crackers and juice or an extra chair. Our position allows us a unique space in the family’s experience.”
A C O L L A B O R AT I V E P R O C E S S
In the case of organ donation, a representative from LifeCenter, Greater Cincinnati’s organ and tissue recovery agency, arrives onsite and huddles with the patient’s care team. Then the representative and the chaplain approach the family. For tissue donation, the chaplain, who is specially trained, makes the request. “It’s a very holy moment,” says Beckman. “We support the family, no matter what they decide. Some families find meaning in donation and immediately say yes. Some have reservations for religious or cultural reasons. Others simply can’t say yes because they’re steeped in their grief. It’s too raw in their hearts.” All requests for tissue donation are done in person, faceto-face. “We are the only hospital in the area that does it this way,” Beckman says. “Usually, after a death, the family goes home, and within three hours, they get a call from LifeCenter, inquiring if they would consider donating their loved one’s tissue. But we value our relationship with our families so much that we’ve made a special arrangement to have the chaplain — someone the family knows and trusts — make the request.” If a family says yes, they are kept informed at all stages of the process. Four to six weeks later, LifeCenter sends a letter to the family without identifiers, telling them how many people their generous gift of donation has helped. It includes the age of the recipients, their medical condition, their likes and the impact on the recipients’ well-being. “Parents hold onto this paper forever,” says Beckman. “It’s a concrete awareness of how their child lives on because of their decision. Some have gotten to meet the recipients, if both parties consent. It gives them a glimpse of the goodness that can come out of a tragic situation.”
Chaplain Paul Beckman considers his work a privilege because it gives him the opportunity to go to such deep places with families.
Beckman points out that the word “crisis” in Chinese has two meanings — danger and opportunity. “Trauma intrudes in our lives,” he says. “There is a thin veil between being a care provider and a care recipient. You can move from one to the other in an instant. While it’s sad that there has to be a death to give life, organ and tissue donation can be a very meaningful act in a meaningless and tragic situation.”
Beckman loves what he does because it gives him the opportunity to go to such deep places with families. When he walks them to their car after their child has died, they express their thanks to him and all the staff for their skill and compassion. Says Beckman, “When we take the time to genuinely make ourselves available to a parent or a patient — either through our skills as caregivers or simply our ability to listen compassionately — any little act along the way can explode into gratitude. And when the opportunity is presented to us, if we respond with love and care, in some way, it’s given back to us.”
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Summer of SURFing Solidifies Career Choice (right) After years of being mentored through the SURF program and residency, Erin Conway-Habes, MD, instructor, Hospital Medicine, pays it for ward by coaching third-year resident Kristen Danley, MD, outside a patient room.
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Like many doctors at Cincinnati Children’s, Erin ConwayHabes, MD, knew she wanted a career in medicine as an undergraduate at the University of Rochester.
program,” says Conway-Habes. “I still use many of the same skills today. The research might be different, but a lot of the format is similar and overlaps.”
Conway-Habes worked in a lab in college and says she sought summer opportunities that would further her career and be relevant to the future career she wanted. The combination of lab work and other educational opportunities put Cincinnati Children’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) at the top of her list.
Conway-Habes attributes her continued work in research to her SURF internship. Even though she chose to attend medical school, Conway-Habes says, “SURF definitely solidified that I wanted to continue a career in academics.”
