F O R T H E E M P L O Y E E S O F C I N C I N N AT I C H I L D R E N ’ S
SP20 Look inside!
SUMMER 2015
THE SYMBIOTIC EFFECT
WHAT’S INSIDE
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New Plan Advances Our Mission
4
Why Putting Employees First Is Good for Our Patients
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We Did It!
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Holistic Approach Calms Patients and Caregivers
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Schwartz Center Rounds Support Employees Through the Hard Stuff
THE SYMBIOTIC EFFECT What came first? The chicken or the egg? You could ask the same question about the patient and employee experience. One is contingent on the other. We feel good when we make a positive difference in a patient’s life— directly or indirectly. And patients feel good when our interactions with them are competent and compassionate. In fact, some patients are so inspired by their experience here that they return as employees in their adult life, eager to give to others what was given to them. In this issue, we look at the link between patients and employees and how important it is to support both. We also give you a glimpse of our 2020 Strategic Plan: Changing the Outcome Together (see insert). SP20 clearly recognizes the role all of us play in improving the health of children—whether we are at the bedside, in an office, a laboratory or a shuttle bus—and empowers us to be active contributors. It’s no surprise then that SP20 emphasizes the patient/employee experience through two of its five strategies—“Care” and “People.” None of us work in a vacuum. Everything we do touches someone else. Our aim is to be more intentional in our actions to foster stronger, more productive connections that make everyone’s experience a more deeply satisfying one.
Cindy Duesing, editor
Volume 3, Issue 3 | 360° is an employee
To give us your feedback or request additional
Editor: Cindy Duesing
publication of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
or fewer copies of this newsletter, email us at
Contributors: Kar yn Enzweiler,
Medical Center, produced by the Department
360@cchmc.org.
Kate Harold, Bea Katz and Molly Vargo Senior Art Director: Anna Diederichs
of Marketing and Communications, MLC 9012, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center,
ON THE COVER:
Designers: Elyse Balster and Gina Johnston
3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH
The patient/employee experience is closely
Contributing Photographers: Cindy Duesing,
45229-3026, 513-636-4420.
intertwined, and when all the pieces come
Karyn Enzweiler, Tine Hofmann, Ryan Kurtz
together in the right way, it creates a total
and Mark Lyons
picture of excellent care.
10202-51285 0715
New Plan Advances Our Mission Changing the Outcome Together—that’s the name of our new 2020 Strategic Plan, which officially launched this month. The choice to use the word “changing” instead of “change” marks a subtle but important difference from our current tagline. It signifies the active collaboration we engage in every day to make Cincinnati Children’s the best it can be. The word “together” recognizes one of the most powerful aspects of how we work and who we are. It reflects our unique “Cincinnati Children’s way,” whether this be in our interactions with colleagues, with patients and families, or with our many diverse partners internal and external to Cincinnati Children’s. It emphasizes that everyone has a vital role to play in living our vision, mission and values and that no one does this alone. Compared to where we were five years ago, we have evolved and grown as an organization and believe the new plan reflects this progress as well as our aspirations for the future. SP20—Changing the Outcome Together builds on the strengths and successes of SP15. We asked for and received a lot of input from many of you across the medical center—faculty, research, clinical and administrative staff—as we developed it. You told us you wanted a cohesive plan that everyone could feel connected to and a concise plan that clearly identifies our priorities. We hope you will agree that this framework delivers. In this issue, you’ll find a special insert that summarizes our plan—its five pillars and three enablers that will help us achieve our goals. Please know that there is a lot of depth and richness behind each aspect. You will learn more from your manager about the details as they pertain to you and your role. You can also find more information on CenterLink. It’s an exciting time for Cincinnati Children’s, and each of you are an integral part of this amazing organization. You have done outstanding work to get us to this point. We hope you will feel inspired to continue exploring ways we can make a difference for patients, families, our community and the world, as we collaborate to improve health and transform care for children everywhere. Thank you!
