Houston Methodist Nurse Winter 2015

HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE A Magazine for Nurses

WINTER 2015 Ronie Bisping visits with residents of Punjab, India.

SPREADING COMPASSION WORLDWIDE Nurses help others during mission trips

Page 10

Opportunities Through Global Initiatives

Page 9

Houston Methodist Prepares for Ebola

Page 14

Liisa Ortegon, sr. vice president and chief nursing executive – Houston Methodist Hospital

Jane DeStefano, vice president and chief nursing officer – Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital

Janet Leatherwood, vice president and chief nursing officer – Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital

Sheila Fata, vice president and chief nursing officer – Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital

AS WE WELCOME 2015, we thank each and every one of you for the joy you have given to our hospitals and units and wish for you the same — moments of joy and thanksgiving for family and colleagues.

This is an opportunity to look at our successes over the past year and begin to look forward to what this new year has in store. This was indeed a year of change at Houston Methodist, most notably welcoming two hospitals to our family, breaking ground on another hospital in The Woodlands, and beginning the Epic journey. We would like to take this opportunity to reflect on some of the successes at each of our hospitals in 2014.

Houston Methodist Hospital: • Liisa Ortegon was named senior vice president and chief nursing executive after Ann Scanlon McGinity transferred to Houston Methodist Global Health Care Services as the chief operating officer.

• An expansion of the hospital was announced that will include a new 390-bed inpatient tower on the Houston Methodist Hospital campus.

• HMH nursing is in the process of its Magnet redesignation campaign for 2015.

• It received the UHC Quality and Safety Recognition Award.

Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital: • Accredited by DNV and ISO 9001 certified. By earning accreditation, the hospital has demonstrated it meets or exceeds patient safety standards set forth by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

• Redesignated as a Pathway to Excellence by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

• Received the Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold-Plus Quality Achievement Award.

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital: • Obtained Pathway to Excellence reaccreditation.

• Achieved Beacon Certification Silver level in Intensive Care Unit.

• Achieved Stroke Gold Plus Honor Roll.

• Achieved Cancer Accreditation.

Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital: • Celebrated the success of one of its key initiatives, the RN-MD Alliance. Scores measuring physician satisfaction with nursing improved to outperform benchmarks in every indicator related to nursing.

• Awarded redesignation as a Level II stroke facility in August. This designation recognizes the high quality of care offered to all stroke patients at HMWB. • David Kimball, RN, BSN, of the Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital Emergency Department, earned a Gold Medal Excellence in Nursing Award from the Good Samaritan Foundation.

Houston Methodist West Hospital: • Merged with Houston Methodist St. Catherine, a long-term acute care facility.

• Received STS 3-star rating.

• Expanded the OR/AOD, Emergency Department, Infusion Center and MOB 2.

• Received stroke certification.

Houston Methodist St. John Hospital: • Named new CNO, Sherri Tumbleson, RN, BSN. • Completed a site visit and was reaccredited by the Commission on Cancer. The CoC, established by the American College of Surgeons, is the only multidisciplinary accreditation program for cancer programs in the United States.

• Achieved Cycle IV Chest Pain Accreditation, the highest, current level of accreditation available from the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care.

Thanks to all of you for sharing in this amazing year. We look forward to many more successes in 2015!

Vicki Brownewell, vice president and chief nursing officer – Houston Methodist West Hospital

Sherri Tumbleson, vice president and chief nursing officer – Houston Methodist St. John Hospital

2015 EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Rosario Alvarado Rebecca Bowman Donna Esposito Sarah Fleming Shuntá Fletcher Elizabeth Gigliotti

Beverly Hughes Beverley LaMoth Carlette Patterson Verna Simmons-Robinson Joy Shiller Robyn Washington

MAGAZINE EDITOR Kelli Gifford

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Phyllis Gillentine

Do you have a

STORY that you would like to publish in the

HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE MAGAZINE? Please submit your articles or ideas to Kelli Gifford at kagifford@houstonmethodist.org.

Follow us:

facebook.com/ houstonmethodist

twitter.com/ MethodistHosp

youtube.com/user/ methodisthospitalhou

HOUSTON METHODIST HOSPITAL NEWS

THE DAISY AWARD Houston Methodist Hospital

DAISY AWARD WINNER Paul Longoria, RN in the CVICU, was named the DAISY Award winner for December. From his nomination: “When I think of a person who really exemplifies the I CARE values, Paul Longoria’s example comes to mind. He is always positive and pleasant. No matter the circumstance, he accommodates the needs of the patient first and foremost. … In mentoring new nurses, I can see that he strives to share his knowledge in such a way that it inspires those he is mentoring to do their best for the patient, colleagues and physicians they are interacting with.”

Steve Klahn, RN, Paul Longoria, RN, Terry Clark, RN, and Liisa Ortegon, senior vice president and chief nursing executive.

MAIN 7 RECEIVES DISTINGUISHED AWARD

Main 7 was awarded by the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN) the Premier Recognition in the Specialty of MedicalSurgical (PRISM) Award. There are only nine medical-surgical units nationally that have received this award. The AMSN national committee representatives reported that Main 7 achieved the highest score of all recipients.

NURSES SPEAK TO DEBAKEY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS The DeBakey High School for Health Professions sent an invitation for speakers to share their specialty with students attending. Veronica Myers, RN, JoAnne Gaudet, RN, and Debbie Belgard, RN, went as nursing representatives. They shared their love of nursing with aspiring students interested in all aspects of nursing. The students’ interests were varied and the Houston Methodist representatives were able to answer questions and give them information on making nursing their career choice.

TAKE 2 PROGRAM TO HELP WITH CERTIFICATIONS Houston Methodist Hospital has teamed up with CCI to provide nurses who want to take the CNOR certification. This program will help to reduce test-taking anxiety and take away a financial barrier to testing with CCI’s new Take 2 Program. Upon registering, each participant will receive confirmation of his/her Take 2 Program period and a unique voucher code. The voucher code entitles that participant to register for one initial CNOR exam administration and, if unsuccessful in passing the exam, entitles the same participant to re-register for a second attempt at no additional fee within the Take 2 Program period.

