360°-- July-August2013 by Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

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

JULY/AUGUST 2013

TELL THE TRUTH

WHAT’S INSIDE

Truth Is Compass as We Explore New Paths

Chaplain Finds Truth in the Spoken and Unspoken

Handling the Media Circus Requires Great Balance

A Boon or a Burden: Talking to Families About Genetic Testing

Courage to Speak Up Inspired by Safety Concerns

TELL THE TRUTH. You’ve heard the saying, “It’s like trying to nail Jello to a wall”? That’s sort of the feeling we had putting this issue together. We decided to focus on one of our Core Values: Tell the truth. We spoke with employees from around the medical center to get an idea of how that value is expressed within their various roles here. It’s a deceptively complex subject that has far-reaching implications related to safety, individual choice, and our ability as an organization to conduct research and care for kids. As you’ll discover, no one had any absolute definitions about what does or doesn’t constitute telling the truth. But each one spoke eloquently about how seriously they take up the charge. It’s very clear that, while the concept is nebulous, the integrity of our staff is very concrete and discernible. I hope you enjoy their stories.

Cindy Duesing, Editor

Volume 1, Issue 2 | 360° is an employee

To give us your feedback or request additional

Editor: Cindy Duesing

publication of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital

or fewer copies of this newsletter, email us at

Contributor: Kar yn Enzweiler

Medical Center, produced by the Department

360@cchmc.org.

Senior Art Director: Anna Diederichs

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center,

ON THE COVER:

Contributing Photographers: Cindy Duesing,

3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH

Gar y Cooper, a chaplain in Liver and Small

Tine Hofmann, Cathy Lyons and Mark Lyons

45229-3039, 513-636-4420.

Bowel Transplant, engages in a little soul-

Designer: Elyse Balster

of Marketing and Communications, MLC 9012,

searching during a busy day.

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theknow C I N C I N N AT I W A L K S F O R K I D S M O V E S T O C I N C I N N AT I Z O O

NEW CONCIERGE SERVICE L AUNCHING FOR S TA F F A N D F A M I L I E S

Exciting changes are in store for Cincinnati Children’s signature fundraising event—Cincinnati Walks for Kids. The medical center is par tnering with the Avondale community to bring the walk to our own backyard— the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden—on Saturday, Sept. 28, beginning at 4:30 pm.

Cincinnati Children’s is aiming to simplify the lives of patients, families and staff as it rolls out a new concierge service. The Family Resource Center has partnered with Best Upon Request, a national company that specializes in meeting the needs of busy people, to offer enhanced concierge services to patients and families.

The half-mile route through the zoo will be easy to navigate and ver y stroller- and wagon-friendly. Par ticipants will pay a registration fee—$25 for adults, ages 18 and over, and $5 for kids, 17 and under. The registration fee includes a walk T-shirt, a personal fundraising page and exclusive access to the zoo.

Patients and families can access the concierge service by calling or visiting the Family Resource Center, located off the Location A concourse.

Don’t miss out on the fun! Register now at: http://cincywalks.org.

The program will also have a home in the Location D welcome center (formerly dock 3), which will be renovated and open for business sometime in August. Once the renovation is complete, Best Upon Request will be ready to launch their services for employees.

C I N C I N N AT I C H I L D R E N ’ S R A N K S N O . 3 I N U . S . N E W S H O S P I TA L R A N K I N G S

Having the concierge ser vice will help Cincinnati Children’s provide more family-centered care and free up care providers’ time for clinical tasks.

Kids who come to Cincinnati Children’s receive some of the best care in the countr y, according to the latest ranking by U.S. News & World Report. Cincinnati Children’s was ranked No. 3 in the Honor Roll of top pediatric hospitals in the magazine’s 2013 Best Children’s Hospitals report. We were nationally ranked in all 10 subspecialty categories. Our cancer program was ranked No. 1 in the country. Our pulmonology and nephrology services were ranked No. 2, and six other specialty care areas were ranked among the top 10 programs. This was the fifth straight year we have been included in the U.S. News Honor Roll of top pediatric hospitals.

Says Lynn Hall, consultant, Human Resources, “Up until now, nurses would often find themselves trying to help families with these kinds of needs. Now they can refer them to our concierge service and know it will be taken care of.” Already, excitement is building about the program. At the recent benefits fair, representatives from Best Upon Request spoke with 750 employees who expressed interest in signing up. Watch CenterLink for more information about how you can make your life a little less hectic.

