NURSE H O U S T O N
M E T H O D I S T
SPRING 2017
WOODLANDS OPENING CNO explains what it takes to get a new hospital ready to go
ADVANCES FROM THE FRONT LINE
Nurses use expertise to improve safety, quality
GO BEHIND THE SCENES
St. John nurses describe what it's like to be a part of TLC reality show
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
Janet Leatherwood Vice president and chief nursing officer Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital
NURSE H O U S T O N
M E T H O D I S T
SPRING 2017
This spring, Houston Methodist recognized and celebrated its nurses with a variety of events and activities, some of which are featured in this issue of Houston Methodist Nurse. The cover story explains how nurses not only provide an exceptional patient experience, but also provide valuable input and insights to help improve facilities, processes and procedures, thus improving safety and quality. In this issue you also will read about how important listening is to patient care, and get a behind-the-scenes look at the TLC reality show “Skin Tight,” which was filmed at Houston Methodist St. John Hospital.
Nancy Keenan Vice president and chief nursing officer Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital
Email Kelli Gifford at kagifford@houstonmethodist.org if you have any comments about the magazine or potential story ideas.
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
Carlette Patterson
Rod Evans
Jessica Saavedra Serrano
Sarah Fleming
Joy Shiller
Shuntá Fletcher
Robyn Washington
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jacquie Frazier Kerrie Guerrero Vice president and chief nursing officer Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital
2 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE | SPRING 2017
Cover photo: Karen Edwards, nurse education specialist at Houston Methodist Hospital, discusses the importance of safety when loading a suture on a needle holder from a multipack of sutures.
CONTENTS
04
04
Building a Nursing Culture from the Ground Up
06
St. John Achieves Pathway to Excellence
08 10
08
Nurses Week Cover Story: Advancing Safety and Quality
14
Career Coach’s Corner
16
“Skin Tight”: An Inside Look
18
Become a Better Listener
20
Project Aims to Reduce C. Diff
22
Awards & Accolades
18 LEADERS IN NURSING | SPRING 2017 3
HOUSTON METHODIST THE WOODLANDS HOSPITAL
How a Culture of Nursing Develops from the Ground Up Kerrie Guerrero, vice president and chief nursing officer at Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital
By Sheshe Giddens
It has been said, “You don’t build a house without its foundation, and you don’t build a hospital without its nurses.” Kerrie Guerrero, vice president and chief nursing officer at Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital, understands this more so than anyone else. As a 13-year veteran at Houston Methodist, Guerrero initially joined Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital as a PRN nurse in perioperative services. Now as CNO, her experiences have provided her with unique insight into what it is like to be a nurse at Houston Methodist. Amid the hustle and bustle before the hospital’s grand opening on July 1, Guerrero spoke about what it takes to get a new hospital ready to open and to staff up nursing, as well as what it takes to deliver on the “Leading Medicine” promise to the communities the new hospital serves. Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital will open as the system’s eighth hospital. What advantages does that bring to The Woodlands and the Montgomery County area? Kerrie: We do not have to develop our programs from the beginning. We get to take the rich history, culture and
4 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE | SPRING 2017
knowledge from Houston Methodist Hospital and our other locations and bring them to The Woodlands. This is a huge benefit because we are bringing the high quality of care and patient experience Houston Methodist is known for to the families of Montgomery County.
nurses to have control over their nursing practice, and by focusing on evidence-based practice we will achieve high-quality care. My goal is for Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital to be a place where nurses can come and serve our patients doing what they love to do.
What opportunities does starting a new hospital present when it comes to staffing?
As CNO, did you give your hiring managers guidelines for the type of nursing staff you want to bring to The Woodlands to achieve that vision?
K: Houston Methodist has a reputation for being a great place to work and for taking care of its employees, which has provided the building blocks to allow us to recruit top talent. We get to establish the structure and the patient expectation from the beginning. Recruiting top talent allows us to focus on our vision of achieving unparalleled safety, quality, service and innovation. Your vision is to create and sustain a world-class nursing organization in an environment of collaboration, teamwork and consistency to achieve the best patient outcomes. How do you plan to achieve that? K: I plan to achieve it by working toward Pathway to Excellence and Magnet® designation from the day we open the doors. By implementing shared governance and allowing
K: No, I did not give guidelines, but we brought most of the directors on several months in advance of hiring the staff. This allowed all of them time to learn the Houston Methodist culture and what we look for in our staff. At Houston Methodist The Woodlands, we look for employees who have purpose, passion and pride in what they do and where they work. What does it take to be a nurse at The Woodlands? K: I have always said, I do not believe Houston Methodist is the place to work for everyone. To be a nurse at Houston Methodist, you must have an unwavering commitment to high-quality patient care. This means displaying our I CARE values in everything you do. Doing the right thing at all times, even when no one is
Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital: By the Numbers
59-acre campus 480,000-square-foot hospital facility
150,000-square-foot medical building
$328-million campus 187 inpatient beds (master planned for
400 beds)
128 acute care beds 25 intensive care beds 34 childbirth center beds 13 neonatal intensive care beds
10 operating rooms
equipped with state-ofthe-art technology
looking, and putting the patient at the center of everything you do. Houston Methodist is not a place for a nurse to just work or have a job, but it is a place for nurses to perform the art and science of nursing and serve our patients. Since everyone will be new, what is onboarding like, especially at the unit level? K: Every staff member will go through two days of hospital orientation and all clinical staff will also go through three days of clinical orientation; this includes internal transfers. This
allows the nurse educators to spend time with all clinical staff to make sure that each staff member is properly trained and familiar with the Houston Methodist expectations. We will also have several equipment fair days where staff will rotate through and show their competence with all of the state-of-the- art equipment we purchased. During the month of June, we had three “day in the life” days, during which we operate as if we are open. We run around 40 scenarios to test our processes and to allow staff to get familiar with our processes and equipment.