SAVE THE DATES FOR CONTINUING NURSE EDUCATION Below the Belt Line: 2015 Insider’s Guide to Pelvic Health Feb. 28 , 2015 houstonmethodist.org/belowthebeltline

Neuroscience: Nurse Residency Program Feb. 27, 2015 houstonmethodist.com/sepsis

Kaleidoscope Nursing Conference Feb. 9 – 10, 2015 houstonmethodist.org/kaleidoscope-2015

LEADERS IN NURSING 3

HOUSTON METHODIST SAN JACINTO NEWS FALL 2014 I CARE AWARDS Congratulations to the following employees who recieved I CARE Awards:

Jose Managana, RN, was recognized for his compassion. A married couple was admitted to the hospital for different reasons. Jose made sure they were able to spend time together even though they were on different units.

Kelli Hicks, RT, CV specialist, was recognized for her continual compassion and team commitment. Kelli went out of her way to comfort a patient that was not hers and followed up with that patient.

She is a team player and does not hesitate to step in and help her coworkers in times of need.

Kimberly Mitchell, unit coordinator, was recognized for her dedication to patient and family needs. Kimberly continually goes above and beyond to emotionally support patients and ensure their patient experience is the best possible. She steps in and helps when other teams are short staffed and ensures patients are safe on her unit.

Crystal Guerrero, was recognized for going above and beyond when she saw a patient in need. Crystal saw through her office window that an elderly man had lost his car in the parking lot on a hot day.

She rushed from her office to bring the man inside and cool him off. She then wheeled him around the parking lot to find his car.

NURSE HONORED BY THE AMERICAN NURSES FOUNDATION Jennifer Rhoads, RN, 3 West, was honored by the American Nurses Foundation for outstanding dedication that has made a difference in the lives of others and the practice of nursing.

PFAC CELEBRATES 5 YEARS The Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital Patient Family Advisory Council (PFAC) celebrated five years of effort to improve patient reading material. The council works with hospital personnel to ensure that all material given to patients is clear and easy to understand.

4 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE

HOUSTON METHODIST SUGAR LAND NEWS

THE DAISY AWARD Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital

DAISY AWARD WINNER Minhas S. Ladiwala, RN from Main 6 West, was recognized as the third-quarter DAISY Award winner. Many entries were received for Ladiwala and all describe a very compassionate and caring nurse who practices exemplary care. He was described as “a light of sunshine,” “thoughtful and caring,” “energetic,” “the epitome of nursing,” “helpful and attentive” and much more. Ladiwala’s wife and young daughter were present for this wonderful honor.

Terry Gonzales, RN; Deion Cross, RN; Tricia Lewis, RN; Emilyn Rodriguez, RN; Minhas Ladiwala, RN, and family; Janet Leatherwood, RN; Becky Chalupa, RN; and Sally Shen, RN.

EMPLOYEE SERVICE AWARDS 2014 This year, many employees with five years or more of service to Houston Methodist were honored. Among those were three nurses with 25 years or more of service: Becky Chalupa, RN, associate chief nursing officer, was recognized for 25 years of service to HM and HMSL in various roles in OR and Periop areas; Jennifer Pazderny, RN, manager of telemetry and CV services coordinator, was also recognized for 25 years of service in various roles in CCU/ICU areas; and Ann Daniel, RN, cancer center, was recognized for 40 years of service at HM and HMSL, and came to HMSL when it opened its cancer center.

Thank you to these caring, compassionate, professional nurses for their years of dedication.

GONZALES NAMED OUTSTANDING NURSE Congratulations to Betty Gonzales, RN, director of NP Services, who was one of 20 outstanding nurses honored at the 24th Annual Nursing Celebration hosted by the Texas Nurses Association District 9 on Nov. 13. The 20 honorees are nominated by their peers and co-workers as exemplary registered nurses in the Houston area.

COMMITMENT TO STROKE CARE RECOGNIZED

Carisa Liew, MD; Eddie Patton, MD; James Ling, MD; Maria Socci, RN; Larry Tran, MD; and Muhammad Khan, MD.

HMSL received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get with the Guidelines® Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. This award recognizes HMSL’s commitment and success in creating a high standard of stroke care by ensuring that stroke patients receive treatment according to nationally accepted standards and recommendations. To receive the Stroke-Gold Plus award, HMSL achieved an 85 percent or higher adherence to all Get with the GuidelinesStroke Quality Achievement indicators for a consecutive 12-month interval.

FLU SHOT CLINIC, COMMUNITY TOY DRIVE A SUCCESS HMSL, in collaboration with multiple community organizations, provided free flu shots to community members who participated in Santa’s Gift Exchange in November. HMSL nurses participated in this event, which attracted more than 300 attendees. Fort Bend residents graciously brought new, unwrapped toys or clothing items in exchange for a flu shot. Thank you to all the nurses who participated, helping to keep our community healthy.

Left: April Lucas, RN; Fili Sison,RN; Anifa Andrade, RN; Anna Stephen, RN; Minimol Manavalan, RN; Cora Hernandez, RN; Lincy Zacharia, RN; and Ancy John, RN.

LEADERS IN NURSING 5

HOUSTON METHODIST WILLOWBROOK NEWS STROKE AWARENESS FESTIVAL More than 200 community members attended Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital’s inaugural Stroke Awareness Festival on Oct. 25. This event offered free health screenings and stroke risk assessments, as well as fitness demonstrations and interactive educational stations including AmeriBrain®, the world’s most realistic walk-through inflatable brain exhibit.

Nursing staff from 6W, the primary stroke care unit, manned interactive educational booths. One booth, coordinated by Outstanding Stroke Caregiver Award finalist Jennilyn Lano, BSN, RN, CMSRN, taught participants about FAST, the early warning signs of stroke. Physicians got involved, too: Drs. Amy Naquin-Chappell and Sanjay Kunapuli led an educational seminar on stroke and atrial fibrillation. The Houston Dynamo also made an appearance. Special thanks to Barbara Quandt, MSN, RN, NE-BC, director of MedSurg and HMWB’s stroke program coordinator, Shawna Wallace, BSN, RN, manager of 6W, Julie Peterson and the rest of the staff, community partners and volunteers who helped make this event a success.

GRAND OPENING OF 7 EAST On Dec. 2, the red carpet rolled out for patients in 7E, a brand new medical-surgical unit at HMWB. This beautiful new unit features 36 state-of-the-art universal beds and will focus on cardiology and CV patients and will begin caring for both medical-surgical and some IMU patients early this year.

GLENN DENNIS RECEIVES AACN CIRCLE OF EXCELLENCE AWARD Glenn Dennis, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, director of Critical Care and Emergency Services, has been recognized with the prestigious AACN Circle of Excellence Award. This peer-nominated award is granted annually to 25 nurses nationwide who meet rigorous criteria exemplifying excellence in the care of acutely and critically ill patients and their families. The designation marks Glenn’s induction into the Circle of Excellence Society.