The Performance Leadership Team Michael Fisher
Cheryl Hoying, PhD, RN
Fred Ryckman, MD
Brian Coley, MD
Marianne James
Jim Saporito
Jennifer Dauer
Bill Kent
Beth Stautberg
Jane Garvey
Uma Kotagal, MBBS, MSc
Derek Wheeler, MD
Tracy Glauser, MD
Dean Kurth, MD
Jeffrey Whitsett, MD
Peggy Hostetter, MD
Mark Mumford
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t Cincinnati Children’s, our mission is to provide the best medical and quality of life outcomes, the best patient and family experience and the best value. We center our care around patients and families, and if you ask employees why they work here, the majority of them will say they want to make a difference in the lives of those we serve.
In light of such selflessness and dedication, it may seem like heresy to say that when prioritizing between patients and employees, employees come first. But research shows that employees who enjoy a positive work experience take better care of patients and families. Conversely, bad employee experiences translate into poorer patient outcomes. For example, hospitals with the lowest levels of employee engagement incurred an average of $1,120,000 more in malpractice claims per year than hospitals with the highest employee engagement, according to one Gallup report. “Employees are our greatest asset,” says Anne Boat, MD, patient experience officer. “They are the single biggest driver for delivering exceptional care.” Delivering exceptional, safe and affordable care for every child and every family, every day is one of the five pillars of the new 2020 Strategic Plan. So is realizing our full potential by engaging, inspiring and enabling all employees to make a difference. “The employee and patient experience are inextricably connected,” says
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Boat. “We need to take care of employees so they can deliver on the promise of care. We do this by empowering the people on the front lines, by setting them up for success and by removing barriers and obstacles as we discover them.” Amy Stoll, director of management and leadership development in Human Resources, paints a picture of how employees are feeling these days, based on the most recent employee satisfaction survey and monthly pulse surveys. “People feel as passionate as ever about working here. They are drawn to the mission, and it drives them to do great things,” she says. “But they are under more pressure than ever before. The words they use most often to describe their experience are ‘stressful,’ ‘busy,’ ‘challenging’ and ‘frustrating.’” Our challenges include a prolonged high census; a larger number of high-acuity patients; new technology; physical space changes; organizational growth and complexity; and caring for more patients from different cultures. The management of these factors collectively stress the system. KEEPING IT SIMPLE
The 2020 Strategic Plan aims to clarify our objectives and help employees take ownership of their role in achieving them. “The Care pillar needed to be really simple, so we asked what families actually want when they come here,” explains Fred Ryckman, MD, senior vice president, Medical Operations. “We narrowed it down to three things: the right care from the right team delivered in a way that’s cost-effective. This means standardizing care so we’re not doing more or less than what is needed. We have evidence-based, best-in-class practices to help us determine what the right care is. When we have these standards to guide us, we should use them. And when we don’t, we have the best expertise and skill to help us figure it out.” Standardizing processes also means retaining tasks that add value and eliminating those that don’t. Some employees see standardization as a negative, a loss. But it’s also a plus. For example, if a nurse routinely asks each patient 10 questions in clinic and only needs the answers to five, it would save time and aggravation to just ask five questions. Says Boat, “If we can drive the unnecessary tasks out of
the system, we can spend more time interacting with patients and each other. Standardization at the highest level frees up staff to customize care for individuals.” The past strategic plan contained measures for safety, productivity, flow, value and more. Each one was its own silo, with numerous quality improvement initiatives that overwhelmed employees. SP20 integrates all of these individual aspects of care, which will ultimately create less work for frontline staff. “Safety, flow and the others are still our priority,” Boat explains. “But we’re thinking of them in a more holistic way.”
“People feel as passionate as ever about working here. They are drawn to the mission, and it drives them to do great things.”
O U R VA LU ES I N AC T I O N
Good relationships between patients and providers contribute to overall satisfaction. Says Ryckman, “Patients and families should know their care team, whether they’re here frequently for a chronic condition or once for appendicitis. They need to feel comfortable with us and know who to call if they have a problem. Likewise, we, as providers, need to know who our patients are, to be able to track their care and do appropriate follow-up.” Relationships between team members are even more critical. “One of the best things we’ve done to improve the employee experience is to revamp our Core Values to make them as relatable for how we treat each other as they are for how
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we treat patients and families,” says Stoll. “They are our guideposts. If I need to be transparent in a difficult situation, and I’m struggling with how to do that, the Core Values remind me to rise above the fray and do the right thing. They enable each of us to be leaders in tending to our cultural health, to say this is how we want to be as a workforce.”
