Houston Methodist Nursing Magazine Fall 2017

NURSE H O U S T O N

M E T H O D I S T

SUMMER / FALL 2017

SUGAR LAND GETS MAGNET

STRONGER THAN THE STORM

POPULATION HEALTH

Sugar Land is the fourth facility in the system to achieve prestigious designation

Nurses share stories of surviving Harvey

Initiative that began at San Jacinto helping thousands of employees

Liisa Ortegon Senior vice president and chief nursing executive Houston Methodist Hospital

Becky Chalupa Vice president and chief nursing officer Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital

NURSE H O U S T O N

M E T H O D I S T

SUMMER / FALL 2017

Hurricane Harvey devastated many parts of Houston, but Houston Methodist nurses and other employees stepped up to help patients and each other. Several of these stories are shared in this issue of Houston Methodist Nurse.

Janet Leatherwood Vice president and chief nursing officer Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital

In September, Houston Methodist Sugar Land received Magnet designation, making it the fourth Houston Methodist facility to hold this honor. The hospital was fortunate to be able to celebrate this achievement at the annual Magnet Conference, which was hosted in Houston this year.

Email Kelli Gifford at kagifford@houstonmethodist.org if you have any comments about the magazine or potential story ideas.

Nancy Keenan Vice president and chief nursing officer Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital

MAGAZINE EDITOR Kelli Gifford Vicki Brownewell Vice president and chief nursing officer Houston Methodist West Hospital

Katherine Walsh Vice president and chief nursing officer Houston Methodist St. John Hospital

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Rosario Alvarado

Jackie Gendrich

Amy Barnett

Beverley LaMoth

Jessica Bright

Brandee Lovercheck

Rod Evans

Carlette Patterson

Sarah Fleming

Jessica Saavedra Serrano

ShuntĂĄ Fletcher

Joy Shiller Robyn Washington

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jacquie Frazier Kerrie Guerrero Vice president and chief nursing officer Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital

2 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE | SUMMER / FALL 2017

CONTENTS Sugar Land 04

Achieves Magnet Designation

04

Partnership 06

Helps Lower

Readmissions

08 Population Health Cover Story: 09

Stronger than

06

the Storm

18

Focus on Research Nursing

St. John Nurse 20

Crochets for Babies

Brown Foundation 24

Winner Announced

09

Awards & 25

Accolades LEADERS IN NURSING | SUMMER / FALL 2017 3

MAGNET

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Achieves Magnet® Recognition

Hospital Becomes Fourth in System to Hold Prestigious Designation Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital has earned Magnet® recognition — the highest and most respected national honor for nursing excellence — from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

Houston Methodist Sugar Land is the only hospital in Fort Bend County to hold Magnet designation and is the fourth Houston Methodist facility to achieve the designation, joining Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital and Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital.

“This is a tremendous honor and a well-deserved recognition for our staff, which exemplifies the very best in nursing and interprofessional care every single day,” says Janet Leatherwood, vice president and chief nursing officer at Houston Methodist Sugar Land. “Achieving Magnet designation is a lengthy, challenging journey and one that we’ve worked on for several years. At the heart of the process, however, are the day-to-day interactions we have with each other and with our patients. The patient care and commitment to quality that our nurses and interprofessional staff demonstrate is second-to-none, and all of us are grateful for the ongoing

4 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE | SUMMER / FALL 2017

Chief Nursing Officer Janet Leatherwood (center) celebrates with members of the Houston Methodist Sugar Land nursing staff after receiving the news that the hospital received its first Magnet designation.

support of our entire leadership team, physicians and staff.”

Research demonstrates that Magnet recognition provides specific benefits to health care organizations and their communities, such as: • Higher patient satisfaction with nurse communication, availability of help and receipt of discharge information • Lower risk of 30-day mortality and lower failure to rescue rates • Higher job satisfaction among nurses • Lower nurse reports of intentions to leave their positions Magnet organizations also attract and retain top talent; advance nursing and interprofessional standards and practices; and foster a collaborative culture.

“Magnet designation is recognition of the culture of excellence that we have worked so hard to build and maintain here — the cornerstone of how we serve the community,” says Chris Siebenaler, senior regional vice president and chief executive officer. “It is the ‘gold standard’ for nursing excellence and acknowledgement of the outstanding care that our patients receive every day.

I am extremely proud of our team.

At the heart of the Houston Methodist Sugar Land Magnet program are the 103 interprofessional Magnet champions. The Magnet champions promote a Magnet culture of excellence and serve as unit and department resources for Houston Methodist Sugar Land employees. The Magnet champions meet monthly and bring the information they learn back to their units and departments. They also host two to three hospital-wide events each year to engage employees, patients and families in learning about the Forces of Magnetism® a set of 14 characteristics necessary to attract and keep nurses. The Magnet champions were instrumental in preparing all Houston Methodist Sugar Land employees for the Magnet site visit that occurred July 10-12.

“At Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, Magnet is excellence in our relationships with each other, our patient care and the outcomes of our work and care,” says Mary Harris, Houston Methodist Sugar Land Magnet program director. “It’s truly a framework to demonstrate that the required sources of evidence are present across every area of our organization.”

Magnet Conference Comes to Houston

MAGNET

City Welcomes M ore Than 9,000 Nurses

By Robyn Washington The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) National Magnet® Conference – the largest nursing conference in the United States – came to Houston in October and welcomed more than 9,000 nurses representing 20-plus countries.

The Magnet® Conference is the official annual conference of the prestigious Magnet Recognition Program®, serving as both a celebration of accomplishment for newly designated Magnet organizations and a showcase of best nursing practices for the Magnet community.

The ANCC partnered with the Rebuilding Together Houston organization to revitalize neighborhoods of low-income elderly homeowners. Attendees were encouraged to support community service by giving cash donations to the organization. ANCC also challenged the conference attendees to raise money to support hurricane‑affected nurses. During the conference, attendees raised more than $100,000.

“Having the Magnet Conference in Houston gave me the opportunity to

be a part of this huge phenomenon,” says Beverly La Moth, RN, MSN, OCN, of Houston Methodist Hospital. “It was an awesome experience. I was definitely re‑energized.”

The 2017 conference hosted hundreds of the industry’s top‑ranking companies’ exhibitions that resulted in a packed exhibit hall. More than 150 concurrent sessions offered attendees the opportunity to earn up to 24 continuing nursing education contact hours with topics including education tracks based on evidencebased practice/research, innovation, leadership and practice.

As a co-host of the ANCC Magnet Conference, Houston Methodist Magnet-designated hospitals were able to volunteer in several capacities.

Nurses and interdisciplinary staff volunteered as ushers, facilitators, and presenters. Additionally, staff submitted poster presentations and volunteered in numerous ways, such as working the ANCC bookstore.

“It was an opportunity to meet nurses from all over,” says Toy Stewart: RDMS, RT(R)(M), a lead ultrasound technologist at Houston Methodist Hospital. “I was able to

share best practices and discuss how to get Magnet up and going. … and volunteering as a facilitator, I was able to hear educational sessions.”

While in Houston, nurses from the Philippines and the Netherlands visited Houston Methodist Hospital.

Nurses and Interdisciplinary staff were present to share ideas and provide answers to questions regarding the Magnet culture.

“The experience was enlightening and the enthusiasm for nursing excellence was palpable.”

The 2017 ANCC National Magnet Conference spotlighted “Houston Strong.” On the heels of challenges presented by Hurricane Harvey, Houston “working together” produced an outstanding conference, according to many attendees.

“The experience was enlightening and the enthusiasm for nursing excellence was palpable,” says Magnet Program Director Nina Hawthorne, MSN, RN, CVRN. “Serving as volunteers throughout the week of the conference, the Houston Methodist Hospital team showed up in a mighty way!

Volunteering allowed each of us to get a behind the scenes look at what it takes to host one of the largest conferences for nursing. Now, we are empowered to go forth and conquer the charge to continue on the path of creating and inspiring nursing innovations.”

LEADERS IN NURSING | SUMMER / FALL 2017 5

Once Homeless Man Finds Hope With Help of Care Program

Trondail Hawkins was able to get his dog, Striphe (pronounced Stripe), registered as an Emotional Support Animal.

positive decisions and praised him for vocalizing the need for healthy lifestyle choices.

By Marshall Getz

The importance of community medicine is clear once you’ve heard Trondail Hawkins’ story. Though not even 40 years old, he has spent considerable time in emergency rooms.