Glenn was nominated by three of his peers for his passion in pursuing higher patient outcomes and for his leadership on many unit and hospital-based initiatives. Under his leadership a number of evidence-based projects were implemented, from SERRI to reducing alarm fatigue. Glenn is also recognized for his support and empowerment of staff.

MENDED HEARTS CELEBRATES YEAR HMWB recently hosted an end-of-year party for our Mended Hearts support group. Mended Hearts is a nurse-led, community-based support group for heart disease survivors coordinated by Adrienne Joseph, BSN, RN, CCRN, a CVCU charge nurse. Attended by former patients and community members, the event featured dinner and line dancing. Throughout the year, Mended Hearts offers participants an opportunity to share their stories and support and learn from speakers including physicians and clinical staff.

6 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE

HOUSTON METHODIST WEST NEWS

NEW YEAR, NEW LOOK FOR HOUSTON METHODIST WEST Houston Methodist West has grown significantly over the last four years and especially this past year. The goal is to provide the best care to patients, and West has made many changes in order to accomplish this goal. At the end of October, West opened a new 32-bed acuity adaptable unit, 5 East. This unique unit has dialysis connections in room and bedside monitoring capabilities so the nurses and staff can see the patient’s vital signs continuously at the bedside and from a central computer at the nurse’s station. The doors have windows in them to allow more light and closer monitoring a feature designed for 5 East. When building the unit, nursing leadership looked at lessons learned from building the other units at West and planned accordingly. One improvement that has impacted the staff, the patients and their families is the coffee bar. 5 East’s coffee bar is in the open, and patients, families and visitors have unlimited access. These resources help make better, faster decisions related to patient care.

EMERGENCY ROOM TRANSFORMATION The emergency room has also recently seen a transformation. In July, a new triage process was rolled out, and 10 additional treatment rooms opened in November. With patient care being top priority, the new process allows for faster door-tocare time. The patients are triaged at the desk and then based on clinical presentation, vital signs and other criteria are given an ESI, Emergency Severity Index, by the triage nurse. From there, the patients are seen and treated according to their ESI. This process has improved patient satisfaction scores tremendously. The Emergency Department improved its door-to-triage times by 80 percent, or 24 minutes. It also improved its door-to-bed time by 62 percent, or 49 minutes. The department is continuing to see outstanding improvement in patient satisfaction and efficiency with the new triage process and is already planning on the next phase looking at throughput.

LEADERS IN NURSING 7

HOUSTON METHODIST ST. JOHN NEWS REINDEER RUN DRAWS NEARLY 500

Houston Methodist St. John Hospital hosted its 24th Annual Reindeer Run on Dec. 6. We had about 420 runners competing, and many more who participated for fun. Thank you to the staff members who helped make this year’s event a success.

TRANSITION TO DNV SUCCESSFUL Houston Methodist St. John successfully completed its transition from The Joint Commission to Det Noerske Veritas (DNV) through its first survey in late October. Thank you to all who participated in the survey and helped make it a success. HMSTJ also completed its first Stroke Survey through DNV and are awaiting the results.

ST. JOHN RECEIVES UPGRADES TO FACILITY, EQUIPMENT Throughout the year, many capital purchases have been made to upgrade the facility and equipment on campus. Most notably, 102 new med/surg Hill-Rom beds were purchased and delivery is expected soon. The hospital also has purchased a variety of new equipment for the ORs and the Center for New Life. Two Arctic Sun temperature management systems for the ICU and ED were purchased and new monitors for the ED were ordered. Larger projects like the parking lot resurfacing have been completed, and the West Building roof resurfacing, new lighting for the parking lots and new HVAC system for the ORs are expected to be completed soon. Keep your eyes open for many other upgrades and new pieces of equipment coming in 2015.

EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT WELCOMES NEW MANAGER Welcome HMSTJ’s new ED manager, Derek Bonn. Derek comes from Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital with an extensive nursing background.

8 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE

HOUSTON METHODIST GLOBAL NURSING INITIATIVES:

By Ann Scanlon McGinity, chief operating officer, A World of Possibilities Houston Methodist Global Health Care Services Sharing Expertise Around the Globe Houston Methodist Global Services opens a world of opportunities for nurses. Its programs share Houston Methodist’s expertise in clinical nursing care and education with partners around the globe. Nurses play an integral role in many international programs, and its current and future programs offer even more opportunities. Houston Methodist Global’s nursing initiatives use the collective wisdom, knowledge, abilities and experience of the clinical staff to promote innovation, capacity development and professionalization of nursing practice, education, research and health activities worldwide.

Services • Consulting services to health care institutions that provide educational and professional expertise for clinical and financial nursing operations; evidence-based practice; leadership; quality; and the development of an engaged nursing culture resulting in achievement of Magnet designation.

• Providing student and nursing subject matter experts with international clinical opportunities to consult and collaborate.

• Providing focused curricula development support with academic partners across the globe around education and staff skill enhancement.

• Leveraging nurse clinicians’ expertise through simulated interdisciplinary learning experiences in MITIE, Houston Methodist’s renowned simulation laboratory.

Countries and places we are involved: ABC Hospital, Mexico City Alvimedica, Split Euromedic, Poland and Bosnia King Faisal Specialist Hospital, Riyadh KFMC, Riyadh Meraas, Dubai PSCC, Jeddah Tec Salud, Monterrey

Collaborations and Partnerships

• ABC Hospital, Mexico City The relationship with ABC Hospital began in 2003. This affiliation agreement has provided Houston Methodist Global nursing with many opportunities to collaborate on nursing practice, education and evidence-based practice. Under the strong leadership of CNO Gudelia Baptiste, nursing leadership there has embarked on the journey to Magnet. Exchange programs between the organizations have focused on shared governance activities, quality metrics and the development of nursing dashboards, leadership exchanges, evidence-based practice education and project development.

In November, abstracts and posters from ABC Hospital were presented at the Annual Governance Retreat in Houston. Guest speakers from the Center for Professional Excellence have presented lectures on a myriad of topics, and Global has provided support and consultation on the journey to Magnet.

• Tec Salud Hospital, Monterey, Mexico Another longstanding relationship, Tec Salud has developed a professional nursing organization that is also on the journey to Magnet. Global anticipates that an application to ANCC’s Pathway to Excellence will be submitted by 2017. Support by teams of Houston Methodist nurses over the years have focused on quality initiatives, staffing systems, dashboard development, evidencebased practice programs, as well as shared governance. Sofia Guadalupe Medina, Tec Salud CNO, has helped create significant outcomes in the professionalization of nursing practice.