4 specialized
catheterization labs
2 endoscopy suites and 1 bronchoscopy suite 28 emergency beds (with fast track and
8 observation beds)
LEADERS IN NURSING | SPRING 2017 5
Epic Goes Live to Last Group By Kimberly Nichols The multiyear launch of Epic changed the face of nursing at Houston Methodist, eliminating more than 70 different systems with one integrated electronic health record to track all phases of patient care. On May 14, the last group of community hospitals, Houston Methodist San Jacinto, Houston Methodist Sugar Land and Houston Methodist Willowbrook, moved to Epic and completed system integration. On June 26, Houston Methodist The Woodlands opened on Epic. As the one source of truth for patient information, Epic empowers nurses with better access to patient history, including outpatient and inpatient encounters, clinical trials, demographics, allergies and histories. Other safety measures include Best Practice Advisories (BPAs) that scan the entire patient record to assist with decision-making and patient safety triggers, such as barcode and blood administration management, placing orders, initiating a care plan or sending an In Basket message, diagnoses, and the SmartTools feature pulling in related documentation. “Nurses like the bar scanning because it’s safer for the patients by ensuring you have the right patient and accurate information at your fingertips,” said Janet Leatherwood, chief nursing officer at Houston Methodist Sugar Land. “Epic is great. Charting is faster and the handoff report is faster with the view tab summary.”
6 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE | SPRING 2017
Houston Methodist St. John Receives Pathway to Excellence Designation Houston Methodist St. John Hospital achieved Pathway to Excellence designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center in March, making headway on its Magnet journey. The Pathway to Excellence designation identifies the elements of interprofessional work environments where nurses can flourish and feel empowered. The designation substantiates nursing job satisfaction at Houston Methodist St. John Hospital and identifies it as one of the best places to work. “We are proud to be the only hospital in the greater Bay Area to achieve Pathway to Excellence designation,” said Katherine Walsh, chief nursing officer at Houston Methodist St. John Hospital. “Our leadership team has
a firm commitment to supporting our nurses in every way possible. We understand the positive impact this has on quality of care and on our patients’ experiences. When nurses feel valued, their patients receive superior care.” For an organization to earn the Pathway to Excellence distinction, it must successfully undergo a thorough review process that documents foundational quality initiatives in creating a positive work environment — as defined by nurses and supported by research. These initiatives must be integrated in the facility’s practices, policies and culture. Nurses in the organization validate the presence of the criteria in the organization through participation in a completely voluntary and confidential online survey.
From left: Laura Roberts, director of Womens Serviced, Brandee Lovercheck, director of CPE and pathway program director, and Veronica Saxon, director of Acute Care Services
A YEAR IN THE LIFE Ashley Garcia, Graduate Nurse By Nikki Wynn
On a rain-soaked day in April of last year, Ashley Garcia and her father carefully navigated the flooded streets of Houston. They were on a mission. Garcia, who was just weeks away from receiving a degree in nursing, had an interview with Houston Methodist Hospital. And a little high water wasn’t going to keep her from the career she had been dreaming about for years. “It was my ultimate goal to work as a nurse at Houston Methodist in the Texas Medical Center,” said Garcia. “Even before I started nursing school, I knew it’s where I wanted to be.” And the rest, as they say, is history. Garcia made it to that interview, and the team was so impressed by her perseverance, preparation and boundless enthusiasm that she was offered a position in the PACU (Post Anesthesia Care Unit) graduate nurse program later that day. One of five hired in the PACU residency program, Garcia and her colleagues spent their first five months in classroom sessions, in lectures and visiting various PACUs and ICUs for clinical days alongside nurses. “The shadowing helped us become familiar with other units in the hospital, put names to faces and truly
understand what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoes,” said Garcia. “In a system as big as Houston Methodist, figuring out all of the resources — who to call and when, where things are, how to get things done — that’s a huge part of acclimating and it takes time.” After completing the residency program, Garcia was placed full time in her PACU unit working 10-hour shifts, four days a week. Throughout Garcia’s first year at Houston Methodist Hospital, she experienced many peaks and a few valleys. “There’s an old saying in this profession that ‘nurses eat their young,’” said Garcia. “That couldn’t be further from the truth here. I’ve only received encouragement and compassion from my coworkers. They’re constantly lifting me up, happy to help me learn and grow. I just feel so lucky.” Even the times that seemed especially difficult for Garcia, turned into teaching moments and ultimately, silver linings. “My first time taking the NCLEX state board test didn’t go as well as expected,” said Garcia. “For this classic Type A, overachiever, it was a difficult pill to swallow, but my manager and
director were so supportive. They allowed me to stay on as a patient care assistant until I was able to retake the test. In hindsight, this unexpected change in plans allowed me to gain experience I wouldn’t have otherwise. I worked closely with my coworkers before jumping into my nursing role. I learned the ins and outs of our unit, how to run patients and labs, and I gained a ton of respect for our patient care assistants. Plus, I got in about 20,000 steps a day!” Due to her love of the critical care environment, Garcia, now an RN I, recently transitioned from PACU to ICU, and having learned so much during her time as a GN, she has tips for others following her path: “Be a sponge. Absorb every little thing you can. If something happens you’re not involved in, observe, so you can better handle yourself when you’re in that same situation. Do research, ask questions. There are so many amazing, experienced nurses to learn from here. And above all, stay positive. It was on my most challenging days that I would inevitably get a kind note from a patient or one of their family members. I don’t think that’s a coincidence. I think it’s just another sign that we are where we’re supposed to be.”