“If you see a situation that needs changing, speak up,” says Stoll. “Talk with your manager. It can be hard to tell someone that something is broken. But not addressing a problem can lead to added stress. Even if you don’t care for patients directly, your bad day spreads to someone else, and that can potentially affect a patient somewhere down the line.”
Much work has been done to foster respect and professionalism over the past two years. “We are building inter-professional teams made up of doctors, nurses, dietitians, respiratory therapists, social workers and many more,” says Ryckman. “We work side by side, each of us with a different set of skills. When you do this, the hierarchy flattens out and everyone’s voice is heard. We work in a stressful environment. People get in difficult situations where, on occasion, they act poorly. But in the absence of mutual respect, we won’t make progress. So our stance is, you can’t behave disrespectfully here anymore and get away with it.”
Boat and her team are preparing to launch the Care Promises, a four-hour training for patient-facing employees. The promises originated from a retreat with 80 employees from across the medical center and 50 patient/family members who distilled their experiences, good and bad, into a prescribed set of behaviors that define exceptional care. Says Boat, “I’m very optimistic about our ability to improve the patient and employee experience. Our staff is great. They have a lot of heart and want to make a difference. We have the right people. We just need to unleash their talent.”
Empowerment is a critical component of SP20. “We as an institution must be clear about what we expect of employees and provide coaching and mentoring to help them be successful,” says Boat. “After that, we must trust them to do an excellent job of representing Cincinnati Children’s and not micromanage.” As an example, Boat cites a service recovery program piloted by Same Day Surgery and the Post Anesthesia Care Unit. Staff are trained to work with dissatisfied patients and families to mitigate problems at the point they occur to avoid escalation. They are equipped with a toolkit containing meal cards for the cafeteria, gift cards for the Gift Shop, valet parking vouchers and more to give to families who’ve had an unpleasant experience. Similarly, Guest Services has implemented an empowerment initiative where staff can offer families meal cards, a snack pack or a gift box for parents who have an unplanned overnight stay at the hospital. “A mother was dealing with a cranky child who had endured a long wait during a sibling’s surgery,” says Boat. “A staff member offered her a snack pack for her child to stave off a meltdown. The mother said it made all the difference in the world. “Our message to staff is that we trust your judgment to know what patients and families need, and we’re giving you the tools to address it. What’s terrible is if you see the crying toddler and have nothing to offer.” Employees must also be empowered to meet their own needs.
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Studies show that employees who enjoy a positive work experience take better care of patients and families.
We Did It! Our 2015 Strategic Plan yielded multiple success stories, thanks to the purposeful and hard work of many dedicated teams. Here is a sampling of our achievements over the past five years:
Sustained the
longest run of zero Serious Safety Events in our history
Launched the Health Network by Cincinnati Children’s—now serving 37,000 children and demonstrating medical cost more than 10 percent below comparable populations
Helped
reduce infant mortality by 15 percent in Hamilton County
Increased our research funding more than 46 percent (since FY09), even as NIH budgets tightened Landed
#1 US News specialty rankings for cancer, perinatal and pulmonary care Earned
Magnet re-certification
Managed a
record patient census
Built and opened the new Clinical Sciences Pavilion, which will promote and translational research Experienced
collaboration
more than 20 percent growth in destination patients each year since 2010
Realized extraordinary
financial success in a period of economic uncertainty
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motions ran high at the graduation ceremony. There were smiles and tears as the nurses spoke about what the intensive, 16-week course in pediatric holistic nursing meant to them. The 29 nurses in this pilot program were drawn to the course by a desire to be more effective nurses. They were able to transform their nursing approach to care for patients and families with holistic therapeutic presence.
F U N D A M E N TA L S O F H O L I S T I C N U R S I N G
Holistic nursing has been recognized by the American Nurses Association as a nursing specialty since 2006. The Division of Child Life and Integrative Care includes a holistic care team, with certified holistic nurses, licensed massage therapists and other highly trained holistic health specialists.