• King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Global’s latest venture into the Middle East has built significant relationships with teams of clinicians, as it has led efforts to commission a 250-plus bed Cancer Center. This project has afforded many subject matter experts from Houston Methodist to engage in the design as well as the operational planning for this center. Expertise regarding patient flows and care processes has substantially been contributed to by many folks from Houston Methodist: notable nursing input has been provided by Jennifer Berry, Janet Leatherwood, Susan Zylick, Alicia Hernandez, Vickie Brownewell, and numerous others who have or will spend time in Riyadh supporting this effort.

• American Lebanon University, Beirut, Lebanon Conversation occurring regarding future nursing student programs.

• University of Netherlands Hosts an annual nurse practitioner mentorship exchange program.

As Global expands its consulting efforts, a continued need for subject matter experts to support these activities is critical in carrying the excellence of Houston Methodist nursing to patients and clinicians around the globe.

This is an adventure that provides personal growth for each of us engaged in these efforts. Do you want to be a part of it? If you are interested in being a subject matter expert, please go to this link and complete our survey: surveymonkey.com/s/SMEDEMOS LEADERS IN NURSING 9

GIVING BACK Houston Methodist nurses travel the globe to share their compassion through missions

By Kelli Gifford, Magazine Editor

MYRE OMEGA, RN

Houston Methodist Hospital Mission trip to: Palompon, Leyte, Philippines A young boy, around 8 years old, was brought to the hospital in the small town of Palompon, Leyte, in the Philippines for the third stage of cleft lip repair. He and his mother had hopes that the volunteer doctors and nurses visiting their hometown would be able to help him. They were, and the mother cried tears of joy, hugging everyone in the room.

The volunteers were from the Philippine American Surgical Missions Foundation, funded by the school of medicine at the University of Santo Tomas, class of 1964. Houston Methodist Hospital nurse Myre Omega was invited to join the group by her aunt, who was one of the doctors, and accompanied them on two mission trips — one in 2009 and the other in 2013. Her husband, who is an OR nurse, also joined.

Myre Omega (left) and her husband join other volunteers in the Philippines.

10 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE

In 2013, Omega and the group, sponsored by the local government, worked at Manuel B. Veloso Memorial Hospital.

During the week the volunteers were there, they performed major

and minor surgeries for more than 100 patients, often operating on more than one in the same room. Omega, a PACU nurse, primarily did the circulating, facilitating and prepared the sterile field.

She has been with Houston Methodist since 2006.

“I don’t have a lot to offer monetarily, but I can offer my services and send supplies back home.” – Myre Omega

Since 2008, Omega has volunteered with Medical Bridges, a group that distributes medical, dental and surgical supplies and equipment to qualified organizations and medical missions primarily in the developing world, and they often will give her supplies about to expire to send to the hospital in the Philippines.

“The facilities are very backward and the technology is behind,” Omega says. “They do not use disposables. After using the tools, they sterilize them and use them again.”

Volunteer doctors — Filipino surgeons who have worked in the United States and are retired — were experienced in ENT, general surgery, plastic surgery, OB/GYN and urology, and performed procedures from thyroidectomies and hysterectomies to minor abscess removals. One of the most complicated cases they encountered was a man with a noncancerous mass larger than a softball on the side of his neck he had for several years but didn’t have the money to have removed. The surgeons were able to remove it.

“This has been my dream,” she says. “I love my job, my vocation of being a nurse. Having worked in other countries, I know how to adjust to different cultures.”

With assistance from friends who help with the cost of mailing the supplies, Omega gathers patient gowns, IV tubes and catheters, bandages and more. “The patients there have to pay for all the items themselves, and they are very expensive,” she says.

“This helps alleviate some of the cost.”

“I don’t have a lot to offer monetarily, but I can offer my services and send supplies back home.”

“These procedures change people’s lives,” Omega says. “They are forever grateful.”

Omega graduated nursing school in the Philippines in 1994 and spent six months volunteering in her hometown of Palompon, Leyte, while waiting on her license. She also worked in Singapore and England before coming to the U.S., working in New Jersey.

LEADERS IN NURSING 11

BARBARA COLLET, RN, MHA, CNOR

Houston Methodist St. John Hospital Mission trip to: Village of Chaquiton, Guatemala As part of the staff of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Nassau Bay, a half a block from Houston Methodist St. John Hospital, Barbara Collet’s husband works on worldwide missions. As a nurse, she has the instinct to help others. For them, the two worlds perfectly combine.

For many years, a church group called CALMS (Central American Lutheran Mission Society) went to Panama and Guatemala to help build homes three or four times a year. And after working on homes for so long, they decided there was so much more that needed to be done and so much more they’d like to do, Collet says. They decided to look for a village that would make a good partner.

“We chose (the one we did) because they wanted to be actively involved, too. … A lot of places just hold out their hands and whatever you give them they’ll take, and it may or may not be sustained. But these people really wanted to work to improve the community and then help others.”

In March 2014, a group did an initial visit to identify what needed to be worked on.

“They wanted to be a model village so they could help the other villages improve.”

– Barbara Collet

“The village has many needs that need to be addressed, but we are working to get the water purified; provide more sanitary conditions and toilets at the school, provide health education to the families in conjunction with the school and medical clinic, provide nutrition to the 240 school children who come to school hungry, and work with them to find a better process for marketing their coffee harvest,” Collet says.

More than 600 people live in this remote coffee-growing community in mud huts with thatch or metal roofs and dirt floors. “The shoes that the children have are only worn to school and taken off to go barefooted the rest of the day leaving them to walk in animal waste, which allows parasites to enter their bodies through their feet. They have so many needs that we can work with them to solve,” she adds.

On her trip in May, Collet and her group focused on interactions with the school and medical clinical staff. They painted the school classrooms, bringing their own paint because the villagers couldn’t afford it.

“Usually in the past when we were working on homes, we would expect the new owners of the homes to come and help a little,” she says. “Some would just sit back and watch and be grateful they had a home but didn’t put in any sweat equity. The first day we went to the school there was 20 men who showed up, the second day 30 and the third day 30 more. They wanted to actively partner.”

12 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE

The three nurses on the team also met with one of three LVN/ NAs that run the medical clinic and talked about health hygiene and nutrition, also bringing some needed medical supplies and medications. Nutrition is a big issue there. Families don’t drink much water, Collet says, because the companies undercut the price of it making it cheaper to drink sodas.