In 2016, he showed up in the Houston Methodist Hospital Emergency Department or Kirby Emergency Care Center nine times ― a significant jump from two visits the year before.

such as locating a primary care doctor or specialist willing to take new patients, assisting with medication reconciliation, and educating patients about their needs. Services offered by the PCIC go further, because they have weekly home visits, set up transportation to and from medical appointments, and accompany patients to their doctor’s offices.

Ill, unsettled and separated from his family, Hawkins likely would have seen a very similar 2017, but a unique partnership between Houston Methodist Hospital and the Patient Care Intervention Center (PCIC) changed the way Hawkins gets help.

Using emergency rooms for primary or follow-up care has become a familiar pattern for many Americans, and this practice imposes significant costs, as well as leading to the delays and diversion of resources and staff. For Hawkins, who suffers from multiple complex illnesses, ED visits seemed almost inevitable, until the hospital’s DSRIP’s Behavioral Health Transition of Care Program introduced him to the PCIC.

PCIC became a game changer for Hawkins. Too often, being discharged from the hospital created a gap in care, rather than a bridge. For Hawkins,

In the three years since DSRIP (Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment) launched the program has actively sought community partners.

PCIC has proven to be one of the program’s most valuable, since it is a grant-funded organization that focuses on coordinating health care for the socio-economically disadvantaged.

PCIC looks at health care at the “micro” level, dealing with obstacles 6 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE | SUMMER / FALL 2017

Health care workers understand that good health does not exist in a vacuum, and most patients might sacrifice a maintenance medication if they need food. This program fills in the gap in care by finally creating a “wrap‑around” service that addresses the mundane factors that pose obstacles to better health.

Hawkins spent 14 days at Houston Methodist Hospital in the fall of 2016 alone. Presently, DSRIP has between four to six patients using PCIC monthly. Like Hawkins, they fall into the category of “super-utilizers,” and they usually stay under the PCIC’s guidance until the patient and caseworker feel care can be managed independently. Hawkins celebrated his “graduation” from the program,

PCIC looks at health care at the “micro” level, dealing with obstacles such as locating a primary care doctor, assisting with medication reconciliation, and educating patients about their needs. complexities in his care included his lack of understanding what precisely his insurance covered, and how much he would have in copays. A PCIC caseworker got this information for Hawkins and explained it to him.

The PCIC staff get to know patients through home visits and by taking them to their appointments. They understand that education, economic and social stressors impact well-being.

In the case of Hawkins, they knew that he reached an emotionally vulnerable point and had not found stable housing.

The caseworker reinforced Hawkins’

and he now has stable housing, regular medical care and even his dog has the status of an Emotional Support Animal.

This move alone created a snowball effect for Hawkins because not being able to take his dog to appointments was one of his deterrents from going.

Hawkins provides an example of a patient who benefitted from the additional service. As of September 2017, he visited the ED only three times for this year, suggesting he better understands his health care needs. * PCIC staff contributed to this story.

3RD Annual Houston Regional Shared Governance Conference

Focusing on Resilience in Health Care

By Mary L. Shepherd, MS, RN, NEA-BC For the third year, 13 regional hospitals gathered at the Pelazzio Ballroom in Houston to share best practices and strategies that promote a resilient workforce during the Houston Regional Shared Governance Conference.

The conference included 14 podium presentation, CNO and staff nurse panels, and 19 poster presentations.

A key theme of the program was to promote an understanding of the human factors, including lateral violence, that influence resiliency, for example, the capacity to be resourceful and creative, and fundamentals that engage employees.

The keynote presentation, “Civility Matters: The Cost of Incivility,” by Tricia Lewis, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, CNML, of Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, focused on the cost of lateral violence and incivility, such as how it affects patient safety and outcomes, and employee productivity, absenteeism and turnover. The audience was surveyed to determine their perception of the degree of incivility that exists. Numerous tips were shared to cultivate civility and psychological safety.

Participants socialize during the conference.

Nurses take advantage of the photo booth props to have some fun.

“Promoting civility is one key to resilience,” says Lewis. “The primary message was that the things we learned in kindergarten matter, and we must be mindful of our verbal and nonverbal behaviors as we provide compassionate communication in any setting.”

Other presenters shared best practices on how improved communication and relationships achieved better outcomes, how augmenting the staff’s knowledge and the use of supportive organizational resources enhanced their ability to manage ethical dilemmas, and how a team of Magnet champions took charge and developed

a retention plan that had great success.

Other presentations highlighted the use of an innovation council to engage nurses and the establishment of a compassion care team to promote resiliency.

End note speaker Lowine Sarbacker, MSN, MHA, RN-BC, director of education at Memorial Hermann Healthcare System, closed the conference with a presentation that focused on creating a healthy work environment by recognizing and overcoming bullying through the application of simple solutions.

Houston Methodist Hospital Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive Liisa Ortegon joins Mary Shepherd, nursing program director, at the Shared Governance Conference.

LEADERS IN NURSING | SUMMER / FALL 2017 7

WELLNESS

Population Health Initiative Targets Employees

By Erik Noriega During the last few years, Houston Methodist has been looking for new ways to help employees get and stay healthy. Today, a population health initiative that began at Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital is helping thousands of employees and their spouses as part of the Health Tracks initiative – Houston Methodist’s employee wellness program.

51 percent of the same group fell to “low risk” in 2016, with 32 at “rising risk” and only 17 percent at “high risk.”

Laurie Terry, an administrative director at San Jacinto, was part of the initial program in 2014. She remembers when she received a high A1c score, meaning her blood sugar was not under control.

Houston Methodist has recently introduced other outwardly facing population health programs aimed to help members of the community improve their health. Houston Methodist Coordinated Care is aimed at providing a circle of coordinated care to more than 16,000 patients.

The Transitions in Care program provides patients support once they’ve gone home after a hospital admission. Team members call patients once they’re home to make sure they have the resources they need after being discharged. These programs help Houston Methodist manage patients effectively to ensure their needs are met.

“I am grateful for the Houston Methodist wellness screenings, which helped to diagnose me early,” Terry says. “They provided me with a nurse navigator who helped me manage my health.”

In the 2018 program, employees or their spouses with an A1c score higher than 6.5 percent are placed on a guided track and paired with a care navigator nurse, who creates a personalized health improvement plan with participants to help them reach their goals. Other focuses this year include high cholesterol (LDL 191 or above), high blood pressure (systolic 150 or above or diastolic 100 or above) or those who test positive for nicotine.

Participants who completed the program’s guided track showed marked improvement between 2015 and 2016. Initial numbers for 2015 showed 40 percent at “rising risk” in their respective category and 60 percent at “high risk.” By comparison,

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Today’s program was initially a population health pilot program for employees at Houston Methodist San Jacinto and their benefitted spouses.

The program proved successful and was eventually launched systemwide.

Although Health Tracks is an internal, employee-based program, the patients served by the employees benefit from a healthier and more productive workforce.

Robyn Washington, an RN in pre‑admit testing at Houston Methodist Hospital for the last 15 years, is a self-described “fixture” in the Health Track program.

She’s taken advantage of the care navigator program as well as other

HealthyDirections programs, such as Meal Mastery 101.

“I enjoy the activities and I like to be around the kind of people who are also trying to manage their weight,” Washington says. “I do enjoy eating, but I’m always looking for healthy alternatives … you can learn something all the time.”

“These are excellent programs that keep you mindful.”

According to Washington, Houston Methodist’s program offers “great support and resources” to those who qualify for these programs. Many of the HealthyDirections programs are also available to employees who are in the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Health Track.

“These are excellent programs that keep you mindful,” Washington says.

As with any wellness program, the Health Tracks will only help those employees who are willing to put in the work to get healthier.

“My advice to everyone is to take care of your health, participate in health screenings if possible, and see your family physician,” Terry says.

“I am thankful I have a wonderful support system at home, excellent physicians to take care of me, and work for a company that cares about its employee’s health.”

For more information, visit healthydirectionshotspot.com/health-tracks.

STRONGER THAN THE STORM Hurricane Harvey made landfall on Friday, Aug. 25, as the first Category 4 hurricane to hit the United States since 2004 and caused more widespread, catastrophic flooding and damage in Houston than Tropical Storm Allison in 2001. All Houston Methodist employees were affected by the storm in one way or another, and many lost their homes and belongings.

But amid the devastation there was hope and much support from the community and within. There were times where nurses weren’t able to leave the hospital, take breaks or get much sleep. Others were stranded in their homes – or in shelters – unable to get to work to relieve their colleagues.

Many lost everything and have to start over. In the midst of the storm, when help was needed the most, employees stepped up – some using their trucks to go through the floodwaters to get nurses to the hospital to help, others staying at their hospitals for several days, not seeing their families or knowing how bad the damage to their homes was. Even during the turmoil, Houston Methodist united and never let the care we provide falter.