They had learned to think holistically about their patient’s many needs—physical, emotional, spiritual, social, cultural and more—so they can help patients and their families achieve a sense of wholeness and well-being. They had explored techniques that reduce stress and distractions, and promote relaxation and comfort, for their patients and themselves. In a world where stress is a way of life and nurses are increasingly focused on technical skills and high-tech equipment, they had invested time in learning more about themselves and their own needs as people and caregivers, so that they can focus more intensely on their patients. And they had applied what they learned by completing a project on their units, and by incorporating new approaches into their day-to-day clinical practice. The course touched them deeply. “It was inspirational,” says Nishi Jani, BSN, RN, Lindner Center of Hope, who felt a sense of peace at the end of each class.
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Nishi Jani, BSN, RN, Lindner Center of HOPE, shows social worker Megan Miller how to perform a yoga breathing technique to relieve anxiety.
“Ours is a unique program,” says Lois Bogenschutz, RN, BSN, clinical manager of Integrative Care. “While integrative care is becoming more common in inpatient settings, Cincinnati Children’s has the most extensive inpatient pediatric integrative care program.“
The goal of the course, Foundations of Holistic Pediatric Nursing, was to spread knowledge of these approaches more broadly within the institution, and at the same time, to provide a work environment that is more fulfilling and balanced for nurses, explains Susie Allen, PhD, RN-BC, assistant vice president, Center for Professional Excellence. The course was taught by Wendy Rolf, MSN, RN, CHTP, HTCP, AHN-BC, holistic health specialist III, a founding member of the holistic care team at Cincinnati Children’s. It was offered in partnership with Xavier University and met the requirements to pursue board certification as a holistic health nurse through the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation.
(Right) Marla Layne, MSN, RN, CPN, Specialty Resource Unit, connects with Jazaria Hughes, age 19 months, using holistic methods.
The 29 participants were selected from a large number of applicants. “We were looking for nurses with an interest in holistic approaches, who could be leaders in spreading the knowledge to their coworkers,” says Bogenschutz. ADOPTING HOLISTIC PR ACTICES
Marla Layne, MSN, RN, CPN, Specialty Resource Unit, has adopted approaches that she learned in the course into her clinical practice. “We’re not certified massage therapists, but our license permits nurses to touch, and I do,” she says. She finds that her patients respond to gentle stroking, a touch to share energy, a focus on breathing. She also has adopted practices that help her center herself. For example, she has turned the routine of handwashing before seeing a patient into a moment of “sacred handwashing.” She explains, “I use the time to set my mind to the task and the interaction with the patient.” Taking that moment to pay attention to her breathing and to reflect on what she’s going to do helps her feel better and prepare for her work with the patient.
“Holistic nursing is not just another added thing we do, like massage or music therapy,” Layne says. “It’s not what we do, but who we are.” For Jani, who says she was blessed to be part of a family that’s interested in yoga and other alternative practices, the holistic nursing course validated and intensified an approach that has always been part of her life. As a nurse at the Lindner Center of HOPE, she works with teens who may have eating disorders, depression, anxiety and negative thinking. She applied for the course because she wanted to learn new approaches for helping them. “The medicines we give take a long time to work, and I noticed that the coping and distraction skills we were using with our patients weren’t working very well.” She now teaches patients ancient Japanese and Indian healing practices to give them tools they can use to calm themselves when they feel anxious. One is jin shin jyutsu finger holding, a simple type of acupressure. Another is bhramri pranayam, a yoga breathing technique done while putting gentle pressure on facial nerves. Jani has offered in-service training for her colleagues in these techniques and uses them herself when she needs to calm herself or restore her energy during a long shift. “If I’m not taking care of myself, I’m not as effective taking care of my patients,” she says.
Many patients (including the tiny ones) respond well to a gentle touch.
Having graduated from the 16-week course on April 30, the nurses are beginning to prepare for the certification exam in the Fall. Jani and Layne see themselves as instruments for spreading knowledge of holistic nursing to their colleagues and are enthusiastic about learning more. “The things we learned are just the tip of the iceberg,” Jani says. “The course made me hungry for more knowledge.”