Children also face lack of nutrition, some only eating once a day and rarely before school. Collet and other church members are raising funds to provide Incaparina, a protein drink for the schoolchildren to have each day of the school year.

Collet, who will return to Guatemala in January and likely two more times this year, would also like to do a medical mission at some point.

“We are so blessed and take so much for granted, like turning on the faucet for a drink of water,” she said. “By assisting with water purification and feeding the children at school, we will make an impact to improve their health. I want to make a difference in their lives, and I believe that I am a better steward of my resources and try to exemplify the I CARE values with every patient and contact I have.”

RONIE BISPING, BSN, RN Houston Methodist Hospital Mission trip to: Punjab, India

Ronie Bisping, RN in Main 3 OR, sent out a letter to her friends and family seeking support for a mission trip to India stating, “For some time now, I have felt a passion building in my heart to step out of my comfort zone and the day-to-day routine to help and comfort the impoverished.”

The letter described her desire to give back what so many people had given to her: faith, hope, compassion and unconditional love.

Bisping, 29, says she always knew she wanted to go on a mission trip, but the timing never worked out between raising her son, serving in the Air Force with tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, and

completing nursing school. When her church announced the trip to India, she knew in her heart that was what she was meant to do.

In September 2014, she and nearly 50 others spent a week in Punjab. Once there, they split into groups of three and stayed in the home of a local pastor. Each day they would drive to different areas and spend the day getting to know people.

“They were so nice; they just wanted to sit with us. No electronics, no TVs,” she says. “They are so happy you’re there and shower you with honor; you feel so unworthy.”

At the end of each day, the groups would host a compassion kit party, where they would hand out kits that included hygiene products, sandals and phone cards to between 100 and 200 people.

“I was really amazed at all the needs for the people,” she says.

“They have so little. Their life is so simple. … They had all these pressing needs and would do whatever it took.”

Bisping says her mission trip has changed the way she looks at things “forever.”

“I’ve learned what it means to be a leader and not being afraid to do the right thing even if you meet resistance,” she continues. “So many people talk about problems but don’t do anything about it.”

She and a group of nurses worked on a lateral violence project for the residency program and have since made several presentations

FAR RIGHT: Ronie Bisping

on the topic. “It’s about sticking up for yourself — what to say and how to say it.”

Bisping references the struggles her family faced when she was growing up in a single-mother household and the people who stepped up to help her family as to why she felt compelled to give back.

“I truly believe I wouldn’t be the person I am today or working here if it wasn’t for them,” she says. “Not all strong people know they’re strong and how much they have to offer.”

“I don’t feel it was a coincidence,” Pickrel says. “I feel God led us there.”

They joined Living Water International, which helps communities acquire much-needed clean water and spreads the gospel.

Pickrel and his wife joined a small group for a week to build wells.

While most groups are only able to build one during their time there, Pickerel’s group built two “because we were so efficient.”

The people in the village “had to carry water from two miles. And they all worked together.”

JOEY PICKREL, MSN, RN

Houston Methodist West Hospital Mission trip to: Nicaragua Joey Pickrel and his wife dreamed of doing a mission trip before starting a family. Both being in health care — Pickrel a medicalsurgical nurse and nurse practitioner, and his wife a physician’s assistant — they needed to find a time that would work into their schedules, and Nicaragua just fit.

“They were so happy and full of life — had pure joy on their faces and love for each other,” Pickrel says. “They came together as a community to help build the wells. They weren’t distracted by TVs or cellphones. They found joy in each other. They were rich in other ways. That was what was most eye-opening.

“Our trip to Nicaragua challenged me to grow in my faith and helped provide perspective on being a nurse. All patients are created by God, and no matter what the circumstance, it is always a privilege to serve them. I am so thankful we had this opportunity to be given a fuller perspective.”

While Pickrel and his wife are focusing now on having a family, he says he would love to include children in future mission trips to show the importance of giving back and helping others.

LEADERS IN NURSING 13

HOUSTON METHODIST PREPARES FOR EBOLA Elizabeth Kinder, RN in the MICU at Houston Methodist Hospital, is part of the Houston Methodist Ebola preparedness team. She answers some questions about the precautions Houston Methodist has taken to prepare for an Ebola patient.

did you volunteer to be on the Q Why Ebola team?

was the most interesting thing Q What you learned?

I volunteered because I believe it is our duty as health care professionals to provide care to all individuals, although I do believe it’s up to the individual health care provider to determine what level of personal risk is acceptable. We’ve seen from other facilities that it is possible to provide a high level of aggressive care to individuals with Ebola without transmission to health care workers, provided there is rigorous application of infection control standards. As Houston Methodist began to develop its own plan for the care of such a patient, I became involved because I believe that bedside staff (nurses, physicians, etc.) are essential to identifying any logistical barriers in the application of these standards in the care of a patient.

Something I would want everyone to know is that the current outbreak has actually been going since December 2013. It’s amazing that with rigorous contact tracing and infection control procedures, the spread to new countries has been extremely limited. However, as long as there is an active outbreak as there is in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, there will be some possibility of Houston Methodist receiving a patient. The financial and human resources are really needed over there to respond to the needs of victims and health care workers who are at much higher risk on a daily basis than we would be here.

prepared do you think Houston Q How Methodist is to handle an Ebola patient?

There are 25 nurses, 12 from leadership and seven physicians (give or take). Positions included are multiple nurses per shift in various roles including direct patient care or relief of a caregiving nurse, environmental safety personnel (to monitor and assist with donning and doffing of PPE and the management of any environmental contamination or exposure emergencies), physicians, laboratory staff, housekeeping staff and others as needed. However, all efforts are made to minimize the unnecessary exposure of health care workers.

Houston Methodist has put a huge amount of financial and human resources into this project. The plans in place for identifying, isolating and transporting a suspected patient have been well thought out with input from experts from all departments, as well as adjusted and updated (especially after test runs). The environment we have created for actually providing care has also been swiftly adapted to meet the needs of the patient and health care providers while still effectively maintaining infection control standards. We know there will always be surprises, but it is very reassuring to know that as soon as the system is activated, the bedside staff will have 24/7 executive support for any unforeseen situations. Houston Methodist executives have made it very clear that the safety of staff always comes first.

14 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE

many Houston Methodist employees are on Q How the Ebola team? What positions are included?

happens during your drills?

Q What We have done various trial runs, some testing the effectiveness of our system for identifying and quarantining a suspected case, others practicing the identification and transportation of a patient to the final location, and some practicing providing actual care to a “patient” in the unit. There are always lessons to be learned, and there are always many people observing and providing valuable input during and afterward.