These are stories from nurses and about nurses and what they went through during the days of Harvey.

LEADERS IN NURSING | SUMMER / FALL 2017 9

A former nurse sent the Dunn 4W transplant team pizza from Hawaii.

Houston Methodist Hospital Steve Klahn, RN Director of Nursing, CVICU When Steve Klahn, the director of nursing for the CVICU and Dunn 9 at Houston Methodist Hospital, came into work on Sunday, Aug. 27, he immediately realized the challenging situation both in his units and others.

“The nurses who were there had been working without relief and looked very tired,” Steve says. “I knew we needed to get them help.”

Steve pulled out his disaster list and began calling nurses who live close to the hospital and asked them if they’d be willing to come to work if he picked them up in his four-wheel F150 pickup.

The first day he picked up six or seven nurses. When other departments found out what he was doing, they asked him to pick up their nurses, too. He ventured out again on Monday and Tuesday to pick up more nurses. In total, Steve picked up about 20 nurses who each offered much needed relief to a tired staff.

Steve doesn’t think he did anything special. He gives the nurses he picked up – who had to get through high water to get to him – all the credit. “This is more about the people who trusted me and took a chance,” he says. “These 10 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE | SUMMER / FALL 2017

people wanted to come to work, but they just couldn’t get here.”

Brennan M. Parmelee, MSN, RN, CPN, CNE Bone Marrow Transplant Coordinator Houston Methodist Hospital Cell & Gene Therapy “I worked mostly from home with one overnight night at Houston Methodist Hospital. My role was to coordinate a stem cell transplant for a patient at Texas Children’s. The child’s dad was stranded in The Woodlands and we were scrambling to arrange an operating room, staff, and, most importantly, a way to get him to the Texas Medical Center. We ended up utilizing an ambulance after originally

scheduling Life Flight. It was very high adrenaline for me because his daughter, who is the transplant recipient, could have had a high risk of death if she didn’t receive the transplant in time.

Part of her regimen was receiving total ablation by chemotherapy, which had already begun before Harvey hit. We successfully harvested the marrow and she will receive it soon. We are so happy.”

Susan Gray, RN III, Dunn 3 Pre-Op When her unit no longer had cases scheduled, pre-op nurse Susan Gray reported for work as part of the ride‑out team of nurses who work in other units around the hospital. Susan covered three different units over four

The Emergency Department team worked night and day for three days.

days, and everywhere she worked, she encountered great spirit, camaraderie and a willingness to help out wherever needed – she even saw nurses working in the Market Place. When Susan’s daughter Caty Devlin went into labor on Sunday she first went to a neighboring hospital where she was scheduled to deliver. But Caty and Susan wanted to be near each other, so the soon-to-be-mom waded through thigh-deep water to Houston Methodist Dr. Marc Boom joins the dialysis staff during Hurricane Harvey.

Hospital and Susan was able to be present at the birth. Baby boy Luca Heather Jabour, RN – Medical ICU dedication to assisting our staff, which was born Monday, completing a story “As the only Medical ICU at Houston made our unit function seamlessly. he will surely hear many times in Methodist Hospital, we are known as coming years. a team of nurses with varying levels I am proud to be a part of this unit and of experience and tenure. As in the proud to know I have family, beyond instance of a large family, we have a blood relatives, who I can rely upon familiarity with each other’s unique during a crisis. I am proud to work at contributions ― there are those you Houston Methodist Hospital. joke with, those to whom you go to for counsel, and those you use as support When the electricity went out all over systems. The Medical ICU is my family. the city, the nurses and staff at this This unit has been my home for the hospital carried their own light and last five years and its character shone warmth to each person they helped, brightest when Hurricane Harvey took making everyone feel less alone, all of the light from some of our homes. less afraid.”

The Dunn 9E ride-out team on day 3 of the storm.

Haley Edmison, RN Surgical-Liver ICU At the height of the storm, Haley Edmison likened her ride-out situation to being on an island. Everyone around her was completely prepared, and she saw nurses and patients becoming a tight-knit family. A few intubated patients were viewing TV news reports, which made them worry about their homes and families. With solid confidence and a great sense of humor, the staff was able to reassure and calm all the patients – and each other – while the storm raged outside.

Haley has been a nurse only 10 months, but her first storm experience showed her the heart of nursing at Houston Methodist Hospital.

The nurses of the MICU exemplified the Houston Methodist I CARE values, not just out of duty but out of a desire to be compassionate toward one another. Silvana and Valorie acquired hotel rooms to give rest to the nurses who were weary before getting a room for themselves. They made sure basic needs such as laundry services and unit makeshift bedrooms were available to staff at all times. They made meals, provided for by their own financial means to feed the unit staff. Our managers, Kay and Latonya, brought in food and provided emotional support not only for the people on the unit but to those that were stranded in the storm. Other nurses, worked tirelessly throughout the weekend providing round-the-clock patient care to critically ill patients. Our aides and secretaries were unfailing in their

Becky Helms, RN – Dunn ICU “Disasters can bring out the best or the worst in people – for my coworkers, it brought out the best during the Harvey weekend. I did not hear one complaint come out of my crews’ Emergency Department staff volunteer at NRG Stadium.

LEADERS IN NURSING | SUMMER / FALL 2017 11

mouths regarding the conditions. We persevered and came together like nothing I have ever seen before.

I have never been more proud to call myself a nurse. To be there to provide comic relief to my crew, and give a hug or free cup of coffee to my dying patient’s wife who just found out from her son that water was entering her home, was an honor. The ability to provide someone with a smile and a

so proud to call myself a Houstonian.

Seeing how this city has come together in a time of turmoil is incredible. Thank you to our first responders. Doing my job from the comfort of a hospital is easy compared to what they were doing on the front lines. And thank you to Houston as a city. People are saying it could take several months to even years to rebuild this place, but we will persevere. We may be broken now, but we are feisty – look out.”

The staff of perioperative services are all smiles.

glimmer of hope about their loved one Terry Clark, nurse manager – CVICU in this trying time is truly rewarding.

“The unknown trajectory and severity of To see multiple coworkers (nurses, NPs, an unpredictable storm, which Harvey RTs, unit secretaries) finding out about truly proved to be, caught many off their flooded homes and continuing to guard with its intensity and widespread do their job, like nothing was wrong destruction even though we prepared was incredible. These moments make as best we could. Those who rode out you realize what is important in life, the storm worked tirelessly over several and that not all heroes wear capes. days to care for our patients, families and each other, all while worrying Our awesome unit management about their families and homes. Many adequately staffed us all weekend placed themselves in peril attempting because of their quick decision to to come in to help, but came anyway call people in when they did. I know because we are a dedicated family. making big decisions for a hospital is not easy. Knowing that our executives Those who were unable to come in and higher-ups were having to make during the storm due to circumstances major decisions regarding disaster out of their control worried about their protocols while also dealing with their work family and watched helplessly own disasters in their personal life knowing others were working without (family members’ safety, home safety, much relief. Many felt guilty because, pet care, child care, etc.) further proves although safe in the comfort of their we are human. homes, they were unable to navigate a path through the rising waters to come Now, able watch the news for a help. Every day they looked for ways to consistent amount of time, I am also make it to the hospital only to have to 12 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE | SUMMER / FALL 2017

turn around and go back home to wait for the next try.

Several altered their schedules completely to cover staffing needs once it was safe to relieve those who became the ride out team only because they happened to be on duty. All staff schedules were disrupted in one way or another during this week of chaos. But we are truly more than just coworkers here. We care for each other and are family.”

David Langer, RN & Joanna Langer, RN Jones 8 Observation Unit David Langer, a night shift RN, came into work at noon to relieve the unit’s ride-out team a few hours early. He brought with him other staff members who could not drive to work on flooded roads – David picked them up in his high-riding pickup truck. His wife, Joanna, was one of the RNs on that ride-out team. After her shift, she used her husband’s truck to pick up and drive other staff members to work.

She also offered her home to shelter coworkers who could not go back to their own houses due to high water.

Nurses came prepared for the high water.

The Jones 9 IMU staff is ready to work.

Debbie Zajac, RN & Jill McGinnis, RN Houston Methodist Specialty Physician Group Both of these dedicated nurses worked during and after the storm, triaging and comforting stranded patients who could not leave their homes. Debbie and Jill were the only link to a health care team for these patients. They helped take calls from anxious patients, triaging those who did not need emergency care to open clinics and routing prescription refill requests. The flood claimed Debbie’s home and both of her automobiles, but she was able to help provide timely and effective care to all of our patients.