Conway-Habes participated in the SURF program during the summer of 2005, a decision that strongly affected her future career as a clinician and researcher. SURF is an internship program for college freshmen, sophomores and juniors who are interested in a career in biomedical sciences. The program provides students with hands-on lab experience and other research-related skills, along with a mentor and various educational opportunities. The goal of the program is to allow students to explore career options in biomedical fields. As an undergraduate, Conway-Habes planned on a career in medicine but says she was interested in research as well. “The SURF program gave me an opportunity to explore biomedical research. I think it all gets intertwined at some point, and there are valuable lessons to be learned from both ends.” F U N D A M E N TA L L E A R N I N G
Students in the SURF program gain basic knowledge of the way labs work and the different lab roles, how research studies are set up, and how research is presented. Conway-Habes says this foundation helped her down the road in medical school and in pursuing other research opportunities. “It was a great overview of the lab, the lab environment and analytical thinking. I learned how research is conducted and practiced writing abstracts, making posters, reading papers, and going to conferences,” explains Conway-Habes. “It was a really good stepping stone. I was able to make a lot of connections.” Even though Conway-Habes did not pursue a career in biomedical research following the program, her SURF experience helped shape her career. “Now I participate in clinical research in quality improvement. When it comes to research, I value it, I have a better understanding of it, and I can understand some of the challenges as well as the importance because of the SURF
MORE THAN RESEARCH
For Conway-Habes, the SURF program did more than provide important research experience and skills. SURF introduced Conway-Habes to Cincinnati Children’s other opportunities and resources. “One thing that surprised me and that I thought was exceptional was the relationship to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center (UCMC) and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. The proximity and the relationships that are established are unique. I take care of kids and adults, so that proximity is really ideal. I’m able to pursue all of my interests here, which is what I felt even 10 years ago. For everything I’m interested in and excited about, there’s opportunity here.” In addition to being a General Pediatrics clinician at Cincinnati Children’s, Conway-Habes is a clinician in internal medicine at UCMC and an instructor of clinical medicine at UC College of Medicine. Conway-Habes’ clinical interests include patients’ transition from pediatric to adult care, adults with childhood conditions, complex care, and pediatric diseases, making Cincinnati Children’s and UCMC a perfect fit. Coming to Cincinnati Children’s from another city hundreds of miles away, Conway-Habes didn’t know what to expect. “I had no idea what this children’s hospital was like, what the environment was like here from both the research and clinical sides,” says Conway-Habes. “It was like nothing I had ever seen before. I was completely blown away. I was really excited to be part of it.” Thanks to SURF, Conway-Habes also had the opportunity to experience the city of Cincinnati and many of the wonderful organizations and events in the community. “We had activities set up where you go to a Red’s game and the zoo. I not only fell in love with Cincinnati Children’s, I fell in love with Cincinnati as well. When it came time to choose a residency, I was really eager to come back here.”
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GLIMPSES OF GOODNESS LIGHTEN THE LOAD Sometimes it’s the little touches that mean the most in getting a project off the ground or helping each other through the day. And when patients and families come to us filled with anxiety, small kindnesses can make all the difference in the world. Here is a sampling of ways employees approach their jobs with thoughtfulness, compassion and creativity.
W A LT E R D O B B I N S , I n f o r m a t i o n S e r v i c e s
THERESA HENNARD, Rheumatology
As an Information Services senior analyst, Walter Dobbins supports the technology needs of people across Cincinnati Children’s. Any given day, he must work to prioritize multiple high-importance requests ranging from cash register failures in the Burnet Campus café to computer system issues in senior leaders’ offices.
When Theresa Hennard joined the Rheumatology team as an administrative assistant in 2013, she stepped into a job that her colleagues described as chaotic. From scheduling travel for physicians and international visitors, to coordinating the division’s fellowship program and keeping it accredited, Hennard manages a busy schedule. Even so, she is notorious for her bright smile and positive attitude in taking on any task.
“My focus is resolving each issue in a timely manner, while still taking the time to develop relationships. With computers, every issue is different, and every person is different. I enjoy interacting with such a wide variety of people, and getting to know them helps me understand their needs,” said Dobbins. Over the course of his eight years here, Dobbins has built a strong rapport with the people he assists. When Information Services receives a request ticket, often it will simply say, ‘Just send Walter.’ Staff members have built a deep respect and trust in Dobbins. His colleagues call him one of the friendliest and most courteous people they know, noting his cheery attitude when addressing even the simplest of problems. “Although I get many of the same requests, I don’t find it frustrating because it’s my job,” said Dobbins. “Each issue I address plays into the end result, which is a patient receiving excellent care. My work allows others to do their work and so on. We all have an important part to play.”