Every time we practice, our performance improves significantly.

THE 2014

OUTSTANDING NURSE AWARD Sponsored by The Brown Foundation, Inc.

Houston Methodist Hospital CVICU nurse Tracee Kennon, RN, was awarded The Brown Foundation, Inc. Outstanding Nurse Award for 2014, earning the $15,000 annual prize.

“Tracee embodies professionalism, wisdom, strength and compassion — all great qualities to have when providing exemplary care for patients at the bedside,” said Liisa Ortegon, senior vice president and chief nursing executive at Houston Methodist Hospital.

Kennon, who began working at Houston Methodist Hospital in 2002 as a student nurse and has moved through the ranks to RN III, is well-known for possessing excellent nursing skills, striving to advance the nursing profession and promoting the spirit of nursing, Ortegon said.

Tracee Kennon, BSN, RN III, CCRN, ECMO Specialist – CVICU

Also recognized were two runners up, Christie Aguirre and Myre Omega.

Christie is an RN III in the Main 3 Northwest AOD. According to her manager, Julie Reyes, who nominated Aguirre for the second year, “Each and every day when Christie steps into Houston Methodist, she leads our unit with innovation aimed at caring for each patient.” Omega is an RN III in the Dunn 3 PACU. According to her manager, Alisha Estay, “Myre works closely with new employees and has developed educational materials that help contribute to their success in the unit.”

I CARE AWARDS: Houston Methodist Winners for Fall 2014

Danny Chang, IT

Vanessa Yacouby, HM Specialty Physician Group

Cassandra Frankiewicz, RN II, MICU

Johnie Leonard, director of Emergency Services

Brandi Sutton, HM Specialty Physician Group

Chea Wallace, RN II, PACU-OPC

Gwendolyn Williams, RN II, Dunn 4 West/Dunn 10 East

Congratulations to our newest I CARE Award winners, who were honored at a special luncheon in November. This year’s winners are: Danny Chang, Information Technology; Cassandra Frankiewicz, RN II, Medical Intensive Care Unit; Christina Hadley, RN II, Main 6 Northwest (not pictured); Brandi Sutton, Specialty Physician Group; Chea Wallace, RN II, PACU-OPC; Gwendolyn Williams, RN II, Dunn 4 West/Dunn 10 East; and Vanessa Yacouby, HM Specialty Physician Group. Our I CARE Leader Award for the fall went to Johnie Leonard, director of Emergency Services.

LEADERS IN NURSING 15

CAREER COACH’S CORNER

Determining Next Career Steps

By Shuntá Fletcher, MSN, RN, NE-BC, CVRN-BC

Jennifer Rose, BSN, RN III, CNOR, is a clinical educator in the Fondren/Brown Operating Room.

How and why did you seek career coaching?

I sought career coaching to assist in deciding which master’s degree program I would invest my time and money in. I have been toying with the idea of returning to school for years and in balancing a growing family the time has never been right. There are so many more options now that were not available before and it seemed overwhelming. I heard Alicia Hernandez (from CPE) discuss career coaching during a luncheon for the transition of new nurse residents and out-going nurse residents. Subsequently, I sent an email to her asking for guidance of where to begin. She placed me in contact with a career coach. We met two times and decided which path and school seemed to fit my needs. She shared her story with me and empowered me to make this next step.

Jennifer Rose, RN

How has career coaching been helpful to you?

This has enabled me to be comfortable in my decision to start graduate school and confident in the choice of school.

How would you sum up your career coaching experience?

The guidance career coaching has provided me is exactly what I needed to take that next step toward my future.

If you would like greater career success or need help in solidifying your vision for the future coaching appointments are flexible and are conducted by face-to-face interview or telephone. For more information please contact The Center for Professional Excellence at cpecareercoaching@houstonmethodist.org or 713.441.4546.

Record Number Attend Annual Shared Governance Conference Representatives from Houston Methodist gathered Nov. 5 for the annual Shared Governance Conference. There were about 270 attendees — a record number. Thirty-six speakers and panel participants, including clinical nurses, program coordinators, representatives from radiology, respiratory therapists, physical therapists and Houston Methodist nursing executives were involved, and two nurses from ABC Hospital in Mexico City presented a poster.

All the speakers did an excellent job of sharing their best practices.

Keynote speakers included Deborah Dang, PhD, RN, NEA, BC, director of Nursing Practice, Education, Research; and Carolyn Cumpsty-Fowler, PhD, MPH, assistant professor, both from John Hopkins University School of Nursing. Their presentation focused on “Using Inquiry Skills to Solve Practice Challenges.” Key points from their presentation follow.

Using Inquiry Skills to Solve Practice Challenges “Inquiry” is defined as seeking truth, information or knowledge, i.e., seeking information by questioning. The process of inquiry begins by gathering information and data through the human senses.

Past experiences influence what we see (people tend to see the negative): • Neurologically – focus is self-preservation • Professionally – focus is protecting our patients What we pay attention to will grow: • Challenges – people see the glass half empty • Opportunities – people see the glass half full 16 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE

Using inquiry to solve practice challenges starts with two skills: 1) Asking the right question (develop questions that support inquiry) Ask: “If I Only Knew” questions, focusing on possibilities leads to curiosity, authentic learning and discovery.

2) Deep listening – Being present and paying attention.

NURSES TRANSFORMING HEALTH CARE

By Shannan K. Hamlin, PhD, RN, ACNP-BC, AGACNP-BC, CCRN, Houston Methodist Hospital

Nursing has been defined as the “protection, promotion and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations.”1 It is no wonder that nurses are the “face of health care” in our patients’ eyes. However, when it comes to policy and practice changes that optimize patient care, nurses have taken a backseat to physicians and administrators.2 There is increasing evidence that nurses are beginning to assume a more active leadership role when it comes to improving patient outcomes; but more needs to be done because “empowered nurses provide the best patient care.” (pg. 1).2 To highlight nurses’ impact at the bedside, the American Association of Critical Care Nurses developed an innovative program to empower bedside nurses as clinician leaders and change agents.3 The goal of the AACN Clinical Scene Investigator Academy is to train teams of staff nurses from institutions across the country to embark on initiatives that quantifiably improve the quality of patient care and cost.3 Project initiatives from CSI teams located in Texas, North Carolina, Indiana and Massachusetts have showed a combined cost savings of $21 million. The eight Texas-led initiatives alone show a cost savings of $1 million annually.3 Clinical successes from the Texas CSI teams include 3 • Decreased pressure ulcer incidents by 39 percent • Decreased central-line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) by 57 percent • Reduced mechanical ventilation time in critically ill patients by one day • Decreased patient falls by 40 percent

The time is now for Houston Methodist nurses to demonstrate the impact of nursing on improved patient outcomes and cost. We are expected to lead and not follow in the redesign and improved health care for all patients across all practice settings. To accomplish this, nurses must be good consumers of nursing research, helping to bring evidence to the bedside for speedy implementation but also learn to disseminate their own impactful work to other nurse colleagues and professionals. In 2015, the Department of Nursing Science will begin a series of lectures and workshops focused on reviewing the literature and disseminating projects through abstract development, poster presentations and publishing. We hope to see you there.