Francis Benson, RN – Main 8NW “Our day time manager, Jean Konicke, was very proactive during the Hurricane Harvey event by basically calling a ‘unit code grey’ on Thursday by preparing the day shift nurses to come to work on Friday prepared to stay for several days. The night shift nurses were also prepared thanks to management cooperation and assistance. First of all, preparing for the event helped in so many ways from staff being available, to staff bringing enough supplies for the stressful event.

Second, our staff practiced ‘going above and beyond’ demonstrating the Houston Methodist I CARE values in more ways than can possibly be

mentioned. Our unit’s staff practiced teamwork better than any other time since my joining M8NW. I also can tell that since the Code Grey, our staff’s teamwork has appeared to improve consistently. I have observed less negative attitudes from staff when being asked for assistance with patient care. Not only did the event impact us as staff but patients and their families were affected as well. I believe everyone involved in this event at the patient bedside worked together seamlessly. It makes me even prouder to be a staff member on M8NW.”

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Anne King, RN – Childbirth Center Anne King, RN, worked five shifts during Harvey and was finally relieved Wednesday morning to go home. She came back on Thursday with her neighbors and brought a cartload of pasta and home-baked goodies and snacks for the staff.

Jerome Amado, RN – Main ICU Jerome Amado used his boat to rescue many stranded from the flooding.

Diann Devillier, PRN – 4 West After a long career in nursing, Diann Deviller planned to retire on Aug. 30.

When Hurricane Harvey loomed, she knew her unit would need extra help during and after the storm. Diann asked her manager if she could delay her retirement. As always, Diann was there to support her team. She arrived for work ready to spend the night with a pillow under her arm and a suitcase in tow behind her. Diann’s dedication to her patients and her coworkers is The Brazos 5 ride-out relief team.

Numerous doctors also brought food: Dr. Hernandez, Dr. Olude, Dr. Karges, Dr. Evans, Dr. Nelson and Dr. LeGendre. Dr. Bhala cooked lasagna and chai tea and delivered them to the staff on the weekend. The nursing staff also brought food to share with everyone.

LEADERS IN NURSING | SUMMER / FALL 2017 13

The Labor and Delivery team pulled together for patients and patients’ families to still make the birth of their child a positive experience.

truly admirable. She is now officially retired – and we wish her the best.

Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital JoAnn Watson, RN Director of Nursing “I have to give credit to my husband, Jimmy Watson, who assisted during the storm. On Sunday morning he brought me back to the hospital in the wee hours of the night when we were still getting huge amounts of rain. It was very frightening, the hospital parking lot was already flooding and I already knew staff would have an The nurses of 2West take a quick breather.

even harder time by shift change. As the morning progressed, only a few people were able to come in and relieve the night shift. My husband, who was actually home ill, called to ask if I needed anything and I said, ‘Yes, people.’ He then got into his truck, which is a large four-door F350, and made multiple trips, going on information from addresses that I texted him from the command center, and his GPS, in order to bring nurses in to cover various units. We all really appreciated his effort and all the efforts from others who had the means to retrieve people. Many people wanted to come in and help, if they just had a way in. The Houston Methodist family really knows how to pull together when needed.”

Kristi Darbonne, RN Charge nurse, OB/Nursery “I would like to recognize the hard work of our entire OB department. After my husband, Chris, rescued nurses from their flooded-in homes in his big Jeep, these nurses worked tirelessly on minimal sleep through the week. Some of them knew their homes had flooded

14 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE | SUMMER / FALL 2017

and their families had to be evacuated but they worked anyway. Some nurses had babies at home and were not even obligated to ‘ride out,’ but stepped up to the plate. I’m honored to be among the best of the best.”

Krysta Lindsey, RN – ICU “I would like to give major kudos to the ICU staff on night Saturday, Aug. 26.

Harvey hit and only two nurses could make it in for their day shift. Later in the day, a couple more nurses – who had been trapped down the road – also made it in. Many of the night shift and the following day shift nurses who made it in worked more than 20-hour shifts caring for multiple patients.

Others made it in Monday and we all rode out the aftermath together.

Teamwork.

In a disaster, only the sickest of the sick show up in the ICU. After the storm, we will have the second wave of patients.

These patients have delayed treatment or could not get in to the hospital, and new illness will be brewing with fumes from generators, mold, respiratory problems from refinery smoke and a

multitude of other illnesses. I am very proud of my coworkers. There are no words that can express how lucky I feel to work beside them.”

Tracey Walker, RN – ICU Tracey Walker was caring for a patient who desperately needed to be flown to a trauma hospital during the storm.

Transportation, however, had been shut down. Tracey went to check on her patient one last time before bedding down when she saw a U.S. Coast Guard frogman next to the patient. The Coast Guard had volunteered to fly the patient to a trauma center. “The pilot asked ‘Are you the flight nurse?’” and without hesitation, Tracey volunteered.

“This flight was during peak storm,” Tracey says. “The pilot told me ‘This is going to be a bumpy ride,’ right before we took off.” And it was. She had flown in a helicopter before as a trauma nurse, but flying during a hurricane was new to her. Once they dropped off the patient, the pilot told Tracey they had to immediately leave as the Coast Guard was grounding flights in a few minutes. She was taken back to San Jacinto, and thanks to Tracey, the patient received the care he needed.

Our team was made up of staff and nurses who were assigned to the ride out team, the recovery team, and exempt employees who were not scheduled to work. But when the time came and they were needed, each of them came in to help and stayed to ride out the storm. They came together to care for our patients and patient’s families going through their own loss of homes, cars and belongings in order to make the birth of our patients’ children the positive experience they will always remember when recalling Harvey.

We had doctors who gave up their call rooms, employees who shared blow-up mattresses when others had nowhere else to sleep besides chairs or the floor.

We overcame not having any patient beds when other hospitals closed due to flooding and came together to care for the overwhelming number of patients coming into our unit.

I am really proud of the staff and doctors who were here working and remaining calm when there were

no available beds, when we were short-staffed in nurses, planning meals to make, taking turns cooking and cleaning and overall being the I CARE team that Houston Methodist employees are asked to be each day when we walk into the doors of our hospital.”

Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital Christine Bradley – Director of Nursing Christine Bradley was part of the rideout team. After returning home, Christine received a phone call from Dwight Adsit, an athletic training manager, who was trying to find a safe route home for a patient about to be discharged.

Christine’s home was near the patient’s home so Dwight called to see how the roads were around her home. Christine went above and beyond and drove from her house to the patient’s house to make sure his home was safe from floodwaters and to mark a safe route

Rafael Alincastre lost his home and the majority of his belongings.

Rafael Alincastre, RN – 2 South “With a heavy heart, we lost the majority of all of our material things during the storm. They are replaceable, though a hassle we have to go through.

Thank you for all your prayers. In the hardest times, I feel like crying. The love and support of my family, friends and the God that never left my side keeps my spirits high.”

Sarah Butcher, RN – Flex team “I would like to say, from all the groups from day shift to night shift, nurses to doctors, housekeeping, unit clerks, and surgical techs, that the Labor and Delivery team pulled together and all worked as a unit of one.

LEADERS IN NURSING | SUMMER / FALL 2017 15

language and AIDET and I tried to help them with simple requests like getting them a blanket or water,” Nancy says.

While she downplays what she did, Nancy helped the tired nursing staff concentrate on bigger issues.

The Houston Methodist West 5 West ride-out team.

for him. She provided a recommended route for the patient to safely travel, and because of her the patient was discharged and made it home.

Houston Methodist West Hospital Layne Schramm – Athletic trainer Layne Schramm is an athletic trainer at Houston Methodist West Hospital who learned about a patient who’d been discharged but was unable to get home. The patient’s wife and an ambulance couldn’t get the patient home during the storm. Layne volunteered to try. Navigating around flooded and debris-filled streets, Layne successfully delivered the patient to his home. Layne didn’t stop there. He took a second patient home whose family couldn’t reach him because of flooding.

Layne also found an open pharmacy to get much-needed medicine for the patient before he delivered him to his waiting family.

And Layne still wasn’t done. A new mother and father were ready to take their baby home but had no car seat.

Layne tried to take the father home to get it, but flood waters prevented them from reaching the house. Instead, Layne took the father to a local store to buy a new car seat. While the roads 16 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE | SUMMER / FALL 2017

to the family’s home were still flooded, they were able leave the hospital and find shelter at a nearby hotel.