LEADERS IN NURSING | SPRING 2017 7
NURSES WEEK
Houston Chronicle Salute to Nurses Winners 2017 Houston Methodist Hospital Maria Boissonneault Christopher Draper Nnenna Emelogu Boijor Gmah Emmanuel Javaluyas Norma Logan Mellow Ombiga Holly Rodriguez Mary Shepherd Danielle Butler-Winey
Houston Methodist Hospital
Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital
Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital Kathy Arthurs Charyl Bell-Gordon Becky Chalupa Marcia Christy Mary Joy Daniel Gail Kenny Mary Grace Zamora Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Anifa Andrade Tiffany Bell Cara Bretz Jennifer Sy Philomena Valson Chung-Win (Joy) Fey—Top 10
Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital
Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital Kim Felt Maryanne Strobel Annamma Thomas Houston Methodist West Hospital Victoria Brownewell Erica Esprit Remedios Olsson Houston Methodist St. John Hospital Ashley Rabalais Rhonda Young Houston Methodist Specialty Physician Group Carol Ross
8 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE | SPRING 2017
Houston Methodist West Hospital
Nursing Award Winners Houston Methodist Hospital Outstanding Graduate Nurse Lauren Tatton, RN Outstanding Preceptor Misty Mendoza, RN Outstanding Nurse Clinician Jennifer Rivera, RN Nursing Innovation Suzanne Mell, RN Nursing Leadership Shirley McIntosh, RN Nursing Champion Edward McLean, Pharmacy
Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital Outstanding Graduate Nurse Kristen A. Chamberlain, RN Outstanding Preceptor Claudia Rodriguez, RN Outstanding Nurse Clinician Juliet Francisco, RN Nursing Innovation Dorothy Terry, RN Nursing Leadership Charyl Bell Gordon, RN Nursing Champion Alexis L. Rose, Nursing Administration
Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Outstanding Graduate Nurse Clemente ‘Mario’ Saravia, RN Outstanding Preceptor Fiona S. Smith, RN Outstanding Nurse Clinician Kassie M. Bubela, RN Nursing Innovation Lee Cantos, RN Nursing Leadership Mary L. Harris, RN
Nursing Leadership Joseph Hutchins, RN Nursing Champion Mary ‘Joy’ Cabrera, L&D
Houston Methodist West Hospital Outstanding Graduate Nurse Sophia Stamper, RN Outstanding Preceptor Rosalie Ramirez, RN Outstanding Nurse Clinician Bryan Tanedo, RN Nursing Innovation Steven Hightower, RN Nursing Leadership Joe Ray, RN Nursing Champion Thomas Rhodes, Respiratory Care Services
Houston Methodist St. John Hospital Outstanding Graduate Nurse Hannah Szakacs, RN Outstanding Preceptor Jessica Narvaez, RN Outstanding Nurse Clinician Donna Unson, RN Nursing Innovation Esther Diaz, RN Nursing Leadership Michelle Vice, RN Nursing Champion Christian Cardenas Silvas, SQS
Houston Methodist St. Catherine Hospital Outstanding Graduate Nurse Sara Chamblee, RN Outstanding Preceptor Mercy Labucuas, RN
Nursing Champion James ‘Scott’ Berdou, Case Management and Social Work
Outstanding Nurse Clinician Keith Hinze, RN
Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital
Nursing Champion Jaime Wilson, LTACH
Outstanding Graduate Nurse Blaine Derrick, RN Outstanding Preceptor Myra Tahanlangit, RN Outstanding Nurse Clinician Colleen A. McKay, RN Nursing Innovation Elaine Webb, RN
Nursing Leadership Theresa Lebby, RN
Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital Outstanding Nurse Clinician Sandra McPeak, RN Nursing Leadership Dana Samways, RN Nursing Champion Kayla Smith, Project Manager to CNO
ADVANCES FROM THE Nurses' input instrumental in improving safety and quality initiatives
Charlean Mason, nursing program leader, Houston Methodist Hospital
“You can have management in (the decision-making process), and we can see from a resourcing standpoint what we think the problem is. But it’s so important to have the people who actually live and breathe the work day in and day out, because they can tell you exactly what their barriers are.” – Kimberly DuBose, manager of department operations at Houston Methodist Hospital Emergency Department
By Erik Noriega A little more than two years ago, Marc Boom, MD, president and CEO of Houston Methodist, introduced the six words that have since become embedded in our culture: unparalleled safety, quality, service and innovation. While the challenge of being unparalleled falls on every Houston Methodist employee, those who work at the bedside are truly on the front lines and have the potential to drive the organization to further greatness. But being unparalleled and offering patients superior safety and quality is something that no one group can achieve by itself. Nurses and other bedside personnel are doing their part – not only by providing an exceptional
THE VOICE OF THE CUSTOMER For the last few years the Emergency Department at Houston Methodist Hospital has been undergoing major changes. In addition to doubling the size of the department, the ED has also changed its throughput methodology to a split flow model to reduce the time it takes patients to be seen by a physician. According to Kimberley DuBose, manager of department operations for the ED, the redesign team received input from nurses and other personnel, which was critical to successfully implementing changes. Physicians, nurses and other staff were part of the steering committees that developed the new split flow model.
FRONT LINE patient experience – but by providing valuable input and insights to help improve facilities, processes and procedures; further improving safety and quality.
“A project like this needs steering committees that have the people who are going to be affected, as well as the boots on the ground," DuBose says. “So our nurses and lab techs for example, they need to be involved as well so that
they can tell us exactly what they’re doing from their perspective.” The new split flow process divides patients into two groups depending on their need creating two separate queues – one for patients who will likely be admitted and one for patients who won’t. The goal of the new model is to reduce length of stay through this new door to discharge process – get discharged or get admitted – ultimately improving patient satisfaction. “You can have management in (the decision-making process), and we can see from a resourcing standpoint what we think the problem is,” DuBose says. “But it’s so important to have the people who actually live and breathe the work day in and day out, because they can tell you exactly what their barriers are. “Having nurses involved gives you the right perspective. Everyone has a different view on the problems we face,” DuBose says. “Having that voice means you’re more likely to be successful at driving change.”
LEADERS IN NURSING | SPRING 2017 11
The changes implemented in the ED at Houston Methodist Hospital have resulted in shorter lengths of stay – hopefully leading to higher patient satisfaction numbers. They’ve also resulted in 6 percent growth. “If we always did things the same way we may not be able to grow the number of patients we see,” DuBose says. “We’re always grateful for input from clinical staff. You always need the right person at the table to be the voice of the customer.”
PARTNER AT THE BEDSIDE Elaine Maduzia is the director of quality and patient safety at Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital. She was previously accreditation coordinator at Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital where she worked for 11 years. “In order to become a high-reliability organization there are certain
foundational things that you have to have in place,” Maduzia says, such as an internal audit/survey program. She’s excited to bring things she has seen work before to Houston Methodist’s newest hospital, which will open this summer. Part of this foundation of safety and quality that Maduzia is laying down will be comprised of an internal audit/survey program similar to the one she left behind at Willowbrook. Currently, all Houston Methodist hospitals must have an internal audit program. These programs help hospitals track performance improvements, nonconformities, and also serve as exercise for visits from external auditing bodies such as DNV‑GL hospital accreditation. “In the past, reviews and accreditation came every three years and you ramped up and got through it,”
Maduzia says. “There wasn’t always incentive to sustain action plans, and you can’t be that way in health care anymore.”