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he team that brought Schwartz Center Rounds to Cincinnati Children’s recently hit a milestone: one year of putting on rounds for all employees that are focused not on the medical side of healthcare, but on the human side. (Ed. note: Schwartz Center Rounds are a program of the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare, a national nonprofit dedicated to strengthening the relationship between patients and caregivers, i.e., everyone who cares for a patient in any way.)
A year ago in April, the first Schwartz Center Rounds session was held at the medical center on the topic of experiencing the death of a patient. At that time, the committee that put together the program was hopeful, but hesitant. “We didn’t know what to expect. We didn’t know if it would take hold,” says Rajit Basu, MD, assistant professor, Critical Care Medicine, and a member of the planning committee. It has definitely taken hold. Over the past year, the monthly Schwartz Center Rounds have regularly packed the Sabin Auditorium to overflowing, averaging about 125 –175 attendees per session. A S PAC E T O S H A R E
Schwartz Center Rounds provide a forum for employees to share experiences with the aim of increasing understanding and compassion among employees. If you haven’t been, you’re welcome—and encouraged—to come. This isn’t like Grand Rounds where medical problems and treatments are discussed. It’s a safe place where all employees are invited to air their thoughts and gain insights from others. “The reason for Schwartz Center Rounds is to increase compassion for patients and families, to increase understanding and support for one another, and to increase our ability to receive support so we don’t feel isolated in what we’re doing,” says committee member Judy Ragsdale, MDiv, PhD, director, Pastoral Care. At each session, a group of panelists speaks on a set topic. Then the floor opens up, and attendees can share their experiences. A wide variety of topics have been covered so far: What Haunts You?, Working with Difficult Families, and Simple Acts of Kindness are just a few.
Shanti Smith, RN, application coordinator II, Information Services (l), and Isis Chesko, RPh, pharmacist I, Investigational Pharmacy, appreciate the bonds that Schwartz Center Rounds help foster among staff. 360°
Attendees have been positive with their feedback: • I thought the panel was excellent, and I applaud their honesty and openness. The insight their stories provided is so valuable to ALL employees because it is a reminder that we are all human and reinforces why we are here—for the kids! • Following the intimate and emotional stories shared during today’s discussion, I feel more comfortable and able to relate to my colleagues from other disciplines, as this made them seem more vulnerable and approachable. • I think Schwartz Rounds is one of the most meaningful investments the hospital has made to support staff in a long time. To normalize and validate our experiences as caregivers creates a natural opportunity to talk about the same issues at other times and in other ways.
(L-r) Judy Ragsdale, MDiv, PhD, director, Pastoral Care; Anna Sheets, RN, clinical director, Otolaryngology; and Derek Wheeler, MD, chief of staff, have been pleased by the way employees have embraced the opportunity to listen to and support each other via Schwartz Center Rounds.
L U N C H E O N H O N O R S PA R T I C I PA N T S
A luncheon was held on April 20 to honor participants from the past year, both the panelists and those on the planning committee. Anna Sheets, RN, clinical director, Otolaryngology, is a committee member and one of those instrumental in bringing Schwartz Center Rounds to Cincinnati Children’s. “You’ve made a difference in the stories you’ve shared,” she told the participants. “The hope is that the conversation continues after rounds.” To drive home that idea of the conversation continuing, each participant was given a pebble, symbolizing the ripple effect that Schwartz Center Rounds topics can have around the medical center. The ultimate goal of these rounds is to spread compassion. That’s a lofty goal in a world where measurements are king and results are based on numbers and data. But the stories coming out of these rounds show that they’re having an influence. Deanna Best, RN, is a quality outcomes manager with the Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute (CBDI). She was a panelist who spoke on the topic of “Running on Empty” last December. All these months later, she still remembers what resonated with her most. A coworker of hers was also a panelist. “I heard her story and remember thinking, ‘How can I work with her so much and never have known this about her?’” Best says. “It was a good example of how Schwartz Center Rounds can impact everyone.” Best also noticed the effect the panelists’ stories had on the audience. “Once the panelists opened up, it really got others to want to open up too. I definitely want to come back,” she says. “The topics are very engaging both from a bedside perspective and non-bedside.”