Here’s how we measured up: Cancer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #1 Pulmonology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #2 Nephrology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #2 Gastroenterology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #3 Orthopaedics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #3 Urology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #3 Neurology and Neurosurgery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #4 Cardiology and Heart Surgery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #5 Diabetes and Endocrinology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #6 Neonatology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #14

Cincinnati Walks for Kids moves to the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden this year on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 4:30 pm.

For more information, go to https://cincinnatichildrens.org.

TRUTH IS COMPASS AS WE E XPLORE

n e w pat h s

“Tell the truth.” As one of Cincinnati Children’s Core Values, it seems to be a no-brainer, an overstatement of a basic principle we all learned in childhood. But apply it to the sometimes sticky wicket of research innovation and advances in medical technology, and suddenly, it doesn’t seem so simple. Armand Antommaria, MD, PhD, FA AP, director of the new Ethics Center, shared his thoughts recently about what it means to tell the truth. “You can define it as speaking in a way that’s consistent with the facts or reality.” The goal of the Ethics Center is to help employees make better ethical decisions in regard to clinical care, research and business operations. “We aren’t here to tell people what they should do,” says Antommaria. “Rather, we want to help individuals consider all the options and evaluate the ethical reasons for and against each one.” GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Truth-telling is an important part of respect for autonomy. Individuals need accurate information to make decisions for themselves. Withholding information or providing false information to get individuals to make the decision you want them to make violates this principle. According to Antommaria, there are very few situations in which truth-telling is wrong because it would harm people. These situations generally involve individuals who are already emotionally distraught. “You can imagine a child asking about a parent who was killed in the same motor vehicle accident in which the child was injured,” he explains. “The objective should be

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to provide emotional support so that the individual can eventually hear the information.” More often, truth-telling conflicts with our self-interest; we are concerned that telling the truth will result in embarrassment or criticism. “It is nonetheless important to have the courage to tell the truth as well as develop a culture in which truth-telling is safe,” says Antommaria. “At the organizational level, this is an important part of our safety culture.” IN PR ACTICE

Truth-telling can be complex in practice. One of the issues is determining what information is relevant to the decision. For example, how much pathophysiology does the patient and family need to understand in order to make a decision about treatment? What is conveyed should be based on the decision maker’s needs. This often requires an ongoing conversation. Another issue is how to best convey the information. Research in behavioral economics shows that people respond dif ferently if information is presented in percentages, fractions or propor tions and if it is presented negatively or positively (e.g., treatment is effective 85 percent of the time vs. treatment fails 15 out of 100 times). This makes it very important for us to think about how we frame the information. Pacing is also critical, especially for surprising information or bad news. It is, for example, impor tant to give a warning that you have bad news to share and to recognize that you will need to repeat the information multiple times for the recipient to assimilate it. These are communication skills that providers can develop similar to the need to develop other clinical skills like suturing.

FIVE TIPS FOR SMOOTHING A CRUCIAL CONVERSATION T R U S T I S PA R A M O U N T

On the research side of the equation, truth-telling is absolutely crucial in two areas, says Jeremy Corsmo, senior director, ORCRA. Those areas are reporting research results and compliance. “Being transparent about both the positive and negative results of our research is critical,” he says. “If we aren’t honest, we run the risk of people losing faith in what we do, in the Research Foundation and research in general.” Following the rules of conduct set forth by governing agencies is also a must. “People who participate in our human studies have to be able to trust that researchers are informing them of the risks and benefits,” says Corsmo. “And our internal committees Jeremy Corsmo that oversee our research, like the Institutional Review Board and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, place a lot of trust in our research teams that they will always do their ver y best to follow all the appropriate rules and regulations. This trust is foundational to our research oversight programs. If that trust is violated, it can be very damaging.” He cites a case from the 1990s when Jesse Gelsinger, an 18-year-old clinical trial participant at the University of Pennsylvania, died of a massive immune response brought on by the injection of an adenoviral vector carr ying a corrected gene. The subsequent investigation into the case revealed that researchers failed to disclose that two patients had experienced serious side effects and that some animals had also died following a similar treatment. Says Corsmo, “The Gelsinger case is an unfortunate example of how failing to tell the truth can adversely impact an entire field of research.” Anyone who has questions about research ethics at Cincinnati Children’s can contact the Of fice of Research Compliance and Regulator y Af fairs at 513-636-2754. Clinicians who have issues about ongoing patient care can call the Clinical Ethics Consultation Service, listed in the call schedule on CenterLink.