Houston Methodist St. John Hospital Nancy Harris – Senior HR recruiter During the storm, Nancy Harris responded to a code gray and called in to see what she could do to help. She thought she’d be making sandwiches, but she was pressed into service by a busy nursing staff. Doing her best, she visited patients to make sure they were comfortable. “I used positive

The next day, Nancy received a phone call to see if she’d be able to sit with an elderly patient who presented a fall risk.

Even though she was cleaning a friend’s flooded house, she said yes. Because of her, the patient’s son could go home to get some much needed rest. The entire experience gave Nancy a new appreciation for clinical work. “It was very rewarding. After this experience I think I need a clinical job,” Nancy says.

Lisa Frankart, RN Charge Nurse 3 Surgical “The main thing that stood out to me working during the storm was that everyone worked so well together during this stressful time. It was hard to be away from our families and wondering what was happening to our homes, but everyone put their patients first and did their job like it was a normal day. There were tears with staff and patients and we all hugged each other a little more. “

Staff from Houston Methodist The Woodlands gather water and supplies for Harvey victims.

Houston Methodist The Woodlands leaders and staff discuss the plans for Harvey.

Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital On the evening of Sunday, Aug. 27, the command center at Houston Methodist The Woodlands was in full force. The ride-out team had assembled and was working diligently to navigate dry routes for employees who were trying to get to the hospital. Alisha Estay, director of ICU, announced that one of her team members, Heather Robinson, NP, had called to say her car flooded and she was unable to get to work. Without hesitation, John Nguyen, marketing manager, claimed the task of rescuing Robinson.

He along with Estay and Taylor Thompson, director of Cath Lab, got into his pickup truck and started heading toward Robinson. Nguyen, a long-time resident of The Woodlands, knew the streets and shortcuts to higher ground. He navigated his way through “semi-high” water and bypassed flooded streets.

The team learned Robinson was able to leave her car and walk back to her home where they were able to pick her up. She received a dry ride to the hospital and all arrived safe and sound.

Houston Methodist St. Catherine Hospital As a long-term acute care facility, Houston Methodist St. Catherine would not normally accept patients without long-term acute care needs. But in the height of the storm, the hospital received a call from Catastrophic Medical Operations Center (CMOC).

Three evacuated nursing home patients en route to a facility in Conroe had to be detoured because of flooding.

CMOC asked if Houston Methodist St. Catherine could take these patients.

After a 10-hour ambulance ride, the three elderly evacuees found respite from the rain at Houston Methodist St. Catherine.

Houston Methodist The Woodlands nurses in the Labor and Delivery unit.

A few minutes later, a young man came into the lobby asking for help. He had a disabled family member on a ventilator and asked if he could be evacuated to Houston Methodist St. Catherine.

Hospital leadership contacted CMOC and Houston Methodist St. Catherine was asked to take the patient. One of the ambulance crews that had just delivered the elderly evacuees transported the ventilator-dependent evacuee to Houston Methodist St. Catherine.

Even though the hospital is a specialized hospital, it opened its doors to people who needed help.

There wasn’t just one hero at Houston Methodist St. Catherine – but many.

We are proud of all of them.

LEADERS IN NURSING | SUMMER / FALL 2017 17

HOUSTON METHODIST RESEARCH INSTITUTE

From the Bedside to Clinical Research

By Allison Wollam While some nurses are intimidated by clinical research, Michelle Prystash, clinical research nurse II in the Academic Office of Clinical Trials in the Houston Methodist Research Institute, says it feeds her insatiable appetite for learning.

Prystash, who also has worked at the bedside, says in order to work in clinical research it helps to enjoy learning, to be inquisitive and to be highly organized. She works to debunk the myth that nurses will become bored or that they won’t be able to use their hard-earned degree in a meaningful way.

“Being a research nurse is highly autonomous, so you’ll rely heavily on your medical knowledge and assessments to gather quality data and keep patients safe,” she says. “Having great interpersonal skills is invaluable since you’ll be coordinating the trial across the institution and leaning on other staff to help perform researchrelated activities.”

She describes bedside nursing as “demanding, fast-paced and physically 18 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE | SUMMER / FALL 2017

exhausting.” Prystash says bedside nursing doesn’t leave a lot of time during the workday for scholastic growth such as grand rounds, journal reviews, and conferences – opportunities that she is afforded in clinical research. Bedside nurses

“Regardless of the nursing setting, you will only go as far as you push yourself.

There is always more to learn, and you must be engaged in your own growth!” sometimes have to trek back to the hospital on their days off to participate in such activities, which she suspects is a little less enticing to someone that is physically worn out or has worked overtime. “I get to dive deeper into pathological processes and therapies simply because it is the nature of

clinical research,” she says. “Regardless of the nursing setting, you will only go as far as you push yourself. There is always more to learn, and you must be engaged in your own growth!”

Prystash is the primary research nurse for the Vein of Marshall research project, which is evaluating the therapeutic value of ethanol infusion when used adjunctively with radiofrequency ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation. VOM enrolled its first patient in October 2013, and since that time, the research team has activated 14 sites across the U.S. The team expects to complete enrollment by the end of the first quarter of 2018 when the trial reaches its enrollment goal of 405 study participants.

For every clinical trial, there is a protocol that functions as an instruction manual for conducting a study. It dictates who can be included in the trial and who must be excluded, how an investigational procedure must be performed or a medication administered, what data to capture in follow-up, the types of adverse events to report, and depending on the study,

it can get pretty complicated. As a research nurse for VOM, she knows the protocol backward and forward and helps orchestrate all aspects of the trial. She also reinforces ethical research practices and protection of human subjects that may be particularly vulnerable when being approached to participate in a trial.

“I educate hospital and clinic staff about the investigational product or procedure, and I even get to travel to our other U.S. institutions to provide procedure training with the PI. Occasional traveling is a nice perk.”

She also served as the primary nurse on the Research Institute’s HeartMate 3 study in which the Houston Methodist site was ranked one of the top 10 sites in the U.S. Prystash says she’s using her expertise from that extremely successful clinical trial and applying it to the VOM trial.

Like Heartmate 3, the VOM study requires her to be extremely organized, and “perhaps even a little

neurotic” to maintain the prescribed protocol with a large team of people that includes a variety of staff from Houston Methodist Hospital – including physicians, bedside and clinic staff, pharmacy and laboratory staff, managing staff and schedulers.

“Clinical research has a tendency to throw a wrench into everyone’s usual workflow, and is sometimes met with resistance,” she says. “I think it’s important to let everyone know how much you appreciate their time and to help them in return – kindness goes a long way! With everyone’s cooperation and participation, successful studies like HeartMate 3 and Vein of Marshall are possible.”

Clinical research is a growing specialty and nurses can become credentialed after two years of experience. There are a variety of opportunities for career advancement, including clinical trials management, research quality assurance and human subject protections. Many nurses even cross

over into industry positions working for sponsors on trials. For nurses considering their Ph.D. or DNP, it’s a way to see firsthand how a protocol is built, the struggles with conducting a trial, how the data is extracted, and how conclusions are made that could influence practice and patient outcomes.

“Research empowers innovation and strengthens our credibility as health care providers,” she says. “Every drug, procedure and device had to prove its efficacy and safety in a trial before becoming common practice, so it’s important for nurses to embrace efforts that seek to enhance our practice and improve patient outcomes.”

As for her future, Prystash isn’t limiting herself to one sector of nursing. “I am working toward a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) degree, which would put me in the clinic more often than the hospital, but I’ve recently started entertaining the idea of switching from an FNP to an Acute Care NP program, which is hospital based. So, who knows what the future holds.”

Getting to Know Michelle Did you always know you wanted to work in research?

No, I initially wanted to work in the ICU, but that didn’t pan out.

It turns out that my mother also worked as a research nurse in her career, so when I heard of an opportunity at Houston Methodist, I picked her brain about the nature of clinical research and decided it was something I would be interested in trying. Now I’m thrilled to be working on trials in cardiology, especially with regards to the heart failure and EP education.

How have you been able to achieve and sustain your success throughout your career?

I am always reaching for the next rung on the ladder. I have an insatiable appetite to know more and do better, and I think it has helped sustain my career and is what inspired me to go to grad school.

Why did you choose to work for Houston Methodist?

Houston Methodist has an unparalleled reputation. I always knew I would get here as quickly as I could, and now I can’t

imagine being anywhere else. It’s the only place where I feel respected, supported and encouraged to excel in my career..

What do you enjoy most about nursing at HMH? In my opinion, we have some of the best nurses around. The nurses here really seem to enjoy what they do, are motivated to perform well and improve patient outcomes, and are some of the most helpful I’ve worked alongside.