“IT’S ALL ABOUT PATIENT SAFETY. WE ARE DOING THIS TO IMPROVE PATIENT SAFETY; WE ARE THEIR PARTNER.” Communicating with clinical staff is crucial to the process. Staff need to understand the “why of the why” or the reason the audit/survey team is there, says Maduzia. “It’s all about patient safety. We are doing this to improve patient safety; we are their partner,” Maduzia says. “We have a different, unique view because we’re not at the bedside, but we appreciate their view because they are.” It’s important that the auditing process be transparent and collaborative. The auditing/survey team depends on bedside staff after all. “The staff are the most important people in the entire process. They work these processes every day,” Maduzia says. “They have the best information for us. We get some really great ideas from the staff.” While Maduzia is excited about her new position, she has fond memories of her time at Willowbrook and the nursing staff. She says attaining Magnet designation elevated the entire hospital.
Deona Martin teaches a class at Houston Methodist Hospital. 12 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE | SPRING 2017
“BECAUSE OF OUR MAGNET CULTURE, THINGS ARE SO MUCH BETTER,” MADUZIA SAYS. “THE NURSING STAFF IS ENERGIZED AND REALLY FEELS EMPOWERED TO IMPROVE PATIENT SAFETY. “
Top row from left: Kimberley DuBose, Dr. Jeremy Finkelstein, Johnie Leonard Middle row from left: Joy Generoso, Danielle Butler-Winey, Jessica Johnson Bottom row from left: Daniella Espino, Dr. Benjamin Saldana
“Because of our Magnet culture, things are so much better,” Maduzia says. “The nursing staff is energized and really feels empowered to improve patient safety.
says Brenda Campbell, vice president of operations at HMH.
FIGHTING INFECTIONS
Nurses joined with Process Engineer Shaun Stephenson and experts from 3M to examine the overall care of the lines and to find ways to getting them out as quickly as possible to reduce the risk of CLABSI. While the project is still ongoing, the team is making positive strides.
Nurses at Houston Methodist Hospital have been instrumental in two projects aimed at reducing hospital-acquired infections. They have been part of the teams looking for ways to improve the overall care of central and mid lines as well as Foley catheters.
A second team at HMH is working to reduce the number of days patients require catheters, especially when patients are incontinent and to also improve the overall care of catheters. These patients have a higher risk of developing a CAUTI.
“They were instrumental in helping identify gaps in our current education and training of dressings,”
Nurses on the PICC (peripherally inserted central catheter) team are also learning how to place midlines,
“I’m looking forward to bringing that enthusiasm for patient safety with me to the Woodlands.”
which have a longer dwell time (about 29 days) than a regular IV, which has a dwell time of about three days. “Our PICC nurses have trained to put this in,” Campbell says. “We have placed over 300 and the outcomes have been impressive.” These are just two projects in which nurses are playing a crucial role. And according to Campbell the importance of nurses to maintaining unparalleled safety and quality goes beyond participating in special projects like these or taking part special committees. “Professional nurses play a role in just about everything we do for our patients,” Campbell says. “They are the cornerstone of Houston Methodist being unparalleled.”
LEADERS IN NURSING | SPRING 2017 13
Career Coach’s
CORNER
TAKING ON THE CHALLENGE By Shunta Fletcher Laura Ortiz-Carter, RN, MSN, CCRN, started her career with Houston Methodist in 2013 as a nurse in the ICU at Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital after completing her master’s degree and post-master’s work. Two years later she transferred to Houston Methodist Hospital in CICU/ CCU as a staff nurse and education chair, and since has transitioned into to her current position as a nurse education specialist in the Center for Professional Excellence. Having a career coach in the same working space with her started her to thinking about her career goals. Ortiz-Carter decided to talk with the career coach because she had a bit of
confusion about which doctorate path to pursue. After that conversation, she realized that online learning was not going to work for her and she needed to try a more traditional program. Ortiz-Carter said she was happy to be able to utilize the excellent resources Houston Methodist Hospital has, like career coaching, to discuss her concerns about which program would be the best fit for her. Ortiz-Carter is proud to say she has been accepted into the Doctor of Nursing Practice program at the University of Texas at Austin and the PhD program at the University of Texas at Houston. She continued career coaching and now decided
Laura Ortiz-Carter
to pursue the attainment of a dual doctorate to not only generate new knowledge but also ensure it reaches the bedside. “Working with a career coach is a great opportunity for growth and positive change in all areas of your life. Additionally, I felt a sense of relief after sharing my concerns during career coaching.”
If you want greater career success or need help in solidifying your vision for the future coaching appointments are flexible and are conducted face-face or by telephone. For more information, please contact the Center for Professional Excellence at 713.441.4546 or email at cpecareercoaching@houstonmethodist.org.
2017 Good Samaritan Foundation Excellence in Nursing Award Winners The following nurses from throughout Houston Methodist were recognized by the Good Samaritan Foundation. GOLD Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital Honeychile Benitez SILVER Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Brandy Davis Patricia Lewis BRONZE Houston Methodist Hospital Jimmy Bersamin Jhonates Quibuyen Geoffrey Dunker
Jennifer Shagol
Karen Edwards
NaKeisha Washington
Zipporah Fortich
Robyn Washington
Shannan Hamlin
Aerica Williams
14 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE | SPRING 2017
Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Carmelita Amado Robin Smith
Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital Jennifer Bertrand Deanna Nichols
Sumaiyyah Amir
Suresh Thampi
Jennifer Hillhouse
Barbara Rogers
Anifa Andrade
Stella Tomy
Van Jaymar Mariano
Dawn Sims
Cara Bretz
Gayl Weisz
Fe De La Calzada
Andrea Cuneo
Lee Cantos
Kimberly Felt
Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital Gloria Belew
Andrea Dalcour-Cotton
Maria Cristina Gomez
Norma Cepeda
Shermel Edwards Maddox
Sheelu Joseph
Jennifer Cook
Chung-Win Fey
Julie McClung
Maria Gordon
Colleen McKay
Rosemary Herrington
Gabrielle Pizzo
Houston Methodist St. John Hospital Ashley Rabalais
Lilly Kiang
Jaime Puspos
Michelle Vice Antonopoulos
Siu Lim
Rhonda Schexneider
Luz Malit
Sarah Sheasby
Minimol Manavalan
Cheryl Stevenson
Roberta Mayers
Deanna Thomas
Emilyn Rodriguez
Myra Ubas
The Nine Best Benefits You May Not Know About You probably know Houston Methodist offers excellent coverage for medical, dental and vision insurance. But are you taking advantage of your other benefits? Here are nine benefits that could save you time and money:
1 ADOPTION ASSISTANCE
New members of your family are always exciting no matter how they arrive! Through our Adoption Assistance benefit, you can receive up to $10,000 for eligible expenses once the adoption is final.