• Reduced noise levels in the intensive care unit by 22 percent • Decreased handoff incident reports between emergency department and ICU by 100 percent Rob Szczerba, CEO of X Tech Ventures and columnist for Forbes and the Huffington Post, states “the message to hospital administrators should be clear — if you’re looking to improve the quality of care and reduce costs, try talking to the people working on the front lines every day — talk to a nurse.”2

For further assistance with your research or EBP projects please contact: Houston Methodist Hospital: Shannan Hamlin Houston Methodist San Jacinto: Kathy Arthurs Houston Methodist Sugar Land: Betty Gonzales or Tricia Lewis Houston Methodist West: Kahla LaPlante or Laura Espinosa Houston Methodist Willowbrook: Robin Howe

REFERENCES 1. American Nurses Association. Definition of Nursing. 2014.

2. Szczerba RJ. “Looking to transform healthcare? Ask a nurse.” Forbes 2014.

3. Aylett K. “American association of critical-care nurses innovation training program demostrates ongoing impact on future of nursing.” AACN Communications 2014.

LEADERS IN NURSING 17

DIVERSITY AND UNITY THE THEME of Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital’s Perioperative Nurse Week

By Vicki Fox, OR Director, Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital

More than 200 visited the mock setup of the three phases of perioperative care. Right: Wanda Butaud hosts a mock OR.

Recognizing that perioperative care is delivered by a dynamic and collaborative team of specialists, Nov. 8-14 was designated as Perioperative Services’ Week at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital.

The theme of the weeklong event, “Recognizing Our Diversity, Celebrating Our Unity,” highlighted the unit’s cultural diversity and displayed the contributions of our perioperative team. The week kicked off with a poster presentation that described the department as well as the various roles of each member of the team, fun facts about the department, care of the patient undergoing complex anterior and posterior spinal surgery as well as evidence-based research that has been incorporated in the practice of intravenous catheter insertions.

More than 200 visited the mock setup of the three phases of perioperative care — pre-op, intra-op and post-op — on the second day. Staff discussed the care of the surgical patient going through their respective areas as well as presented evidence-base practice changes that have been incorporated to their practices such as the use of bacteriostatic normal saline in filtration in lieu of lidocaine when inserting IV catheters. The intra-operative area showcased three operating room setups and discussed patient care during 360° spinal fusion, cardiopulmonary bypass and robotic abdominal surgery (complete with a surgical robot, DaVinci Xi) that allowed visitors to operate the device.

The PACU staff discussed postoperative care of the surgical patient. Minimally invasive suturing stations allowed visitors to experience the complexity of laparoscopic suturing.

The visitors (clinical and nonclinical staff, patients, visiting family members, etc.) went through the mock perioperative setup.

Two lecture presentations were the main event for the third day.

Dr. Jeffrey Wood presented “Combined Anterior and Posterior Fusion ‘The 360’” followed by Dr. David Green presenting “Pain Management & TAP Blocks.”

18 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE

Nurse Practitioners Recognized at Houston Methodist West

By Sarah Fleming, Houston Methodist West

It is not every day that the governor sends out a proclamation declaring a dedicated day to a specific group of people, let alone an entire week. In Texas, Nov. 9-15 was officially proclaimed Nurse Practitioner (NP) Week by Gov. Rick Perry to help raise awareness of NP’s role in modern health care. Thousands of highly skilled NPs provide high-quality, personalized health care to countless Texans and support the well-being of communities throughout the Lone Star state.

More than 100 NPs work within Houston Methodist in various practice settings, such as critical care and acute care units, outpatient centers, preoperative services, diagnostic cardiology, interventional radiology, palliative care, psychiatry and the emergency department.

Nurse practitioners are an integral part of the multidisciplinary team that staff the intensive care unit (ICU) at Houston Methodist West Hospital. The ICU Nurse Practitioner Service and intensivist team gained momentum in June/July 2014 with the addition of an NP recruit from South Carolina, Mike Blew, a nurse practitioner manager, Elizabeth Gigliotti, and three intensivists, Murtuza Ahmed, Mir Alikhan and Olakunle Idowu. Jamal Razzack, MD, is the medical director of the ICU and NP Service, and the NPs are Carlotta Woodard, Ruben Melendez, Wilson Martir and Viviane Teixeira.

Currently one part-time and five full-time NPs deliver care to ICU patients 24 hours a day. In addition, NPs respond to rapid response calls and code blues throughout the hospital. They provide an advanced level of care to patients as well as be a resource to staff nurses.

HMWB HOSTS PHILIPPINE NURSES ASSOCIATION SEMINAR More than 100 nurses from across the greater Houston nursing community attended the Philippine Nurses Association of Metropolitan Houston North Chapter’s third annual fall seminar at Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital on Nov. 15. The all-day event, titled “Illuminating Nursing Practices Based on Research — Reflection on the Processes and Outcomes of Quality Nursing Care,” was devoted to promoting evidence-based practice in nursing Houston Methodist speakers included • Robin Howe, MSN, RNC-OB, RN IV, and chair of the Houston Methodist WIllowbrook Hospital Research Council, and Glenn Dennis, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, presented on how attendees could begin implementing evidence based practice initiatives and use EBP in process improvement.

• Wendi Froedge, MSN, RN, CCRN, shared literature and best practices on recognizing and preventing delirium.

• Cristina Dimafiles, BSN, RN, and Elaine Ngitit, BSN, RN, CCRN, drew from their experiences at Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital and shared real-world application of evidence-based practice in their units and the resulting outcomes in ventilator associated pneumonia and early mobility.

• And Sanjay Kunapuli, MD, gave a talk on the use of TR bands.