Do you have any memorable patients that you still think about?

I always wonder how people are doing, but fortunately, I’m in a position where I still get to ask about them. I ask about my previous HeartMate 3 study patients all the time!

What do you do to relax and get away from the stress of nursing?

I dabble in photography, stained glass, and other arts and crafts when I have the time.

LEADERS IN NURSING | SUMMER / FALL 2017 19

HOUSTON METHODIST ST. JOHN HOSPITAL

Charitable knitting: Pharmacist Crochets Hats to Welcome and Warm Newborns Kathleen Cross didn’t set out to be the “Crochet Lady” at Houston Methodist St. John Hospital. But her love of crochet and her desire to brighten others’ lives is a heart-and headwarming combination.

So Cross began crocheting small hearts and leaving them – anonymously – around the hospital. “I would place them in a doorway or on a statue for others to find,” she says.

“It was just a small way to share a Cross is a pharmacist at the hospital and a crochet artist who makes colorful, positive message that could help make somebody’s day better.” one-of-a-kind hats for newborns designed to keep their heads warm In addition to the hearts, Cross also while in the nursery. Each month, she began making blue stars with the crochets 10 or so hats, usually with a seasonal theme, for the babies at Houston Methodist St. John’s newly renovated Childbirth Center.

“It’s something I really enjoy doing and I love the idea that new parents receive a unique gift to go along with their new baby,” Cross says. “It makes their day and it makes me happy, too.”

Cross began crocheting when her children were little, but she eventually gave it up while pursuing a career as a pharmacist. When her granddaughter Natalie was born five years ago, however, she began crafting again.

“Unfortunately, Natalie had some sensory issues and didn’t like the texture of crocheted items,” says Cross.

But one day, Cross saw a Facebook post about the Peyton Heart Project, an effort begun in honor of a young man in The Woodlands who took his own life after being the frequent target of bullying. The project encourages people to make small hearts with positive messages attached and leave them in easy-to-find places to help inspire kindness.

20 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE | SUMMER / FALL 2017

It takes about 30 minutes to create a single hat, but she also spends time brainstorming new themes and finding and customizing patterns. To date, she’s crafted Valentine’s hats, Easter bunny hats, Astros hats, caterpillar hats, Fourth of July hats, bumble bee hats, apple hats, baseball and football hats and more. She even crocheted 150 pink hearts for the hospital’s Paint the Night Pink event last October.

“There is something very special about making baby hats. Even after a busy day at work, I can’t possibly remain stressed when I am making a hat and I know how excited the parents will be when they receive it!”

saying “You Are a Superstar” and giving “There is something very special about them to Houston Methodist St. John making baby hats,” she says. “Even nurses to bolster their spirits and thank after a busy day at work, I can’t possibly them for their dedication. remain stressed when I am making a hat and I know how excited the parents “When I see one of my stars hanging in will be when they receive it!” a nurse’s locker or at her work station, I know it’s made a difference to them, As Houston Methodist St. John even though it’s just a little thing,” expands its obstetrics services, the says Cross. number of babies born at the hospital will continue to grow. That’s why Cross About two years ago, Cross saw another wants to recruit other employees to join Facebook post that encouraged crochet her in the hat-making business. artists to make hats for newborns and cancer patients. She decided that was “I’ll even teach them how to crochet,” the perfect outlet for her skill, and she says. “Think how much fun it began crafting the hats for Houston would be for us all to get together and Methodist St. John babies. make hats!”

“I find it fun and relaxing,” she says.

Houston Methodist The Woodlands Off and Running

By Collin Burwinkel On opening day, the staff at Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital gathered in the atrium, eagerly awaiting the first patient and ready to begin the next step in their journey.

“Just as we said ‘3, 2, 1’ and were in full applause, the doors opened and a patient arrived, in perfect timing!” says Dana Samways, Clinical Education manager.

The 470,000-square-foot facility officially opened its doors July 1 and hit the ground running offering care to residents of The Woodlands and Montgomery County.

Houston Methodist I enjoy the most, our culture steals the spotlight every time,” she said. “The energy here is palpable, stemming from each staff member’s dedication to a higher standard of values. We truly care, and it shows in our relationships with one another and this new facility is absolutely beautiful.”

Recently, U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady toured the campus noting the impact it will have on the community.

“In our community, nowhere have we grown more impressively than in health care,” Brady said. “Houston Methodist The Woodlands, specifically, is a huge addition for us. This is what you hope for and the type of care you dream of for your community.”

“I have waited anxiously for Houston Methodist to come to The Woodlands where I have resided since 2003,” Samways said. “I have had the opportunity to welcome so many Even though the hospital has just internal transfers and new employees opened, it’s already expanding. to our beautiful facility. In preparation Houston Methodist The Woodlands for opening our doors, it was amazing Hospital’s second medical office to see the teamwork as staff created building and a parking garage are their department processes and were expected to open in early 2018. able to practice them during our multiple ‘Day in the Life’ scenarios.”

“It has been an exciting journey to bring the Houston Methodist values Samantha Kirkdorffer, a charge and unparalleled patient care nurse in labor & delivery, says the close to home, not only for our energy at the new facility is contagious. patients but also our health care “If I had to isolate one aspect of team.” said Samways.

Epic Upgrade Slated for February 2018 On Feb. 11, 2018, Houston Methodist will be upgraded to Epic version 2017 (v2017).

Updates include a new, vibrant overall look and feel and changes to improve safety and quality of care, productivity and usability for patients and staff.

Some key benefits of Epic v2017 include: • Redesigned After Visit Summary • MyChart improvements to pay bills online as a guest, prepayment collection and a new look and feel • Notifications added to the MAR for medications that require patient education • More streamlined In Basket makes follow up easier • New scheduling tools for patients who need multiple appointments • Everyone in the OR can see information on a single widescreen monitor • New financial assistance tools • Transfer Center replaces Teletracking for seamless transfers between our hospitals Why the upgrade • Promote patient satisfaction through improved tools and resources • Enhance usability and increase efficiency • Continue leading medicine with the latest, cutting-edge technology • Provide a foundation for future enhancements

LEADERS IN NURSING | SUMMER / FALL 2017 21

Houston Methodist

DIGEST

HOUSTON METHODIST HOSPITAL Employees enjoy Nights at the Zoo Houston Methodist Hospital hosted Nights at the Zoo where it welcomed employees and their families to enjoy the zoo and all of its amazing animals, with fun glow-in-the-dark necklaces and the delicious food. A total of 10,841 employees and family members attended the event, which was held Sept. 16 and Sept. 23.

Nurses Volunteer at Medical Bridges Over three days, 25 nurses put their I CARE values into action and took time out of their busy days to assist with sorting medical supplies at Medical Bridges, a group that works to distribute supplies to those who need them most. Over the two decades since its inception, Medical Bridges has delivered almost $90 million in medical supplies and equipment to more than 85 countries on five continents, saving thousands of cubic feet of surplus annually from ending up in landfills in the process.

Patient Returns to Thank Nurse on Year Anniversary Last year Jackie Ross came to Houston Methodist Hospital through the Emergency Department and subsequently underwent brain surgery. She then was admitted to the NICU. On the night of Sept. 29, Jackie wanted to return, in particular, to meet the voice that made her wake up that day in the NICU. During her initial recovery period, she said that her family told her that she did not even recognize them but the name “Archie” was always on her lips when she was able to speak.

She knew in her heart that Archie woke her up from her long sleep, and what she heard him say made her feel that she wasn’t all alone even all the rest at that time did not make sense. She recalls Archie saying, “Hi Ms. Ross, my name is Archie. I am your nurse. Can you open your eyes?

Can you wiggle your toes? Can you hold up two fingers? Do you have a headache? My name is Archie, I am your nurse. I will be with you.”

Archie Mercado’s voice encouraged her throughout her recovery. She was joyfully tearful while sharing her

22 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE | SUMMER / FALL 2017

story. Jackie finally matched the voice to the face that night and she recalled all the kindness she received. Jackie shared her story about how she felt helpless and how Archie made her feel better by listening to her and anticipating her needs. She brought in cake and desserts for the staff to thank them.

HOUSTON METHODIST SAN JACINTO HOSPITAL Mentor program assists new nurses A mentor-mentee matching event was held this summer during which the current mentees in the Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital Nurse Mentor Program were introduced to their mentors. The mentor course is titled, “Bridging the Gap: A Mentor Program for Nurses.” The program is designed to support newly hired nurses for a year as they develop in their nursing practice.