W H AT ’ S T O C O M E
Going forward, the planning committee aims to continue bringing thought-provoking topics to Schwartz Center Rounds. They’ll continue to solicit topics from the crowd and address issues that affect the people who work here, with the goal of preserving and protecting the human connection in healthcare. Explains Basu, “In order to treat human beings, we have to be human beings. Compassionate care is at the heart of caring for children. With all the pressures that are put on the workers in the hospital, addressing their emotional health is important. If we demonstrate compassion to each other, care will improve.”
Your next oppo rtunit y to partic ipate in Schwartz Center Roun ds is comi ng up soon. Cont inuin g educ ation credi ts are given, and lunch is provi ded for the first 120 atten dees . Roun ds are held in the Sabin Auditorium. All empl oyee s are welco me. The next topic will be: Augu st 25 – The Lege ndary Patie nt: How Mem orab le Patie nts Leav e a Lega cy for Care giver s If you would like to help on the plann ing comm ittee or have an idea for an upco ming topic, conta ct Anna Shee ts, 6-7715; Judy Rags dale , 6-8913; or Raj Basu , 6-42 59.
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thebuzz “I can be part of a great team, who keeps me smiling and feeling accomplished.” Miranda Cornett, administrative assistant, Pediatric Rehabilitation
“I know I’ve helped a family
I AM
and made a positive impact on
HAPPIEST
someone’s day.”
AT MY JOB
Ali Snow, senior scheduling agent, Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
WHEN… “I’ve helped someone and made their day easier.” Erica Mason, administrative assistant, Pediatric Ophthalmology
“I’m interacting with the patients’ families.” Ruth Foertsch, coordinator, Gift Shop
“I see and hear that the research we do helps solve medical problems.” Paul Speeg, veterinary research assistant, Ophthalmology
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“I am meeting and interacting with the amazing patients and families we serve.” Drew Reeder, social media coordinator, Marketing & Communications
snapshots
Department Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology Role Pediatric psychologist, specializing in pediatric chronic pain What I love most about what I do is working with multidisciplinary teams to help kids and teens with pain improve their quality of life. When I’m not here, you can usually find me outside, spending time with my two daughters and husband. A phrase that describes me Balanced What I love about CCHMC is the collaboration, innovation and energy among my patients and colleagues. I was born in the middle of a blizzard. The guiding principle of my life is Work smarter, not harder. Person I admire most My mother People would never guess that I am artistic (inherited from my father, an artist). What’s on my bucket list Traveling to all the major US national parks
Department Transport Team Role Respiratory therapist What I love most about what I do is traveling throughout the country to get kids, the unknown from one run to the next, and the great team I work with. When I’m not here, you can usually find me relaxing with my family, at the fire department or the airport. A phrase that describes me A go-getter What I love about CCHMC is the pride that every employee exhibits. I was born in Virginia and have lived all over the world. The guiding principle of my life is The Golden Rule. Person I admire most James Mattis—He’s a no-nonsense kind of guy. People would never guess that I have a pet unicorn that only eats rainbow sherbet. What’s on my bucket list I’ve completed my bucket list. It was a very short list. I’ve checked every box.
Department Materials Management Role Receiving docks supervisor What I love most about what I do is making a difference for children through collaboration and problem-solving. When I’m not here, you can usually find me mowing the lawn, taking care of my flowers, searching YouTube for home-repair videos. A phrase that describes me Reliable, hard-working and wants to win What I love about CCHMC is meeting people whose skills and talent make it a great place to work. I was born in Cincinnati and raised with tough love. The guiding principle of my life Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Person I admire most My mother. She was an evangelist who visited prisons, nursing homes—anywhere people needed help. People would never guess that I am afraid of cats, but I love large dogs. What’s on my bucket list To a) find a way to update everyone’s Centerlink profile when they move to a new location, and b) buy a motor home and travel.
Department Outpatient GI, Cincinnati Center for Eosinophilic Disorders Role Licensed practical nurse What I love most about what I do is continuing the relationship with patients, most of whom come from across the country and travel here often for repeated procedures every few months. When I’m not here, you can usually find me spending time with my family and friends. A phrase that describes me Laughter is the best medicine. What I love about CCHMC is our reputation for being the best! I was born in West Memphis, AR. The guiding principle of my life is Respect people: Treat them as you would like to be treated. People would never guess that I watch more football than my husband. What’s on my bucket list To attend a Super Bowl game.