“My goal is 100 percent of the truth, 100 percent of the time, to 100 percent of the people,” says James Mary, education specialist II, Learning and Development. “Having said that, when my 5-year-old asks me where babies come from, I’m not going to go into the whole explanation, because it wouldn’t be helpful or meaningful to him.” Mar y teaches a Crucial Conversations course for employees. The course aims to give people the skills to discuss difficult or touchy subjects in a productive way. “Telling the truth is probably the hardest of the Core Values to live out. It starts with my intent,” says Mary. “What is in my heart when I’m engaging with the other person?” Unhealthy motives for having a confrontation include: • To be right (fighting to be understood instead of fighting to understand) • To avoid conflict • To save face • To win • To punish Compare those with the following healthy motives: • To learn • To find truth • To strengthen relationships • To produce results Focusing on healthy motives when you confront someone will keep the two of you in dialogue, in a place of honesty. Mary offers these helpful tips for having a crucial conversation: 1 2 3 4 5

Share the facts—this is the least emotional thing you can do. Tell the story behind the facts—express how what was said or done impacted you or made you feel. Ask a question—what was your intent? Where are you coming from? Keep your tone non-judgmental. Talk tentatively—differentiate between fact and opinion. Encourage testing—Make it safe enough for the other person to disagree with you and your perception of what happened.

Says Mary, “We need to be okay with disagreeing. In fact, if the other person disagrees with you, the two of you will probably find a better solution to the problem.” To sign up for a Crucial Conversations class, go to ELM on CenterLink.

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different

takes on

truth

We all face those critical moments when fudging the facts wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do. Four employees share their stories about how they handle these situations in their own areas and offer insights that could be helpful to you.

Chaplain Finds Truth in the Spoken and Unspoken

Gary Cooper

For Gar y Cooper, par ttime chaplain in the Liver and Small Bowel Transplant programs, and part-time Clinical Pastoral Education student, telling the truth begins with deep listening— on a gut level—to hear not only what’s being said, but what is implied.

“If I can hear the message behind the words, it puts me in connection with staf f and family members,” he says. Cooper has been a chaplain at Cincinnati Children’s for 6½ years. The first five were spent ministering in the Hear t Institute. Before that, he was a chaplain for 10 years at Nationwide Children’s. He has also been a fulltime pastor of a church in Columbus, OH, for the past 17 years. So he knows a little bit about listening. But listening is just the first step. “My job is to listen and name that which no one wants to name,” says Cooper. This means emotions like fear, anger or hurt. “As chaplains, we’re called on to address morale issues,” Cooper explains. “We’re trusted to be the gap person between whichever groups are at odds, whether it’s management and staff or family members. People trust us to keep what they say in confidence. If we don’t, the doors of communication will shut. We have to convey the message without divulging who said what.” Cooper accomplishes this by reflecting the truths of each person. That gets difficult, however, when one side or the other refuses to own their part of the problem. “Everybody wants you to hear their side, and my role is to reflect without judgment,” he says. “That can be difficult when you have your own truth or experience of a person. The challenge is about how to sit in the valley of feelings without saying, ‘Well, maybe that wasn’t the best way to say that.’ I can have a judgment, but it’s not always appropriate to express it.” TA K I N G R I S K S

In his supervisory training, Cooper says that speaking the truth is the only way to succeed. The most

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challenging part comes when you’re unearthing your own insecurities, struggles and weaknesses to a level of awareness that won’t sabotage relationships. “If a student is tr ying to con me, it might resonate with me because I recognize that trait in my own self,” says Cooper. “When I’m struggling with a student, it’s usually because he or she triggered something in me that I need to deal with.” There’s an inherent risk in telling the truth—of rejection, of revealing your own vulnerabilities. “Maybe I’m risking a perceived persona—either the way I want to be viewed or the way I view myself,” says Cooper. “If my instructor gives me an extensive assignment, do I say I can get that done, knowing I have a busy schedule? Or do I admit that I need to move at a slower pace and risk being viewed as incompetent or underinvested? “What if someone is being disrespectful? If I’m telling the truth, I need to name my feelings and trust that the other person will be able to hold my anger and stay in relationship with me. “Likewise, if someone is angry with me, I need to listen to what is being said. All feedback is constructive, even though it may not feel that way. How I feel is a result of my baggage, my culture, my lens of experience.” Cooper has seen first-hand how Cincinnati Children’s has worked to create an environment where it’s safe to tell the truth. During his chaplaincy in the Heart Institute in 2010, staff members experienced a devastating Serious Safety Event that resulted in the death of a patient. “The medical team was so upfront with the family about what happened, it made my job easier as a chaplain because I didn’t have to deal with the proverbial elephant in the room,” Cooper recalls. “We were able to share openly and honestly because they set that tone.” Cooper likens it to a journey. “We walk with the staff, as much as with the patients and families, through what happens—at work, their marriages, divorces, having kids and family illness,” says Cooper. “We’re with them in the trenches. When you can listen deeply to their feelings—without bias, without judgment— that’s when you truly become their chaplain.”