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Recently, the division needed to submit a 300-page NIH T32 grant to continue research for trainees. Due to unforeseen changes, Hennard’s responsibility in completing the grant increased significantly. “The depth of information required was incredible,” said Hennard. “But for every page I completed and piece of data I collected, I was giving our doctors more time to help patients; my taking on this task allowed them to continue focusing on improving the outcome for the children we see.” Hennard notes that every job and action performed at Cincinnati Children’s is important and necessary for the overall success of the hospital. “Every little piece matters, every step counts.” She is proud of the completed grant and its implications for the hospital. The Office of Pediatric Fellowships collaborated with Hennard and will be using her work as they develop a database to help with future fellowship grants.
S TA C Y Z E P E R N I C K , G u e s t S e r v i c e s
S TA C I T H O M A S , S p o r t s M e d i c i n e
Stacy Zepernick first became passionate about patient care after her older sister lost her battle to cancer at age 16. After receiving her BFA in Illustration, Zepernick joined the Cincinnati Children’s team as a Guest Services representative, where she’s been for a year. As a representative at the A and B Welcome Centers, Zepernick is one of the first faces patients and their families see. After watching so many nervous parents and frightened siblings visit ill loved ones, Zepernick decided to bring her art background to her work.
Ask anyone in the Sports Medicine Division, and they will readily call Staci Thomas one of the most dedicated and passionate members of the team. Ask Thomas, and she will tell you she simply does a job she loves in the company of incredible colleagues.
“It really started during flu season about a year ago,” she said. “I began drawing 10-minute sketches of patients’ siblings to cheer them up and make their experience here more positive. They loved it. Something so simple made them so happy, so I continued.” One particular patient, Maitha, came here from Dubai in need of a bone marrow transplant. Confused and scared, she was reserved around her physicians and nurses. Upon receiving a gifted portrait from Zepernick, she became excited and decided to make her own drawings. “The drawings Maitha creates are absolutely amazing, especially for an 8-year-old. She has an incredible talent,” said Zepernick. Maitha’s family says the art has been extraordinarily therapeutic for her, and she now draws portraits for her favorite doctors, nurses and therapists. Not only has it reassured Maitha and given her a creative outlet, but it has changed her entire perception of her care providers.
As a clinical research coordinator, Thomas has been working on a project called FIT (Fibromyalgia Integrative Training) Teens for almost four years. Alongside a dedicated team of fellow medical and research professionals, she commits a portion of her time to a randomized control trial aimed at reducing pain for patients with juvenile fibromyalgia, the majority of which are female, by implementing cognitive behavioral therapy and neuromuscular exercise training. “Many of our patients have a fear of activity because of the pain associated with movement. They haven’t experienced that activity can actually help reduce the pain in the long run,” said Thomas. “But as we work with them more, their confidence in their movement begins to grow. By the end of training they look at me and say, ‘I had no idea I could do that!’ It’s encouraging to hear their excitement.” When Thomas first joined the program she knew very little about fibromyalgia. She has since dedicated hours to studying the condition and years to improving the lives of dozens of teenagers. The next step for FIT Teens is nationwide growth to provide a larger population with the same level of care. The work of Thomas and the team of specialists, psychologists, physicians and coordinators involved in FIT Teens is motivating adolescents to step into a brighter future.
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N I C K K O S T O F F, I n f o r m a t i o n S e r v i c e s
JOE THORNE, Lindner Center of HOPE
Information Services is rarely considered an interpersonal line of work, but for someone with as much charisma as Nick Kostoff, any job becomes relational. Kostoff has worked three years as a part of Telehealth Information Services, where he continues to serve as implementation coordinator and project manager for undertakings such as the D2 Telehealth Center. Although his job does not deal directly with patients and families, they serve as the driving factor behind his passion for his work.