“The support structure of having an experienced mentor paired with a newly hired nurse can lead to a

HOUSTON METHODIST WEST HOSPITAL ICU receives silver-level Beacon Award The Intensive Care Unit at Houston Methodist West Hospital received the American Association of CriticalCare Nurses (AACN) silver-level Beacon Award for Excellence. This is a significant milestone on the path to exceptional patient care and healthy work environments that recognizes unit caregivers who successfully improve patient outcomes and align practices with AACN’s six Healthy Work Environment Standards. Units that achieve this three-year, threelevel award with a gold, silver or bronze designation meet national criteria consistent with Magnet Recognition, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and the National Quality Healthcare Award.

positive relationship that helps the newly hired nurse adapt to their new role and new health care organization,” said Houston Methodist San Jacinto

Nurse Education Specialist Krendi Walls, MSN, RN, CCRN-K, the program’s coordinator.

HOUSTON METHODIST WILLOWBROOK HOSPITAL was given to parents so they can RAPP Tool Helping with ensure their baby is safely positioned Baby Positioning during skin-to-skin.

The women and children’s area of the hospital has implemented the RAPP process, which is a quality initiative that has received a lot of attention at the system level and is being discussed at the Women’s Council for implementation systemwide. This resulted from a tragic event but has generated several “saves” to date. An abstract on RAPP was accepted for poster presentation at the Magnet® conference.

The purpose of the RAPP initiative is to give the nurses a tool so they can quickly and efficiently assess the infant’s Respiratory status, Activity, Perfusion, and Positioning to better teach and prevent SUPC (Sudden Unexpected Postnatal Collapse).

SUPC is the collapse or cessation of breathing by an otherwise healthy, full-term newborn infant in the first few hours of life, usually during skin-to-skin contact or breastfeeding.

A checklist on safe positioning also

Nurses Volunteer at NAM Food Bank Lesli Williams, Joseph Hutchins, Marcos Lemke, Dianne Davis, LaToya Lockett, David Kimball, Jennifer Lilley, Jamie Wilson, Susan Gaffey, Matthew Schubert and Ezra LeBlanc worked at the NAM Food Bank where they sorted incoming goods, stocked the shelves, cleaned the food bank store, and assisted the visitors through the store with their selections of food and experience at NAM.

LEADERS IN NURSING | SUMMER / FALL 2017 23

Holly Rodriguez CCU, Named Brown Foundation, Inc. Outstanding Nurse

Holly Rodriguez, RN III, CCU, has been awarded The Brown Foundation Inc. Outstanding Nurse Award for 2017, which comes with a $15,000 prize. She began her time at Houston Methodist at in 2010 at Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital in the Medical/Surgical-Telemetry Unit.

She joined Houston Methodist Hospital in 2015 in the Coronary Intensive Care Unit.

Holly’s nominator, LaDonna Christy, described her as “extremely passionate at everything she embarks upon, whether it be direct bedside care, making change in process improvement, and/or elevating the nursing profession to a higher level by educating others who are at various

levels in the nursing spectrum both here at Houston Methodist and as a volunteer at UT Health School of Nursing. … Though she takes the most difficult patients she does not only provide care at the pathophysiological level, but provides well-rounded and holistic care to not only the patient but the entire family.”

As an educator, Holly is the education chair for the CCU and is also on hospitalwide competency and validation committees for the Critical Care service line. Furthermore, she helped develop the Cardiac Series to re-educate the CCU on cardiac fundamentals. She also serves as a preceptor to both students and nurses that are new the CCU.

Congratulations also to the other finalists, Misty Mendoza, RN III in the SLICU, who received second place and $2,500, and Miguel Lumaque, RN III in the CVICU, who received third place and $1,000.

From left: Misty Mendoza, Holly Rodriguez and Miguel Lumaque

Standing Amid the Ashes

Wildfires have destroyed many areas of Northern California, including the DAISY Foundation’s headquarters in Sonoma Valley.

The garage that housed the shipping office burned to the ground, but several Healer’s Touch sculptures remained standing in the rubble.

24 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE | SUMMER / FALL 2017

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

Wendy Smith, director of Dunn 3 Perioperative Services and Neurophysiology, earned her NE-BC certification

Certifications

Degrees

Transplant recovery specialist Aaron Freeman earned his certified procurement transplant certification (CPTC)

Isabel Lobes, RN in the Dunn 3 PACU, graduated from her AGACNP at The Grand Canyon University and passed licensure

Anita Martin from the Voss ED passed her CEN

James Gabo, M8E/M8NW nurse manager-nights, completed his MSN degree in Leadership and Management

Carrie Bridges, PT, has achieved the status of CLT-LANA by completing coursework and passing the board examination through the Lymphology Association of North America (LANA) Chika Jumbo, RN, and Lenin Marinas, RN, passed their Medical Surgical Certifications Christan Isbell, RN II, Jessica West, RN II, and Deepa Lalu, RN II, all received their Medical Surgical Certifications Christine Benefield, RN IIB in the Dunn 3 OR, passed her CNOR Connie Hilder, RN, Case Manager II, passed the CCM Certification Exam Dana Hong, lung transplant coordinator, passed the ANCC Family Nurse Practitioner Exam

Omobola Durojaiye completed her MSN degree from University of Texas Health Science Center – Houston Onyedikachi Nwosu completed her BSN program Sherin Thomas, RN in the Dunn 3 PACU, graduated from her FNP program at TWU

Promotions Krysta Lowry in Main PACU was promoted RN II Kunjumol Vadakekara of Main 3SW was promoted to RN III Princy Cherian of Main 3SW who was promoted to RN II Yonas Woldegebrel was promoted to RN II

Fatma Abuharb, RN, Case Manager II, passed the ACMA Case Management Certification Exam

Awards

Heidi Marburger and Eileen McEvoy from the Dunn OR received their CNOR certifications

DAISY AWARD Robyn Cash, June

Jordan Whittle, RN on Alkek 9, passed her CCRN exam.

Christopher Draper, July

Kathleen Soileau, BSN, RN, Dunn 3 PACU, successfully passed the CCRN.

Jeannie Cuellar, September

Elaine Quao, August

Odinakachukwe Ezeigwe, RN from Main 4W, passed the Medical-Surgical Certification

Ayoka Badmus, nurse manager on Dunn 10E, was awarded the HMH Spirituality Award from the Institute for Spirituality and Health at the Texas Medical Center at its 25th annual Nursing Conference.

Regina Hunter, RN on Jones 10, passed the Medical-Surgical Certification

Presentations

Dunn OR manager Sarah Varney, BSN, RN, CNOR passed her CNML (Certified Nurse Manager and Leader) Certification

The Acute PT/OT department had two projects accepted for presentation at the Combined Sections Meeting of American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) in February in New Orleans. Both feature

Nikki Trog, LCSW, SW II, has passed the ACMA Case Management Certification Exam

the bedside research by clinical staff. The poster presentation accepted is: “Effects of Exercise Training in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure: An Updated Systematic Review,” with primary author Bobby Belarmino, PT, CCS, and secondary authors Katy Mitchell (TWU); Peggy Gleeson (TWU); Suh-Jen Lin; and Rajashree Mondkar, PT, CCS(HMH Acute PT). The 2017 PT Critical Care Fellowship project was accepted for platform presentation. Topic is: “Safety and feasibility of mobilizing patients with external ventricular drains and lumbar drains.” Authors are: Chris Perme, PT, CCS primary. Contributors include (in order): Wendy Schell, PT; Rajashree Mondkar, PT, CCS; Jenny Lapnawan, PT; Cecilia Estrada, PT; Kathryn Reeves,PT; Rose Bjorklund, PT; Bobby Belarmino, PT; Agata Stawarz-Gugala, PT; Jaya Paranilam; and Judith Ragsdale, PT.