2 BACK-UP CARE ADVANTAGE
For those times when your regular day care center is going to be closed, or the provider who takes care of your elderly parent isn’t available, you can use Back‑Up Care Advantage from Bright Horizons Back-Up Care Advantage provides you with temporary care for up to 10 days per year at a copay of $15/child or $25/ family for center-based care and/or $6 per hour for in-home care for any age. You have to be registered ahead of time, so sign up today. backup.brighthorizons.com User name: HoustonMethodist Password: Backup 877.242.2737
3 JURY DUTY AND
BEREAVEMENT PAY
You don’t have to use PTO if you have a death in the immediate family or have to serve on a jury. You may be paid for up to 24 hours per occurrence under Bereavement Leave. You’ll be paid your regular base salary if you are required to report for jury duty on a scheduled workday. myhr.houstonmethodist.org Click on Benefits Library and scroll to Paid Time Off.
4 COMPASSION BENEFIT
If you die while employed by Houston Methodist, your designated recipient(s) will receive a $10,000 benefit, typically within three days. You don’t have to do anything to sign up for this benefit, but you do need to go online to name the person whom you want to get this payment. Otherwise the payment will go to your estate. Log on to MARS > Compassion Benefit > Edit.
5 DISCOUNTS
As a Houston Methodist employee, you can log on to YouDecide and get discounts on tickets to the Houston Zoo, flowers, identity theft protection, movie tickets, hotel discounts and much more. Want to pay less for your cell phone? Get a 19 percent discount on Verizon Wireless calling plans of $34.99 monthly access or higher or a 25 percent discount on qualified AT&T services. Go to YouDecide to see how you can save. youdecide.com/pfs/company/ emembers/index.html Use client ID MTH052 to register.
6 TUITION REIMBURSEMENT
Thinking of continuing your education? Houston Methodist will reimburse you up to $4,000 for year for your tuition costs for full-time benefited employees. The program is administered by EdAssist. tamsonline.org/houstonmethodist 866.537.2235
7 THREE FREE VISITS WITH
COUNSELOR OR THERAPIST Our confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can help if you or a family member are dealing with stress, depression, relationship problems, parenting concerns, domestic violence, substance abuse and many other issues. Three free in-person visits with a clinician are provided for each issue. liveandworkwell.com Access code: MH123 800.520.0726
8 FREE MONEY
If you’re old enough to be an employee, you’re old enough to start planning for the day when you want to retire. If you don’t sign up for the 403(b) retirement plan, you are leaving your 2 percent match on the table – and that’s free money! And you’re missing out on deferring paying taxes on your own contributions. Start saving today by contacting Fidelity Investments. netbenefits.com/methodist 800.343.0860
9 COLLEGE COACH
Visit the College Coach portal for expert advice on navigating the college admissions process for your children as well as finding a way to pay for it all. They’ll even review your student’s essays and applications. passport.getintocollege.com Passcode: houstonmethodist 888.527.3550 LEADERS IN NURSING | SPRING 2017 15
HOUSTON METHODIST ST. JOHN HOSPITAL
Nurses in the Spotlight as part of TLC Reality Show By Hannah Pietsch The nurses of Houston Methodist St. John Hospital recently rolled out the red carpet for filming the second season of “Skin Tight,” a hit television show on the TLC network. “Skin Tight” follows people during the last step of their weight loss journey to remove excess skin that is affecting their daily lives. Ten “Skin Tight” patients underwent multiple surgeries at Houston Methodist St. John, so Jeanette Grant, RN, pre-op nurse, had several opportunities to work with these patients. “People say that reality TV is staged, but I was surprised to find out how staged it really is,” Grant said. “I would go in to the patient’s room to discuss the surgery and get forms signed, and the producer would ask if I could step out, come back in, and do it all over again.” Carrie Fox, RN, OR nurse, also said she had to do multiple takes when meeting the patients prior to surgery, but once in the operating room, it was business as usual. “Before the cameraman or producer would enter the operating room area, we explained what gear they needed to wear in the halls and what they would need to put on before entering the room,” said Fox. “Once they knew how to maintain the sterility of the OR, we operated the way we always do.” “In the PACU, we took turns caring for these patients,” said Lita Lao, RN, “It was my first day back from vacation, and my colleagues said, ‘By the way, it’s your turn to be on TV.’ I had no idea what to expect when the cameras came in, but I knew that this patient
16 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE | SPRING 2017
Lita Lao, RN, and Jeanette Grant, RN, were featured on TLC’s “Skin Tight.”
was just another one of our patients who needed the same high-quality care we provide to everyone.” After filming 21 surgeries over a six‑month period, “Skin Tight” was ready for the second season premiere on March 3. “One of the film crew members told me they condensed an entire day of filming at the hospital into just a few minutes, so I didn’t know if I would be shown in what made it on TV,” said Grant. “I ended up being in the first episode for maybe a tenth of a second, so you have to look fast to see me!” Fox and Lao were also spotted on television, and all three nurses became mini-celebrities at Houston Methodist St. John. “My colleagues made jokes about needing my autograph, and my daughter thought I was cool,” said Fox.