With 18 years of diverse experience under his belt, mental health specialist Joe Thorne holds a deep understanding and unique perspective on the adolescents he advises. Whether he is developing an individual crisis management plan with a patient or engaging them in group discussion and therapy, Thorne provides direct, individualized care.
“I can’t explain how rewarding it is to know our caregivers, patients and families have been impacted by the telehealth technology and the level of care it permits,” said Kostoff. Shortly after starting with Telehealth, Kostoff joined the Virtual Santa Program — a collaboration between Cincinnati Children’s and Cisco Systems, Inc., in which patients use telemedicine technology and iPads to video chat with Santa and share their wish lists. Kostoff finds the program extremely rewarding. “To see a smile spread across their faces despite everything these kids are going through… just talking about the significance of that moment is enough to get me choked up.” By helping with the set-up and implementation of the Virtual Santa Program, Kostoff is giving patients a positive memory they need and deserve. Kostoff works hard to make telemedicine a feasible option for care providers and their patients, ensuring the system maintains secure HIPAA compliance and meets the audio and visual needs of the staff. Although the problems Kostoff faces require technological finesse, his end goal is simple: provide the tools necessary to improve the quality of patient care and bring more smiles to more faces.
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Working with a range of challenges from eating disorders to the psychological aftermath of sexual abuse, Thorne stresses how critical it is to empower the patient. “It’s all about strategy, honesty, and communication. It is important to be straight forward with the patient about why they are here and listen to the outcomes they seek from the experience,” said Thorne. “I am their advocate, and it’s important they understand that.” Because patients typically spend five to seven days in the Lindner Center with Thorne and his team, he emphasizes the incredible collaboration and strategy it takes to get each child to a stable place for discharge. Thorne believes that in order to effectively reach that point, his team must approach the situation in the context of that child’s society. Often the displayed behaviors are a reflection of hardships they’ve experienced. Validating those feelings and behaviors allows the patient to move forward. “When a patient finally gets it and takes ownership for where they are, that’s when they start making real decisions about the change. That moment of realization is pivotal to their progress and incredibly rewarding to witness.” In that awareness, Thorne sees hope for a successful future.
MEREDITH SHEAFFER, Sports Medicine
L AUREL STEIN, RN, Hear t Institute
For Meredith Sheaf fer, ever y day at work is a new opportunity to meet incredible athletes and build friendships. Sheaffer has worked as a physical therapist in the Sports Medicine Division for six years, primarily tending to junior high and high school athletes. As a former athlete herself, Sheaffer enjoys connecting with her patients and supporting them throughout their therapy process to get them back to sports as quickly and safely as possible.
Laurel Stein sees each day as a blessed opportunity to play a small part in the care of high-risk patients. As an RN in the Heart Institute Outpatient Clinic coordinating care for single ventricle patients, Stein supports medically fragile newborns at home between the first and second of three staged surgeries.
On occasion, Sheaffer sees a patient with musculoskeletal physical therapy needs unrelated to sports. Recently, a patient dealing with cerebral palsy came to Sheaffer accompanied by his overwhelmed mother. Sheaffer quickly learned that the patient had a strong desire to obtain his driver’s license, so she reached out to several resources both within Cincinnati Children’s and externally and put together a pamphlet with contacts and a course of action for the mother. “I just wanted to help take some of the stress off her and help them move forward. Getting a driver’s license is an exciting step towards independence,” said Sheaffer. According to Sheaffer’s colleagues, this type of aboveand-beyond commitment to her patients is not unusual. She consistently impresses the Sports Medicine team with her dedication to physical therapy and her patients. “Giving these kids a friend helps them connect and makes them excited to come back. It makes physical therapy more enjoyable for them,” said Sheaffer. “Not to mention, they are all awesome kids. It is my pleasure to work with them and get to know who they are.”