Handling the Media Circus Requires Great Balance You could liken Jim Feuer’s job to a juggler…walking on a tightrope…in a windstorm. At least, that’s how it feels some days when there’s breaking news that affects Cincinnati Children’s. But the senior Jim Feuer media relations manager in the Marketing and Communications Department has been at it for 21 years, so he’s developed an innate sense of how to handle a variety of situations. Feuer is the liaison between patients and families, the medical center and the media. In his role, telling the truth means constantly balancing the needs of the organization with those of the family and the public’s right to know. Whose interests come first depends on what’s happening. “If we have good news to share, like an advance in technology or the opening of a new facility, that’s pretty straightforward,” he says. “We might feature the employees who came up with the new technology, along with a family who is benefiting from it. It’s a win for us, for the family and for the repor ter, who needs to get her story.” Other situations require a different approach. For example, a child comes to the Emergency Depar tment after suffering a trauma from an accident, a gunshot wound or some type of abuse. If emergency personnel are involved, the media have already heard about it on the police scanner and contact Feuer, who is on call 24/7. “Repor ters will ask to speak to the family,” says Feuer. “But the family is overwhelmed with fear, stress and grief. I may have to tell the reporter it isn’t appropriate to ask the family to accommodate that request right now. In this case, the family’s interests come first.” Sometimes, a family will say they want to talk to the media. “In that event,” says Feuer, “it’s my job to make sure they understand the ramifications of their decision. I’m here to insure that Cincinnati Children’s and the families we care for are well-served.”

When the media call, Feuer has to keep many factors in mind before he speaks. HIPA A laws prohibit him from giving out any information about a patient’s care or condition. Likewise, he can’t comment on a case when there’s pending litigation. “Not being able to speak can put us in a difficult position at times,” he admits. “We talk about being transparent so we can constantly improve, but we always have to protect the family’s right to privacy.” When situations get sticky, Feuer relies on colleagues in Marketing and Communications, from the Ethics Center and the Legal Department for advice. He also asks himself as a parent, “Am I doing the right thing?” “Everything I do stems from a value system—the medical center’s values and my own personal beliefs which, overall, are very well aligned,” says Feuer. “These two systems ground me in my decision-making. I don’t believe in spouting spokesperson clichés like [speaking theatrically with his chin on his chest] ‘We’re doing everything we can to keep the situation under control!’ I don’t want to sound like a bureaucrat. I’m a human being, and I want to respond as a human being.” YEARS OF EXPERTISE

Because of his long tenure here, Feuer understands the culture of Cincinnati Children’s—what families go through, how we are perceived by the public and what employees need. He also has built solid relationships with local and national media. They respect him and know he understands where they’re coming from. “Most of our local reporters are very decent people, and I genuinely want to help them as much as I can,” says Feuer. “When Liz Bonis, the health and lifestyle reporter at Channel 12, calls, I understand she’s looking for something very different from what a print reporter at the Cincinnati Enquirer is looking for. And the time they have to get and tell the stor y using their respective communications channels is different as well.” When asked if spinning a story is telling the truth, Feuer pauses briefly and says, “I don’t ‘spin’ a story. The medical center is not in the spin business. In my news releases, I never refer to us as ‘an elite institution’ or say that we’re wonderful. I don’t have to. The facts speak for themselves.”

A Boon or a Burden: Talking to Families About Genetic Testing You have to be a good problem-solver to be a genetic counselor. So says Christine Spaeth. She’s been a genetic counselor for five years, seeing patients and families in the NeuroChristine Spaeth Metabolic Clinic, as well as clinics in the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center and Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. Her challenge is to help families make informed decisions about their health in a field where the breadth and depth of information is changing daily. She has to find the balance between telling too much and too little; between knowing what’s helpful and what is overwhelming. “I see myself as a medical translator,” she says, “the bridge between what the physicians say and what the patients hear. I help them understand the facts and what they mean. It’s one thing to ‘tell the truth’ and another thing to help families integrate and process what the truth is.” W H AT ’ S AT S TA K E