Other Accolades Houston Methodist received the BCEN Honorary Certification Recognition Award for high numbers of certifications in the ER Carrie Siemers, OTR/L, MS, BCPR, has been appointed by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) to The Roster of Fellowship Reviewers (RFR). This group reviews potential occupational therapy fellowship program applications, facilitates site visits for programs, and completes recommendations for program acceptance to the AOTA. Joy Shiller, RN, BSN, MS, CAPA, from Main 3 OR Pre-op, was again invited by the American Board of Perianesthesia Nursing to serve on the Item Writing Committee for the CAPA certification test Karen Edwards, MBA, BSN, RN, CNOR, Nurse Education Specialist in the Center for Nursing Research, Education and Practice (CNREP), has been selected by the AORN Foundation to serve as a mentor for their Student Academic Scholar Program LaDonna Christy, RN, was selected by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses to serve on the Pharmacology Course Review Panel Nicole Fontenot, MS, APRN, was appointed to instructor in the Center for Nursing Research

LEADERS IN NURSING | SUMMER / FALL 2017 25

NURSING NEWS

ACCOLADES

HOUSTON METHODIST SAN JANCINTO HOSPITAL

HOUSTON METHODIST SUGARLAND HOSPITAL

Certifications

Certifications

Elizabeth Zaph (CEN)

CATH LAB

Lilibeth Ordonez (PCCN)

Ashley Brownson earned her CVRN

Maria Almaraz (CCRN)

Christopher Milam earned his CVRN

Nicole Bruey-Pernell (CEN)

Tim Dang earned his CVRN

Nathan Le, RN earned his BSN from UT Arlington Paula Salmon, RN earned her BSN from the University of South Dakota

Promotions NURSE PRACTITIONERS Chad Garner is starting his career as an NP PERIOPERATIVE SERVICES Shelly Boyne advanced to RN III

EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

Mona Eldroubi advanced to RN III

HOUSTON METHODIST ST. JOHN HOSPITAL

Chilumba Bwalya, BSN, RN, earned her CEN Kymberli Conn, BSN, RN earned her CEN

Irene Morrison advanced to RN IV and was promoted to Perioperative Educator

Trini Tran, BSN, RN earned her CEN

MEDICAL-SURGICAL

Certifications

Vanessa Shepherd, BSN, RN earned her CEN

Robin Smith advanced to RN III

Eunice Kakoma, RN-BC (Childbirth Center)

MEDICAL-SURGICAL

Kelly Owens, RN-BC (Childbirth Center)

EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

Shaini Thomas, BSN, RN earned her RN-BC

Vanessa Shepherd advanced to RN III

PERIOPERATIVE SERVICES

Breanna E. Smith advanced to RN III

Maria Socci, SCRN (Quality and Accreditation) Pamela Warner, CNOR (Operating Room) Rebel Heasley, CHPN (Palliative Care) Serenity Glazer, NE-BC (Director of Critical Care)

Degrees Jennifer Murphy, LVN (3 Medical), to AND graduate

Promotions NEW RN IIIS: Alicia Hodges – NICU Barbara Warner – OR Eunice Kakoma – CBC Juliet Kahiu – 3 Surgical

Rogelio Mendez, RN earned his CNOR WOMEN’S SERVICES Gretchen Belmarez, RN, BSN earned her RNC-OB Robin Aranza, RN, BSN earned her RNC-OB Sharon Patagoc, RN, BSN earned her RNC-OB CRITICAL CARE Cindy Li, MSN, RN, CCRN earned the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner in Adult Gerontology certification (ACNPC-AG) Kate Sarkaria, RN added the stroke certification (SCRN) to her CCRN Nissy Mathew, BSN, RN became a certified CCRN

Kim Childs-Rollen – PACU

Sumair Sachwani, BSN, RN became a certified CCRN

Linda Wiggins – OR

Ziem Dinh, MSN, RN became a certified CCRN

NEW RN IVS: Bernadine Davila – OR Rebel Heasley – Palliative Care and Guest Relations

Degrees MEDICAL-SURGICAL Sade Kelly, BSN, RN III, earned her MSN.

NEW DIRECTOR:

CRITICAL CARE

Serenity Glazer was promoted from ED Manager to the Director of Critical Care

Cindy Li, RN, CCRN, ACNPC-AG completed her MSN

Presentations

Mukuka Mumbi, RN completed her MSN as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

Serenity Glazer, MSN, RN, NE-BC – accepted for a poster presentation 26 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE | SUMMER / FALL 2017

Retirement Bella Castro, RN, has retired from Women’s Services.

Publications Lall, M.P., & Restrepo, E. (2017). The biopsychosocial model of low back pain and patient-centered outcomes following lumbar fusion. Orthopaedic Nursing, 36(3), 213-221. doi: 10.1097/NOR.0000000000000350.

Malit, Ronald & Dorismond-Park, Paschale (2017). Aromatherapy: A Non-Pharmacologic Intervention for Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting. Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing.

August 2017. Volume 32, Issue 4, Pages e49–e50. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j. jopan.2017.06.024

Evidence-Based Practice Projects and Poster Presentations “Aromatherapy: A Non-Pharmacologic Intervention for Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting” (Ronald Malit, RN, BSN, CPAN) Presented at the 2017 ASPAN National Conference in Indianapolis, IN “Music Therapy: A PACU Evidence Based Practice Project” (Fiona Smith, RN, BSN,

CPAN) Presented at the 2017 ASPAN National Conference in Indianapolis, IN “Reducing the Incidence of Clostridium Difficile Infections Through Quality, Efficiency, Education, and Policy” (Janet Leatherwood, MSN, RN, NEA-BC; Sally Shen, MSN, RN, NEA-BC; Tiffany Bell, MSN,RN, CMSRN; Firas Zabaneh, MT(ASCP), CIC, CIE; Patricia Lewis, PhD, RN, NEA-BC; Mary Harris, MSN, RN, CCRN-K; Doreen Singh, MSN, RN; Diane McGraw, MSN, RN, CPHQ; Engie Attia, PharmD, BCPS; Sarfraz Aly, MD, and Victor Tarson) Presented at the annual Texas Organization of Nurse Executives conference in Dallas.

“The Power of Education: Improving Surgical Site Infection Rates in an Obstetrical OR” (Tracy Mcmanaman Bridges, MSN, RN, RNC-OB, C-EFM; Judy Jacob Mathew, MSN, RN, RNC-OB; Lindsey Salazar, BSN, RN, C-EFM, CCE; Julianita “Bernie” Reyes, BSN, RN, CBC, RNC-OB; and Yamuna Mangaly, BSN, RN, CBC, RNC-OB) Presented at the Texas AWHONN Conference

Other Accolades Designated as a Texas Ten Step facility by the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Received the American Heart Associations’ Mission: Lifeline® Silver Plus STEMI Award. Special thanks to the Cath Lab and Emergency Department for their hard work and dedication.

HOUSTON METHODIST WEST HOSPITAL

HOUSTON METHODIST WILLOWBROOK HOSPITAL

Certifications

Certifications

Analyn Ancla, 5W—Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMS-RN)

Alison Bennet (PCCN)

Glorivie Bautista, Endoscopy—Certified Gastroenterology Registered Nurse (CGRN) Jennifer Criaco, ER--Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN)

Amanda Vargus (CPAN) Chibuzo Ozurumba (ONS Erica Gamble (ONS Evelin DeLaRosa (Med-Surg)

Nikki Mundt, 6W—Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMS-RN)

Jana Peyton (Med-Surg)

Degrees

Judith Jordan (CEN)

Courtney Martinez, RN, MSN, CEN – Cinco Ranch ED, received her Master of Nursing Degree

Katherine Socito (CCRN)

Jeanne Kutshina, Childbirth Center- Mother/Baby, obtained her BSN

Lorelei De La Cruz (ONS)

Presentations

Nana Baah (NPD)

Adam Stefan, Nurse Navigator for Orthopedics, was asked to present at the Annual Direct Anterior Approach Hip Course Conference. Only two RN’s speak at this national seminar.

Rebecca Reyes (CPAN)

The poster on the Aspiration Pneumonia Project was accepted at the December IHI Conference.

Valerie Niculae (Med-Surg)

Other Accolades The ICU won the Silver Beacon Award

Joy Annette (ONS

Libby Arnold (Med-Surg) Melissa Neke (Med-Surg)

Stacy Howland (Med-Surg) Tonette Cook (Med-Surg)

Promotion RN II TO RN III Catherene Collins Charmaine Marshall Danielle Everts Danita Batiste Grace Y. Pal-Carpio Libby Arnold Melisa I. Aneke Robin M. Overton Tanya Lacoviello

LEADERS IN NURSING | SUMMER / FALL 2017 27

Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage

PAID

Houston, TX Permit No. 6311

Houston Methodist 6565 Fannin St. Houston, TX 77030

You can change the future of nursing and leave a legacy at Houston Methodist By leaving a portion of your retirement plan to Houston Methodist for Nursing Education, your gift would go toward retaining the best and brightest nurses.

To make your gift, contact the person who helps you with your account or insurance policy, such as your broker, banker or insurance agent, and request a new beneficiary designation form. Leaving any percentage of your retirement plan can make a huge difference to nursing at Houston Methodist!

For more information, contact Cathy Sanders, director of development, at cdsanders@houstonmethodist.org or 832.667.5450.

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