After observing families’ hesitancy in making the postsurgery transition to a primary cardiologist, Stein and her director, Haleh Heydarian, MD, created an “inter-stage graduation” to acknowledge the patient and family’s strength throughout the process. “Formally marking the transition into the second stage of surgery helps put the families at ease,” said Stein. Once the families are ready to go home, they have a tangible representation of their progress. “Anything we can do to help prepare them for that final transition home adds to their ability to relax and enjoy their beautiful new family member. They deserve to experience being a family.” Stein credits the collaboration between team members and with families as the main driver of patient success. “I am part of an amazing team that works together to make a difference, and the patient’s family becomes an integral part of that as they learn to care for their child at home and communicate any ‘red flag’ signs back to the team.” Although caring for high-risk cardiac patients can be emotionally strenuous, Stein expresses only gratitude for the trust instilled in her by her team and the families she works with, and for the part she plays in bettering their future.
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thebuzz “Another employee congratulated me yesterday for being here 35 years and asked how I did it.” Deborah Floyd, dietetic technician, Nutrition Therapy
WHAT WAS THE
“A coworker recognized that
LAST SMALL ACT
I was having a challenging day
SOMEONE DID
and surprised me with my favorite iced tea.”
THAT MADE YOUR DAY?
“A colleague told me
Crystal Manninen, audiologist, Audiology
about a successful patient encounter using telemedicine. We work so hard to train people and get the equipment up and running.” Vanessa Hartman, specialist, Telehealth
“A colleague gave me a nice personalized gift as a thank-you for the collaborative relationship we’ve developed over the past couple of years.”
“My colleague brought me my favorite donut with a
Max Warner, business director, Sports Medicine
note that said, ‘Thank you for your help!’” “I always get a friendly ‘how you doin’, doc?’ from a lady
Bri Pennington, digital content coordinator, Marketing & Communications
“My coworker brought me
in Housekeeping. I probably
breakfast two weeks in a row
look like talking is the last thing
(total surprise), and it was yummy.”
I want to do, but she’s not deterred. The greeting is well appreciated.” Doug Kinnett, associate professor, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
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Donna Parr, administrative assistant, General and Community Pediatrics
milestones 40 Debra Standiford, APRN-CNP, Advanced Practice Nurses
Congratulations to the following employees who celebrate milestone ser vice anniversaries in O C T O B E R , N O V E M B E R and D E C E M B E R !
20 Jaymee Brandenburgh, RN, Vascular Access Team Yolonda Brent, Materials Management Shannon Brogan, RN, Ophthalmology Center Lisa Brondhaver, RN, A6 South
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Ray Brown, B6/Heart Institute Germaine Campbell, A7 North and South/Neurology and Neuroscience Susan Council, RN, Urology/Nephrology Center
Cathy Bardua, RRT, Respiratory Care
Neva Davis, RN, B4/Newborn Intensive Care Unit
Ron Long, Building Maintenance
Jeffrey Doughman, Infectious Diseases
Sharon Nash, RN, Operating Room
Laura Flesch, RN-CNP, A5 North
Jeanne Race, RN, Pulmonary Medicine
Tara Foltz, RN, Infectious Diseases
Cindy Seibert, Information Services
Jamie Gant, RN, Liberty Campus/Post Anesthesia Care Unit Joy Goldsberry, RN, A7 North and South/Neurology and Neuroscience Michelle Grau, RN, Liberty Campus/Post Anesthesia Care Unit Joan Hornsby, RN, B4/Newborn Intensive Care Unit
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Barbara Johnson, Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Ewanna Johnson, Infectious Diseases Karen Kindell, B5/Critical Care
Bruce Aronow, PhD, Biomedical Informatics
Mary Klekamp Cron, Clinical Translational Research Center
Angela Cole, Specialty Resource Unit