Spaeth’s patients primarily have neurological disorders that are genetic in nature. The families know something is going on with their child, but they’re not sure what. Working with a clinical geneticist (an MD or PhD), Spaeth meets the family, takes a genetic history and looks for clues to figure out what the underlying cause of the problem might be. Depending on what she finds, she advises when genetic testing might be appropriate. If a test is in order, Spaeth sits down with families for a pre-test counseling session—a critical step in the communication process. “I explain the test, what it will tell us and what it won’t,” she says. “We talk about what will happen if the test results are positive or negative and what the impact of the results will be on the patient, on any siblings, present or future, and the parents themselves. What, if any, follow-up will be necessary?” Spaeth also talks to the family about whether they want the testing per formed at all. “Genetic testing should really be a choice, but that can be hard for parents to understand,” she says. “Often, they are used to doing

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what the doctor says, but it can be more complicated than that.” She speaks of a family whose child was genetically tested for Batten’s Disease, a progressive neurologic disorder that causes loss of vision, motor skills and seizures. There is no cure, and it is a terminal condition. The child has siblings who are not showing symptoms. One or more could have the mutated gene associated with the disease. Or they may not. Should they be tested? “This family may want to sit on that decision for a while,” she says. “They need to consider whether they’re really ready to hear the results.” O T H E R E T H I C A L C O N S I D E R AT I O N S

In pediatrics, genetic testing raises other ethical issues, especially when the test is for adult-onset conditions. Spaeth cites testing for the BRCA1 and BRCA 2 gene mutations, which are responsible for most hereditary breast and ovarian cancers. “If there is a family history of this type of cancer, parents may want to have their children tested. However, because breast and ovarian cancers don’t typically occur in children, there is no medical management recommended. You have to think about what testing would mean—taking a child to the lab, having blood drawn and then, if the test was positive, trying to explain the results to the child. How would it be meaningful or helpful at that point?” Genetic testing for adult onset conditions on minors has other ramifications, as well. “It can change how a person thinks of themselves,” says Spaeth. “An adolescent who looks forward to having children of her own might decide against having a family at all, based on test results. You have to carefully consider that you’re taking the choice of whether to test or not away from the child.” Spaeth has seen families make widely different decisions about testing and what to do with the results. “My job is to be honest and non-judgmental, to help them weigh the pros and cons of testing, to set realistic expectations and help them make an informed decision that is right for their family. If I succeed at that, then at the end of the day, I can feel like I’ve given them my best.”

Courage to Speak Up Inspired by Safety Concerns Julie Fugazzi jokes easily about being short, but she is as fierce as a tiger when it comes to caring for her patients. The recent Sporck Award winner has been an Intensive Care nurse at Julie Fugazzi Cincinnati Children’s for 19½ years, working most of that time in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit on B6. She loves her job, her coworkers, patients and families, and she’s not afraid to speak up on their behalf. “I am a bedside nurse,” she says. “I assess patients and give them their medications. I am very aware of any subtle or acute changes in their condition and act as their liaison with the rest of the medical team. I pay attention to the whole patient, not just their medical issues. I care for the whole family. I am their advocate.” Fugazzi’s passion is rooted in her own experience as a cardiac patient. She was born with a ventricular septal defect—a hole between the bottom two chambers of her heart. She had her first heart surgery one week after her birth and a full repair procedure at age 3. She still gets follow-up care here in the Heart Institute. For Fugazzi, telling the truth is all about patient safety. This includes standing up to those in authority and reminding them of the need to do the right thing. Fugazzi, who works evenings and weekends, recalls the night when a patient came onto the unit from the Operating Room. The surgeon was not there to do the hand-off to her team. “As a nurse, I need to know what happened to this patient in surgery,” she explains. “Were there any concerns, any problems that we should be monitoring for? I understand these surgeries can be long and people are tired, but we are still accountable for making sure the patient gets the best and the safest care possible.” She spoke up, and the surgeon did the hand-off.