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milestones
Congratulations to the following employees who celebrate milestone ser vice anniversaries in J U LY, A U G U S T and S E P T E M B E R !
Very few employees reach the 50-year service anniversary milestone at Cincinnati Children’s. Beatrice Lampkin, MD, joined the Division of Hematology/Oncology in 1965 and directed the division for 18 years (1973–1997). She was the first female director of a hematology/oncology division in the United States and has made important contributions to the development of chemotherapy regimens that improved outcomes for children with leukemia.
40 James Heubi, MD, Gastroenterology Judy Knapp, RPh, Pharmacy Deborah Seider, RN, Allergy and Immunology
35 Virginia Bossman, RN, A6 Central Deborah Floyd, Nutrition Therapy Carol Hill, APRN-CNP, Pre-anesthesia Consultation Clinic John Hingl, RPh, Pharmacy Jeanne Hubbard, RN, Same Day Surgery Karen Kalinyak, MD, Hematology Uma Kotagal, MBBS, MSc, Anderson Center Tonette McKimm, RN, Liberty Campus/Surgery John Reuter, MD, Neonatology and Pulmonary Biology Brenda Robb, Critical Care Robin Walker, Food Services
30 Julie Ballweg, RN, Orthopaedics Center Brenda Bell, B1/Emergency Department Laurie Clark, APRN-CNP, Pre-anesthesia Consultation Clinic Lynn Daum, RN, Patient Services
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Kathy Graue, Child Life and Integrative Care Thomas Kimball, MD, The Heart Institute Charles Myer III, MD, Otolaryngology Joan Nelson, Customer Service Holly Odom, A6 North/Adolescent Medicine Jennifer Pfeffer, Microbiology Elizabeth Schorr y, MD, Human Genetics Vicki Schum, RN, Information Services Susan Spear, RN, Liaison Resources Michelle Stultz, RN, Medical Staff Services Maureen Switzer, RN, General and Community Pediatrics Carolyn Wohl, RN, International Adoption Center
25 Damita Allen, Access Services Raouf Amin, MD, Pulmonary Medicine Phillip Autr y, Protective Services John Ball, Clinical Engineering Karen Barnes, Patient Services Jorge Bezerra, MD, Gastroenterology Ann Bowling, RN, A3 North Connie Brady, Behavioral Medicine/Clinical Psychology Kelly Christian, RN, Same Day Surgery Michelle Dickey, RN-CNP, Infectious Diseases Eileen Fiedler, RN, Pediatric Urology Pamela Fiorini, RN, Outpatient Administration Mar y Frey, RN, Emergency Medicine Kathleen Friend, RN, Liberty Campus/Same Day Surgery Victor Garcia, MD, Pediatric Surgery
Lorrie Gates, RN, A6 South Michael Gelfand, MD, Radiology Stuar t Handwerger, MD, Endocrinology Amy Heikkila, Liberty Campus/Surgery Donna Hillman, RN, Post Anesthesia Care Unit Emily Hoffman, RN, Plastic Surgery Sonya Holston, Managers of Patient Services Heidi Kalkwarf, PhD, General and Community Pediatrics Suhas Kallapur, MD, Neonatology and Pulmonary Biology Holly Kuhl, RN, Allergy and Immunology Jennifer Lohrer, RN, Clinical Translational Research Center Teresa Marcus, Outpatient Registration Colleen McGuire, Protective Services Mar y Miller, APRN-CNP, Advanced Practice Nurses Mark Naugle, Neurology Debra Norman, Scheduling Center Cathy Patterson, RN, A6 North/Adolescent Medicine Cher yl Reynolds, Information Services Lynn Sanner, Child Life and Integrative Care Scott Schappacher, PharmD, Pharmacy Sherri Schoo, Pharmacy Kimberly Sears, RN, Nephrology Michael Sor ter, MD, Psychiatry Laurie Tate, Hospital Billing Laura Weber, Child Life and Integrative Care
20 Betsy Adler, APRN-CNP, Heart Institute Julianne Badylak, Occupational Therapy/Physical Therapy Kathleen Baumhardt, Occupational Therapy/Physical Therapy Audra Birri, Human Genetics Jasenka Black, LISW, Psychiatry Maria Britto, MD, MPH, Adolescent Medicine Alan Brody, MD, Radiology Richard Campbell, DMD, Dentistry Tracey Carraher, RN, Drug and Poison Information Center Tammy Cook, RRT, Respiratory Care Jennifer Detzel, APRN-CNP, Advanced Practice Nurses Renee Dey, RRT, Respiratory Care Jennifer Donohue, Radiology