Cynthia Large, RN, Orthopaedics Center
Judith Hardin, Radiology Informatics
Charles Loftice, Human Genetics
Sarah Lupariello, Accounting
Amanda Luciano, RN, B4/Newborn Intensive Care Unit
Barbara Rich, RN, Otolaryngology
Monica Malone McNeal, Infectious Diseases Deborah Martin, RN, Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute Cynthia McNutt, RN, Gastroenterology and Liver Transplant Joost Meijer, Clinical Engineering
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Glenn Minano, Radiology Tonya Nicholas, Radiology Kristie Wynne Price, RPh, Investigational Pharmacy
Glenn Addison, Building Maintenance
Alyssa Sajna, RN, Post Anesthesia Care Unit
Mary Ann Barnhorn, Nutrition Therapy
Teresa Schneider, Graduate Medical Education
Mary Baskin, RRT, Respiratory Care
Ellen Sketch, RN, Diabetes/Endocrinology/Clinical Translational
Bernice Curtis, Professional Billing
Research Center
Michelle Gramke, Radiology
Cherelle Southerland, Hospital Billing
Michele Harig, Pharmacy
Marcina Spencer, Catering
Shannon Johnson, RN, Pulmonary and Allergy Center
Mary Allen Staat, MD, Infectious Diseases
Jennifer Lecompte-Phelps, RN, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Sean Than Win, Clinical Engineering
Sarah O’Cull, RN, Adolescent Medicine
Shannon Walsh, RN-CPN, Ophthalmology Center
Gail Patten, RN, Inpatient Care Management
Richard Ward, PhD, Infectious Diseases
Kathy Santoro, RD, Nutrition Therapy
Marilyn Wiltshire, Drug and Poison Information Center
Katharine Sebastian, Pulmonary Medicine Julie Spaccarelli, RPh, Liberty Campus/Pharmacy Cheryl Stuckey, Patient Services Ellen Swain, RN, Post Anesthesia Care Unit
See a complete list of milestone service anniversaries online in this week’s edition of CenterNews.
David Bernstein, MD, Infectious Diseases
15 4
3333 Burnet Avenue, MLC 9012 Cincinnati, OH 45229-3026
Why am I here?
Sally Porter & Fran Wooledge
On the first Thursday of every month, Sally Por ter (r) and Fran Wooledge sit down to a table of mailers and patient goodies, which they stamp, sticker and stack as they share memories of Cincinnati Children’s past. Por ter and Wooledge first met through Nor thminster Presbyterian Church, which has provided volunteers to Cincinnati Children’s for almost 40 years. Por ter, 94, star ted when Cincinnati Children’s was a single building. “We did just about everything back then — admissions, bandage rolling, food delivery to patients. Whatever anyone needed, that’s where we helped,” said Porter. It wasn’t until 1999 that Wooledge, 84, joined the monthly church group. From that moment, their volunteer experience quickly became
a moment in history Orthopaedic surgeon Aaron Perlman, MD (center), was a consultant at the Convalescent Hospital beginning in 1951 and established a clinic for children with cerebral palsy at Cincinnati Children’s. He was the hospital’s first director of the Division of Orthopaedics (1965–1978). United Cerebral Palsy moved its children’s program to Cincinnati Children’s in 1973. The program was named in honor of Perlman in 1995.
1970s
a symbol of their friendship and a special part of their lives. “We knew each other before, but Cincinnati Children’s really brought us together,” said Wooledge. “They call us the twins around here. We’ve volunteered and traveled the world together.” Now, the pair spends most of their time helping with various clerical tasks in the Volunteer Services office where they find plenty to laugh about. “One time we had to put together these baby beads,” said Wooledge as she and Porter shared a smile, “We had to put all of these tiny beads in alphabetical order on safety pins. Let me tell you, that was hard work! But we had a good laugh.” Porter and Wooledge are grateful for their shared journey with Cincinnati Children’s. “Since the beginning and still today, I am always impressed by all the different people here,” said Porter. “Every single person is so compassionate and invested in the children. I have always been treated with such thoughtfulness, and I know that holds true for the patients. The people at Cincinnati Children’s are truly special.” —Sally Porter & Fran Wooledge