how sick their child really is, I try to be as truthful as possible and still give them a sliver of hope—unless there is none. Then it’s my job to tell them the truth and help them come to grips with it.” Fugazzi also knows that when the kids come back from surgery and settle into a room, the parents need time to catch their breath and process what’s just happened. “Often, the parents bring their child in that morning, and they look active and normal,” she says. “But after surgery, they are on a ventilator with tubes coming out from everywhere. It can be overwhelming for the parents. So I wait awhile before I give them information. I know that if I start talking right away, they won’t hear a word I say.” On the other hand, she’s not afraid to tell parents what they need to hear, even if it’s not what they want to hear. “I had a complex patient just out of surgery who was close to coming off the ventilator,” she recalls. “The mother was a nurse. Her child was waking up crying and struggling against the breathing tube. The mother insisted we take her off the ventilator now. I had to pull her aside and say, ‘Look, we both know she’s not awake enough to breathe on her own. If we take her of f the ventilator now, we’ll just have to put her back on it, and that would be much harder.’ Later, the mother said, ‘Thanks, I needed you to tell me to chill out.’” A L W AY S L E A R N I N G

Fugazzi knows it’s not easy to speak up, especially if you’re new. If you’re unsure of what to say or how to say it, she advises talking to a supervisor or a trusted colleague. “Sometimes shooting straight from the hip isn’t the best approach,” she says. “Find a mentor who can help you talk through it.” She also finds the 24-hour rule helpful. “Unless it’s an emergency situation, it doesn’t hurt to give yourself 24 hours to calm down and think about what you want to say.” The impor tant thing is that you do speak, if you think something isn’t right.

WA LK ING THE LINE

Fugazzi is a good judge of what she can and can’t say to parents. “There’s a fine line between being truthful and taking someone’s hope away,” she says. “If a parent asks me

“You do what you have to do to keep the patient safe,” says Fugazzi. “This is someone’s son or daughter. We’re all accountable. Patients and families always benefit when we work together as a team.”

snapshots

Department Patient Escort Role Patient escorter/safe patient handling specialist Distinction Winner, Robert E. Davis Award for Excellence What I love about CCHMC is working with the children and doing what I can to be a bright spot in their day. When I’m not here, you can usually find me in the recording studio working on my first project by E. Will and the Remember Band.

A phrase that describes me I never stop believing, achieving and succeeding. I was born to listen and to lead.

Person I admire most I admire people in general who wake up every day and face the challenges in their lives with courage and dignity. There are a lot of quiet heroes walking around. People would never guess that I feel shy sometimes, especially when I meet new people. What’s on my bucket list I’d like to set foot on all the continents of the world, including Antarctica.

Department Division of Asthma Research Role Professor and director Distinction Faculty award winner for Educational Achievement What I love most about what I do is volunteering in the community, at my church or doing classwork for my PhD in public health policy. When I’m not here, you can usually find me doing Zumba or outside enjoying nature. A phrase that describes me Coulda, woulda, shoulda means nada—just do it.

What I love about CCHMC is working with exceptional people who are as committed to children’s health as I am. I was born in India.

The guiding principle of my life is Be honest. Person I admire most My high school journalism teacher. People would never guess that I love photography. What’s on my bucket list To hike every national park.

Department Patient Services Role Assistant vice president, Perioperative Services Distinction Winner of the Pease Award for Excellence in Nursing Leadership What I love most about what I do is influencing a change that will improve an outcome or a process. When I’m not here, you can usually find me enjoying time with my family. What I love about CCHMC is the motivating environment, the kind people who work here and the huge opportunity to grow professionally. I was born to be a nurse. I’ve been one for 34 years and have never regretted that choice.

The guiding principle of my life is Be grateful for the opportunities given to you and always try to give back to others. Person I admire most My son—he has such a big heart—he never ceases to amaze me.

People would never guess that I worry about everything— I do a pretty good job of not showing it.

What’s on my bucket list Traveling through Europe, improving my cooking skills and doing volunteer work.

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Department Nutrition Therapy Role Registered dietitian II Distinction Melanie Hunt Registered Dietitian of the Year What I love most about what I do is seeing my patients and families get excited about achieving their nutrition goals. When I’m not here, you can usually find me with my children and family outside, at the gym or a sports event. A phrase that describes me When the going gets tough, keep going. What I love about CCHMC is the opportunity for learning and building new relationships. I also love the variety of cultures here.

The guiding principle of my life is Live every day like it is your last; don’t sweat the small stuff.

Person I admire most My mother, who amazes me with her unconditional love and support.

People would never guess that I want a classic Corvette convertible.

What’s on my bucket list Running a marathon in Ireland and Australia, completing an Iron Man and taking a medical mission trip.

insidescoop Do you have a burning question about some aspect of Cincinnati Children’s you’ve always wanted to know the answer to but weren’t sure whom to ask? Send it to the Inside Scoop at 360@cchmc.org. We will print as many questions as space allows.