Each episode began with the patients sharing how they reached their heaviest weight and how they lost it. The 10 “Skin Tight” patients who underwent surgery at Houston Methodist St. John lost nearly 2,000 pounds. “Just talking to the patients and hearing the stories of what they’d gone through to reach the point where they could have skin removal surgery was very encouraging and inspiring,” said Grant. “They had all worked so hard and were so excited to have reached this final step in getting the body they’d worked for.” The end of each episode featured a reveal where the patients showed their families and friends their new body. The 10 patients who underwent surgery at Houston Methodist St. John Hospital had nearly 130 pounds of excess skin removed.
Periop team’s highest bid brings CNO to their unit During the March of Dimes fundraising event, Vicki Brownewell, chief nursing officer at Houston Methodist West Hospital, auctioned herself to work for four hours in the unit that had the highest bid.
The Houston Methodist March for Babies team
Houston Methodist March for Babies Team 2017 To help promote healthy moms and healthy babies, walkers from across Houston Methodist joined in a 4.5‑mile trek at the University of Houston on April 23 supporting the March of Dimes March for Babies. Houston Methodist had a widespread reach across the city in showing support. Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston Methodist Willowbrook, Houston Methodist San Jacinto and Houston Methodist St. John teams walked in Houston, the Houston Methodist Sugar Land team and Houston Methodist West team walked at Constellation Field in Sugar Land and the Houston Methodist The Woodlands team walked at Woodlands Church at Fellowship Campus. Each entity had various fundraising activities to reach their goals. To date, the Houston Methodist Hospital March for Babies team has raised more than $8,350. Facility Management Services donated a rocking horse, made by David Duncan, Sr., that was raffled and raised more than $800 for the March for Babies team.
The March of Dimes has led the way to discover the genetic causes of birth defects, to promote newborn screening and to educate medical professionals and the public about best practices for healthy pregnancy. They have supported research for surfactant therapy to treat respiratory distress and helped initiate the system of regional neonatal intensive care for premature and sick babies. The recent Folic Acid Campaign achieved a dramatic reduction in the incidence of neural tube defects, birth defects of the brain and spine. According to the March of Dimes, since 2003, their fight to save babies has been strongly characterized by its Prematurity Campaign. The rising incidence of premature birth has demanded action, and the March of Dimes has responded by initiating an intensive, multiyear campaign to raise awareness and find the causes of prematurity.
Perioperative Services won, and on May 24, Brownewell officially became a perioperative service employee. She started her day at the front desk then went to work in the rooms with a PNA, Madelyn Pena and then moved on to AOD and sterile processing. After her “shift,” Brownewell said, “Thank you for your donation to the March of Dimes and ‘buying’ my time in the periop area today. It was the best four hours that I have had in a long time! “You and your staff were so warm and inviting. I was frankly a little worried that I would just be standing around watching. But you took the time to explain things to me and let me do what I could. I got to answer the phone, help turn over rooms, clean equipment, talk to a patient and decontaminate instruments. More than that, I got a firsthand view of some of your many processes and how competent and caring your staff are and how they all work together. And of course it was fun for me to meet them on a more personal level and for them to see me in a different light — and wardrobe! “Special thanks to my preceptors Paola, Jacquie, Madelyn (I see why she has that gold badge), Kim and Isaac! Next time I’m bored I might just put on some scrubs and come help Madelyn again.”
LEADERS IN NURSING | SPRING 2017 17
QA &
How to become a better listener with Dale Curd By Kelli Gifford
In April, Houston Methodist Hospital asking questions, but even more time involuntarily, looking for signs of welcomed Dale Curd, a master listening to people, what they say comfort versus discomfort in body communicator and host of the and how they say it and being really language, those sort of things. All of Canadian show “Hello, Goodbye,” to curious about why they say the things that says a lot more than what your host a series of focus groups on how they do. ears can pick up. to be better Have you kept any What do you think you can bring to listeners. Dale relationships with the nurses at Houston Methodist? honed his active these people? listening skills D: I think the primary thing that I over thousands of D: I’ve kept a can bring is giving them a sense of hours of personal couple, absolutely. mastery over creating a moment with interviews. He There was a a patient or patient’s family member. then returned as gentleman who Because this is a group of people who a keynote speaker is a former are stretched for time, it’s not about during Nurses Canadian soldier teaching them how to create more Week, and will whom I met on time to listen, it’s about helping them Liisa Ortegon and Dale Curd return again in the show and has create a connection with someone the fall. I sat PTSD, and he in a very short space of time. That down with Dale to talk about what and I have stayed in touch. He lets connection ― it only takes a moment he learned from Houston Methodist me know what he’s been working on ― and yet the other person will feel Hospital nurses and how he thinks and what he’s involved in. He’s been like they’ve been seen and feel like he can help them better connect with working with an organization called they’ve been heard. And that’s a huge their patients. National Service Dogs, which supplies part of listening. Sometimes the best emotional support animals for people conversations are ones where nothing What is your background and how with autism, PTSD, high anxiety, is spoken, it’s just space between two did you end up in your current role? depression, suicidal tendencies. people and that each person knows Dale: I am a counselor, by trade – a they have each other’s fullest attention. During your speech to the nurses, psychotherapist. I’ve spent the last you talked about listening with your During the focus group, what kind 15-16 years working primarily with eyes rather than your ears. Tell me a of information did you get from the men and with York Regional Police little more about that. nurses about obstacles in listening in Ontario to help them develop to their patients? a method for verbal de-escalation D: Most people are taught that for people who are going through a listening is about hearing. Hearing is D: Some of the observations were mental health crisis. On top of that, actually a far more limited skillset. Our clearly around schedule, around time, I also host a national TV show that hearing is nowhere near as good as our around focus in terms of their focus takes place in the airport in Toronto vision. Listening is actually observing. being split by their responsibilities called “Hello, Goodbye.” During the When it comes to observation, the eyes and tasks, diagnostic observation and process of shooting a 10-episode are far better tools for observing than equipment ― that was a huge part of it. season I end up talking to about our ears could ever be. There’s a lot The interesting one that stood out for 500 people. We’re heading into our of information that the eyes actually me was one comment where the actual third season, so I’ve talked to about take in. And a big part of learning equipment itself creates a barrier to 1,000 people. Those interviews range how to listen or to learn how to listen being able to have eye contact with anywhere from 45 minutes to an actively is about observation. Picking the patient. To me that’s such an easy hour and a half. I spend a lot of time up on body cues, things people do fix to be able to look at the room and 18 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE | SPRING 2017