Ludy DeLeon, RN, CVRN, chair of the education committee, credits much of PNAMH-North’s success to the support of community hospitals. “Houston Methodist encourages professional growth in supporting an organization like PNAMH-N and its educational activities,” she said. “This is a true Magnet moment. Together, PNAMH-N and Houston Methodist have one goal: Excellence!”

LEADERS IN NURSING 19

NURSING NEWS ACCOLADES Houston Methodist is proud to have nurses who are dedicated to the nursing profession, driven to achieve growth in their professional development, and creative and always compassionate in their care for patients.

HOUSTON METHODIST HOSPITAL Joy Shiller, RN, BSN, MS, CAPA, Main 3 OR Pre-op, was one of 10 nurses throughout the U.S. selected to serve on the ABPANC CAPA certification Examination Construction Committee. Congratulations, Joy! Evangeline Estrada, BSN, RN,CVRN-BC, passed her CVRN exam. Congratulations, Evangeline!

Congratulations to Shelly Moran, RN in Dunn 3 OR, who completed her RN to BSN program at UT-Arlington. Way to go, Shelly!

Congratulations to Jonathan Golenko, BSN, RN, CVRN-BC! He completed and passed the exam in October.

Congratulations to Shanedra Davis on Dunn 9, who recently received her master’s in Nursing Education. Way to go, Shanedra!

Congratulations to Main 4’s Ashley Njeako, RN-BC, for passing the Med-Surg Certification!

Main 4 successfully completed its first annual Nursing Bootcamp! Kudos to Eva Boone, Nurse Manager, and her team for coordinating the event.

Rhonda Young, manager in Dunn 3 OR, and Susan Teer, director of Main 7 Southwest/ Dunn 4 West/Dunn 10 East, received outstanding service and appreciation awards at the Houston Methodist Center for Liver Disease & Transplantation. Congratulations!

Congratulations to Sharifa Jones, patient sitter with the Flex Team, for her acceptance into Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Sharifa is also graduating in December from UT Arlington with Bachelor of Science in Nursing, magna cum laude.

Linnea Richardson, RN II in the MICU, obtained her CCRN. Way to go, Linnea!

Congrats to Shelly Moran, RN, BSN, from Dunn 3 OR, for passing her CNOR. Way to go, Shelly!

Gary Bolanos, RN in CT, passed his Radiology Certification exam!

Congratulations, Gary!

Congratulations to Suzanne Garmon, DOR manager, for earning her CNML (Certification for Nurse Managers and Leaders)!

Congratulations to Leonafe Alasco, Jennifer Trantham and Eileen Chang, who passed their Medical-Surgical Certification!

Jessica Contreras (D6W) and Maggie Corona (M6NW) from Women’s Services were promoted to PCA III. Way to go!

Rhonda Young, manager in Dunn 3 OR, and Susan Teer, director of Main 7 Southwest/ Dunn 4 West/Dunn 10 East, received outstanding service and appreciation awards at the Houston Methodist Center for Liver Disease & Transplantation celebration on Oct. 24. The awards were presented by Dr. Mark Ghobrial. Congratulations!

Miguel Lumaque, RN, from CVICU passed his CCRN exam. Way to go, Miguel!

The following people passed the Nurse Executive (NE-BE) exam: Patti Martinez, Rehab Nurse Manager; Ann Nichols, postacute director; and Rowena Sneathern, Alkek 8 director.

Congratulations!

Nida Ventura, RN from Main 6 Southwest, has passed her Med-Surg certification! Way to go, Nida!

Brenda Case-Cook, RN, BSN, MSN, DNP on Jones 11, Level III mentor, has graduated with her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from Regis University. Congratulations on your latest accomplishment!

Congratulations to Main 4’s Christine Ouko, RN-BC, for achieving her Med-Surg certification!

Congratulations to Sana Haj-Khalil, RN,BSN, MHA, CNN, NE-BC, director of Inpatient Dialysis, for passing her Nurse Executive Certification!

Congratulations to Lindsay Laskowski, RN of L&D on Dunn 6 West, for obtaining her RNC-OB! HOUSTON METHODIST SUGAR LAND Congratulations for earning degrees: Jennifer Simoneaux, BSN, RN-Wound Care Clinic Congratulations for earning certifications: Wound Care Certification (WCC): Flavia Esmas, RN, CVRN, WCC Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN): Janna M. Young, MSN, RN, CEN (Main ECC)

Certified Cardiovascular Registered Nurse (CVRN): Flavia Esmas, RN, CVRN, WCC (Wound Care Clinic); Liberty Ramas, BSN, RN, CVRN (Main 6 West); Mojgan Tourchi, BSN, RN, CVRN (Main 6 West); Kristen Dang, RN, CVRN (Main 4 West); Beena Varghese, RN, CVRN (Main 4 West); Ainy Ali, RN, CVRN (Main 4 West); Geri Braza, RN, CVRN (Main 4 West); Tina George, RN, CVRN (Main 4 West); Yves Senat, BSN, RN, CVRN (Main 4 West) Certification in Occupational Health (COHN-S): Laurie Arena, BSN, RN, COHN-S (Employee Health Clinic) Certification for Pediatric Emergency Nurse (CPEN): Laurie Sweet, BS, RN, CEN, CPEN (Sienna ECC) Certification for Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AG-ACNP): Mildred Kho, MSN, RN, AG-ACNP (Nurse Practitioners) American Board of Perianesthesia Nursing Certification (CPAN): Paschale Dorismond Parks, RN, CPAN Certified Ambulatory Perianesthesia Nurse (CAPA): Belma Miguel, BSN, RN, CAPA OCN: Arlene Ong, BSN, RN, OCN, CMSRN; Filipinas Sison, BSN, RN, OCN, CMSRN CMSRN: Susan Thomas, BSN, RN, CMSRN (Main 5 East); Anna Baby, BSN, RN, CMSRN (Main 5 East); Robin Smith, CMSRN HOUSTON METHODIST WILLOWBROOK Kim Quinn, BSN, RN, completed her BSN. Congrats Kim, we are all so proud of you!

Megan Smith received her RNC-OB certification.

HOUSTON METHODIST WEST Alfonso Chicas, director of Perioperative Services, received his Nurse Executive certification (NE-BC).

Nancy Jo Goldie completed her BSN. Lisa Mauricio was promoted to 5 West manager.

Sarah Fleming was promoted to 6 West manager.

SHOWCASE YOUR HOSPITAL The accolades page is an opportunity for the nursing staff to highlight a few of the many exciting tributes our nurses receive. Please submit kudos to kagifford@houstonmethodist.org.