Q A

With the renovation of the Burnet Campus cafeteria in Location D, I’m wondering if you will be offering any gluten-free menu options? —Joyce Dicks, Hematology Clinical Laboratory

What’s going on with all the construction on the north side of Location A? It seems to be taking forever. —Nancy Shryock, Hospital Medicine

The cafeteria does offer a few prepackaged gluten-free items in its allergy zone area. However, the logistics of creating a gluten-free workstation where foods are prepared from beginning to end to avoid crosscontamination have proven difficult, due to limited space.

Says Mike Browning, assistant vice president, Planning and Construction, Cincinnati Children’s is renovating A5 Central into a 20-bed inpatient unit for the Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute (CBDI). This is the former location of the CBDI clinic that moved to the first floor of Location A at the end of 2012, where the Pediatric Primary Care Center and Teen Health used to be.

Says Dan Jordan, operations manager, Food Services, “We are looking into expanding our line of prepackaged gluten-free offerings. Our concern is finding ways to accommodate those with gluten allergies in a way that’s safe for them.”

Because the CBDI patient population on A5 North and South is so sensitive, we are taking all workers and materials in and out of the building via stairs, scaffolding and a crane.

mailbox Just a quick note to let everyone involved know that I have just read the first story in the 360° inaugural publication, and I LO V E I T. Wow! Great information, very touching and a great new look. I just wanted to give you positive feedback and thank you for listening to the feedback that you got regarding previous communications. We are in an environment of information overload, so your intent and focus for the 360° publication is a noble one, and I’m here to say, I can’t wait to read on! Keep up the excellent work and the great ideas behind this new publication!

Congratulations on the new magazine, 360°, for the employees of Cincinnati Children’s. I retired in 2004 after working as a switchboard operator in the Communications Department and really enjoyed ’Round the Center over the years. But, I believe this magazine is going to be a winner! Hats off to you and the crew! Olivia Rolland, retiree

Send your feedback to 360@cchmc.org. Sincerely, Donna R. Mingerink, MS, CSP Occupational Safety and Environmental Health

thebuzz “As a physician or a researcher, you pretty much can’t lie. With colleagues, it’s probably not the worst thing in the world to say you had a conflict for a meeting, when you really had to get something done.”

“I always tell my kids,

physician researcher

to tell another lie to cover up

if you tell one lie, you have

IS IT EVER

OKAY TO TELL A LIE?

the first lie. So, just tell the truth from the start.” Lisa Wright, financial services rep II, Pathology

“No, but I’m not opposed to being evasive or very delicate.” Mark Ericksen, senior research analyst, Asthma Research

“It depends on the situation. Like with Santa Claus, kids are so excited about receiving gifts. It’s not like they’re going to go their whole life and never know.” “I, for one, am a horrible liar. Rather than lying, I may not answer the question, or I’ll put the question back on whoever’s asking.” Warren Welch, Epic analyst, Information Ser vices

360°

Kimberly Fulton, customer services rep I, Guest Services

“In healthcare, I don’t think it’s okay to tell a lie—small or big— especially if it’s to cover a mistake. Lies can break down our processes. Better to own up to the truth and learn from it.” Sheila Perry, RN, human resources specialist, Employment

milestones 20

Congratulations to the following employees who celebrate 20+ years of milestone service anniversaries in J U LY and A U G U S T !

Kelly Allen, RN, Vascular Access Team

Mar y Frances Baker, RN, Home Care

Rick Amato, RRT, Respiratory Care

Paul Bellet, MD, General and Community Pediatrics

Amy Bailes, Occupational Therapy/Physical Therapy

Mitchell Cohen, MD, Gastroenterology

Kimberly Behne, RN, Radiology

Beverly Connelly, MD, Infectious Diseases

Tisha Carson, Drug and Poison Information Center

Maria Davis, RN, GI Transplant

Javier Gonzalez-del-Rey, MD, Emergency Medicine

Lawrence Dolan, MD, Endocrinology

James Gulick, Molecular Cardiovascular Biology

Iris Fink-Baldauf, Neonatology and Pulmonary Biology

LeSean Marshe Johnson, Access Services

Margaret Hofmann, Gastroenterology

Douglas Kinnett, MD, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Patti Jack, RN, Liberty Campus/Same Day Surgery

Stacy Levi, RN, Same Day Surgery

Jean Strasinger, Customer Service

Jennifer Moore, RN, Liberty Campus/LA1 West Mark Mueller, RN, A5 Central Molly O’Shaughnessy, RN, Operating Room John Pack, RRT, Pulmonary Bronchoscopy