Alexandra Falcone, Transgenic Core Amanda Fitz, Audiology Sheila Ford, RN, Psychiatric Resource Unit Jill Baumann Freudenberg, RN, Liberty Campus/Emergency Department Rebecca Haehnle, RN, General and Community Pediatrics Kathleen Zink Hass, RN, LMT, Child Life and Integrative Care Julie Hausfeld, RN, A6 North/Adolescent Medicine Kelly Hicks, RN-CNS, Advanced Practice Nurses Ajay Kaul, MD, Gastroenterology Laura Kelly, RN, Allergy and Immunology Lynne Lane, Orthopaedics Denise Leonard, RN, Pulmonary Medicine Teresa Louis, Hospital Billing Aimee Maas, LISW, Social Services Charles Mehlman, DO, MPH, Orthopaedics Kenneth Morency, Materials Management Laura Olexa, RN, Hopple Street Karen Padgett, Speech Pathology Wendy Pomerantz, MD, Emergency Medicine Andrea Powers, LISW, Social Services Terri Rober ts, Accounting Lora Schmidt, Human Genetics Lisa Schwetschenau, Emergency Services Molly Shewmaker, A4 Central/Psychiatry William Sirbu, PhD, Behavioral Medicine/Clinical Psychology Carolina Sprinkle, RRT, Respiratory Care Sara Valentine, Speech Pathology Sara Welch, Human Genetics Vivian Wolfe, Critical Care Hector Wong, MD, Critical Care Daniella Woodberr y, Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute Katherine Yutzey, PhD, Molecular Cardiovascular Biology
See a complete list of milestone ser vice anniversaries online in this week’s edition of CenterNews.
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Why Am I Here?
Amanda Smith
I became a member of the Cincinnati Children’s community at 8 years old when my older sister was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. I remember tagging along to numerous doctors’ visits here and hanging out in the play area with her until she was swept away by her friendly nurse to see the doctor. Having to watch the person I looked up to most endure the pain of being stuck with a needle every day and constantly struggling to balance this huge weight that had been thrust on her (and my parents’) shoulders marked the first time I ever thought about more than just myself. That’s when I informed my parents that I was going to find the cure for my older sister at Cincinnati Children’s. That moment sparked the fire behind my love for science, research and the medical center.
a moment in history In 1939, a boy in an iron lung joins other children in a playroom at Cincinnati Children’s as they listen to the Cincinnati Reds play in a World Series game (they won the championship). Iron lungs were respirators used to treat patients with severe lung disease due to polio. This same year, Albert Sabin, MD, arrived in Cincinnati, where in his CCHMC research laboratory, he ultimately developed the oral vaccine that would conquer polio around the world.
As I got older, my love for all things science did not waver, nor did my memories of the phenomenal care that Cincinnati Children’s offered my sister. Throughout my undergraduate and graduate years, I never stopped working toward my goal of becoming a part of the Cincinnati Children’s family. And although I never found the cure for diabetes, today I am lucky enough to be a part of an amazing team here that focuses on the research of pediatric brain tumors. I credit those childhood experiences to opening my eyes to the wonderful family that is Cincinnati Children’s, to the amazing work that is accomplished here and leading me to where I am today. Being a part of something that is constantly moving forward, where everyone holds so much pride for what they do and what this organization stands for allows me to say that I could not be prouder to be a Cincinnati Children’s employee! —Amanda Smith, research assistant III, Oncology
1930s