where the equipment goes so that the nurse can always have some level of eye contact with the patient. I imagine they place the equipment relative to other machinery in the room but also relative to where it’s the most efficient to place it based on its task, not on how well it allows me to communicate with the patient. There were also comments around dealing with someone who is really difficult to communicate with. Those were all great observations, all really huge challenges for nursing. I think the goal would be to create more empathetic and active listening in the nursing staff, and that’s only going to do one thing ― improve the quality measures on the care that patients receive. I’d like for you to talk a little bit about the three types of questions you mentioned – the head, heart and soul questions. D: This is something that I learned from a man who was considered a master interviewer. He talked a lot about how, in a short space of time, you get someone to tell you things that maybe they haven’t told other people and you get them to spend more time with you. A lot of what he had to say was around the question. I know for me, when it comes to the show and also as a therapist, a big part of setting the tone is what questions I choose to ask and when I choose to ask them. My job is to ask questions that open doors. What I like about these three questions is they engage someone relatively quickly. The first tactic is to ask them a question of their head; it might be something like, “So how did you arrive here today?” So you get them to tell you a story. Then as you’re listening, the second question, which is a question for the heart, might be something like, “How did you feel when that happened?” so you insert a feeling word or a ask them to reflect on that story in a feeling way. The third question is the question for the soul, which is a much more reflective
question like, “So how is this journey We tune into that as well. In our that you took today like your life?” language we say that I feel your What that does is get the person to sadness, but what we know to be true reflect on this is that we can’t feel moment in time another person’s in the broader sadness and we context of their can’t feel another whole life so they person’s pain. I’m can see if they only feeling my can find patterns own sadness and or if they can see it’s connecting with similarities or their sadness. For behaviors that a lot of people, it’s are resonating. very difficult to So those three Dale Curd addresses a roomful of nurses during listen very deeply questions asked a focus group at Houston Methodist Hospital. to another person in that order because they have bring a person deeper into themselves, this sensation that they’re either being and that’s how you create an intimate suffocated by a lot of feeling or being connection with someone. overwhelmed by a lot of feeling. So they avoid having any kind of When you meet resistance, is there a depth in a conversation; they avoid way to get past that? deeply connecting with most people because they don’t have a way of D: So I don’t move on to a heart protecting themselves. question until I know there is a connection established in the head One of the skills that therapists are question. And I don’t move on to a taught is how to detach. It’s how to soul question unless I know I have a listen to someone and be attuned to connection established in the heart question. At the point that I see a bit of them and what they’re experiencing but have a line between what they’re resistance, I just go back up one level. going through and my life. And that And if it’s a lot of resistance, I feel this person kind of disengaging, I might do line in the beginning, it takes a lot of muscle to practice this and to learn a couple things. I might take a pause, how to actually do this. But once you meaning I might not say anything, I have it, it’s a paradigm shift in terms of just might stand or sit with them, and listening. The way I describe it is like wait for them to fill the space. I might a window. You put a window in front just take the direction in a completely of yourself so you can see everything different place. I might ask them a this person is going through, but I’m different type of question. Where are clearly on the other side of the window. they more comfortable relating and So the feelings aren’t overwhelming talking? That’s really what this is all me, I’m not coming through the about. Talking with someone is about window to merge with their feelings, relating and connecting. we are two separate individuals, and You also talked about empathetic my job is to hold space and observe listening and creating a detachment and to empathize where I can. where you’re not taking on a person’s pain but you’re listening to them. Tell Go to bit.ly/2rJbTkq to see a video of me more about that. Dale Curd’s speech from Nurses Week D: We’re so conditioned to be drawn to another person’s feelings. We feel our own feelings when a person we’re with is in a lot of feeling themselves.
LEADERS IN NURSING | SPRING 2017 19
HOUSTON METHODIST SUGAR LAND HOSPITAL
Volunteer Provides Therapeutic Music All patients require different types of prescriptions, and what Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital’s newest volunteer Rachel Horvath has to offer is medicine for the soul. Horvath is completing a certification to become a Certified Music Practitioner (CMP), which is a specially trained musician who provides live, acoustic music, on her harp at the patient’s bedside, oneon-one, for therapeutic purposes. Horvath applies the elements of music to meet the individual patient’s condition, in the moment. Her training has taught her to play prescriptive music for various patient conditions and to use musicality, intonation, dynamics, expression, and initiative listening specific to the individual patient. Therapeutic music is known to ease pain, anxiety, dementia, and pulmonary and cardiac dysfunction. It also is a non-pharmaceutical tool to alleviate many of the symptoms of the seriously ill and dying. Horvath is volunteering at Houston Methodist Sugar Land to complete her clinical hours to meet the CMP certification requirements. She says, “I have only played for patients (here) for a short time now but it is amazing to see how patients respond to the music and how much it blesses them. I have shared beautiful moments with patients and their families and it is amazing to be part of creating a peaceful environment. Frequently I hear that the music helps, makes a significant difference, and causes the room to become peaceful. The patients feel that they can truly rest after receiving therapeutic music. It’s encouraging for me to know that the patients feel a difference.” 20 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE | SPRING 2017
Interprofessional team creates process to decrease C. diff infections Clostridium Difficile (C. diff) infection (CDI) is the most common health care acquired infection in the United States. CDI is a gram-positive, spore forming, toxin-producing bacterium that causes a wide range of illnesses from mild diarrhea to life-threatening colitis. Hospital-acquired (HA) CDI is increasing in prevalence and has a vast negative impact on patient safety and outcomes. Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital observed a steady upward trend in HA CDI and requested assistance from the Houston Methodist Systems Process Engineering team to review protocols and practices that may contribute to the increase in HA CDI rates. During June 2016, the HA CDI rate per 1,000 patient days was 1.8963, with a cost of $135,420 to the organization. The average HA CDI cost to the organization is $11,285 per patient. This cost is not reimbursable by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) and CDI is reportable to CMS. During July 2016 an interprofessional team was formed to implement a rapid improvement process to decrease HA CDI. The team consisted of representatives from Nursing Administration, clinical nurses, systems process engineers, quality and infection prevention, infectious disease physicians, food and nutrition, pharmacy, environmental services, laboratory and physical therapy. As a result of their work the team: • Developed an algorithm addressing specimen selection and diagnosis of CDI • Developed an Emergency Department screening tool to identify potential communityacquired (CA) CDI patients • Collaborated with Environmental Services, System Infection Prevention and HMSL Education
department to create Standard Work documents to address inconsistencies in personal protective equipment (PPE) practices. All staff were retrained using the Standard Work processes • During Q3 2016, nursing collaborated with a variety of disciplines to reduce the incidence of HA CDI • Main 5 West provides yogurt to all patients on antibiotic therapy. Three graduate nurses from the unit, Elizabeth Emmanuel, BSN, RN, Lee Cantos, BSN, RN, and Chandra Knight, BSN, RN, became aware that Main 5 West had the highest rate of CDI in the hospital. For their evidence-based practice project, they decided to pilot yogurt consumption as an evidence-based CDI prevention strategy for patients on antibiotic therapy. Nursing partnered with Food & Nutrition to provide yogurt on each meal tray to patients on antibiotic therapy. The Main 5 West CDI rate decreased rapidly. • Main 5 East and Environmental Services piloted oxycide, a bleach alternative cleaning product that kills C. diff spores but does not harm equipment or furniture. Oxycide is now used throughout HMSL. • Main 5 East partnered with Pharmacy to pilot probiotics for patients on antibiotic therapy. Yakult is administered via feeding tube for ICU patients on antibiotic therapy who are unable to eat yogurt or swallow a probiotic pill. • Ultraviolet light is used as part of the discharge terminal cleaning process for all C. diff rooms. As a result, HMSL has realized sustained reduction in HA CDI through April 2017.