Jeffrey Robbins, PhD, The Heart Institute Debra Roll, Drug and Poison Information Center

Diane Babcock, MD, Radiology

Kimberly Shepard, RN, Liberty Campus Clinics

Diana Bailey, RN, Med/Surg and Support

Shelly Smith, Clinical Information Systems Education and Support

William Balistreri, MD, Gastroenterology

Bev Stone, Child Life and Integrative Care

Susan Brehm, Gastroenterology

Dianne Gray Stratton, RRT, Pulmonary Diagnostics

Toni Cunningham, Infectious Diseases

Devouna Tyus-Brooks, Audiology

Cynthia Fitton, RN-CNP, Advanced Practice Nurses

Amy Weber, RRT, Respiratory Care

Carol Frese, RN, Outcome Systems

Leatrice Williams, Guest Services

Maureen Huschar t, Developmental Biology

Diane Willmoth, PeopleSoft

Wayne Mays, Stress Testing

Deborah Young, RN, Care Management

Robin Mueller, RN-CNP, Advanced Practice Nurses Frederic Strife, MD, Nephrology Mar ti Yacchari, Veterinary Services

25 Mary Anderson, Cash Posting Operations

Nancy Bassarab, Hematology John Bissler, MD, Nephrology

Donna Sheppard, RN, Children’s Outpatient Northern Kentucky

Lorraine Buckley, RN, Operating Room

Charlotte Wiley, Microbiology

Michele DiLonardo, Information Services Nancy Doughman, GLP Laboratory Kathy Ernst, RN, A4 North Jean Hamilton, Audiology Elizabeth Hoogland, RN, Liberty Campus/Surgery

Pamela Hudson, Occupational Therapy/Physical Therapy Taunya Kessler, Trauma Center

Kevin Bove, MD, Pathology

John Morrison, PhD, Preventive Cardiology

James Johnson, RRT, Respiratory Care

Joe Niklas, Building Maintenance Edith Shumate, Dentistry Diana Swisshelm, RN, Diabetes/Endocrinology/Clinical and Translational Research Center Aemita Terry, RN, Same Day Surgery Thailand Ward-Jackson, A5 North Susan Wert, PhD, Neonatology and Pulmonary Biology

See a complete list of milestone service anniversaries online in this week’s edition of CenterNews.

3333 Burnet Avenue, MLC 9012 Cincinnati, OH 45229-3026

Volunteer in the Spotlight Patients in the outpatient clinics at Cincinnati Children’s Liberty Campus light up when they see Ir fan Ibrahim. The Lakota East High School graduate has been volunteering every Friday afternoon for the past two years and is a certified kid-magnet. Says Megan Schmutte, senior volunteer coordinator, “Irfan does such a great job connecting with children and taking their minds off the true reason they are here. Many parents comment on his spectacular service.” Ibrahim began volunteering at Cincinnati Children’s to get experience in the healthcare field. “I was checking out the medical profession as a career choice. I stayed because I loved being a part of the kids’ day.” Ibrahim plays with the children as they wait for their

Irfan Ibrahim appointment. “I’ll do anything to make the kids laugh,” he says. Ibrahim honed his kid-friendly skills babysitting his cousins, which taught him patience. He gets more than he gives to the patients and families. “I was playing Candy Land with this little girl,” says Ibrahim. “She was so delighted whenever she’d pick a green card, she would giggle uncontrollably. I was ver y stressed that day about preparing for my SAT exam. I had a great time with her.” Ibrahim will attend the University of Cincinnati in the fall, where he will be a student in the Design, Architecture, Art and Planning program. The confidence and collaboration skills he’s gained here will serve him well. “I’ve learned humility and the value of persistence,” he says. “I’ve seen the fruits of my labor.” Although he’s taken on a summer job, he plans on staying active at Liberty Campus. “I love kids, and I love what I do here. I definitely want volunteering to be part of my life.”

a moment in history Ashley Weech, MD, accepted the position of chairman of the Department of Pediatrics on Dec. 7, 1941, the same day Pearl Harbor was attacked. Many of Cincinnati Children’s physicians and researchers were called into the armed forces during the war years. Afterward, Weech rebuilt and expanded the faculty. As new subspecialties of pediatrics became established in the 1950s, Weech hired outstanding directors for new divisions: the Divisions of Child Psychiatry, Radiology, Cardiology, Physiological Chemistry (now Nephrology), Surgery, Hematology and Pathology. He retired in 1963.

1950s