Houston Methodist HOUSTON METHODIST HOSPITAL
DIGEST
Stroke Awareness Night at Minute Maid Park HMH and the Houston Astros hosted Stroke Awareness Night at Minute Maid Park on May 22. Tom Knudson, a longtime volunteer with HMH, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the game. The Knudson family has been active in supporting the hospital, working primarily with the Houston Methodist Neurological Institute National Council, and established the Candy and Tom Knudson centennial chair in honor of Dr. Gavin Britz, chairman of neurosurgery at Houston Methodist Neurological Institute. In addition to a pregame ceremony,
APEC staff supports elderly As a community service project, the APEC staff collected shoeboxes of toiletries, socks and puzzles for the “Shoeboxes for the Soul” project. The shoeboxes are delivered to nursing and assisted-living facilities for the elderly.
representatives from the Eddy Scurlock Stroke Center hosted a booth at the game (see photo above) and handed out HMH pens, hand sanitizer and educational materials to the fans.
HOUSTON METHODIST SAN JACINTO Three Nurses Earn ANCC Awards Three Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital nurses have joined an exclusive list of caregivers across the nation as 2017 recipients of the Certified Nurses Award from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Charyl Bell-Gordon, PhD, DNP, RN, FNP-C, NEA-BC, JonAnn Watson, MSN, RN-BE, NEABC, and Kathy Arthurs, PhD, MSN, RN, RN-BC, RNC-OB are among 16 nurses nationwide and four in Texas to receive the award that recognizes nurses for contributions to their specialty area. Bell-Gordon won the award in the nurse executive advanced category, while Arthurs was recognized
Barefield Named President of Wound Care Society Cindy Barefield, BSN, RN-BC, CWOCN, a wound ostomy and continence nurse at HMSJ’s Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Center, was named president of the South Central Region Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society. The region has 387 members across five states (Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi).
From left: Becky Chalupa, CNO; Kathy Arthurs, JonAnn Watson, Charyl Bell-Gordon
in the professional development category and Watson was honored in the nurse leader medical-surgical classification.
Nurse Residency Program Graduation A graduation ceremony was held April 21 to celebrate the 13 nurse residents at who completed the Nurse Residency Program. The program is a systemwide accredited initiative that supports newly graduated nurses transitioning within their first year of practice.
Cindy Barefield
LEADERS IN NURSING | SPRING 2017 21
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 Certifications
Francisca Abamba, RN, from the Central Staffing Team, passed her Nurse Practitioner Board Examination Neurophysiology intraoperative neuromonitoring tech Jeremy Johnson, R.EEG.T., passed Part 2 of his exam and became a registered tech
Chris Wilcox, RN, in CVICU, passed his CCRN exam
Brittany Waltz, Main 4W, passed her MedicalSurgical Certification
Brandee Davis, RN, from the Central Staffing Team, for passing her Family Nurse Practitioner Certification
Coi Duronslet, activities coordinator on Main 7N, received her CTRS (Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists) certification
Evan Jones of Dunn 7 West attained her Medical‑Surgical Nursing Certification via the American Nurses Credentialing Center
Gia Hayes, RN, and Ryan Obremski, RN, completed the Wound Treatment Associate (WTA) program
Ben Flint and Patricia Brown, RN IIs, in the Dunn ICU, passed the CCRN exam
Degrees
Jaime Adkins passed her CCRN exam Emely Sarmiento, RN, at the Voss ED, passed her CEN Annie Cuesta, RN, passed her psychiatric certification Olaide Akinyinka of M8NW passed the Family Nurse Practitioner examination Melanie Muldrow, RN II, on Alkek 8, passed the Medical-Surgical examination The following nurses completed the Wound Treatment Associate Course: • Andrew Leatherman (CVICU) • Czerina Mae (D8W) • Rocio Hinojosa (Alkek 9) • Josephine Omobhude (J9) • Anu Bode-Olaye (M3SW) • Shunta Fletcher (CPE) • Linu Mathew (M6NW) Carrie Siemers, OTR, obtained the recognition of Board Certification in Physical Rehabilitation (BCPR) from the American Occupational Therapy Association Belinda Metts, Nurse Manager Main 5, earned the Nurse Executive Board Certification (NE-BC) Everett Stafford completed his Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP) Vincent Vo, RN II, in the Dunn 3 OR, passed his perioperative certification Heather Moore, kidney transplant coordinator, passed her CCTC transplant certification exam LaDonna Christy, MSN, RN-BC, CCRN, has passed her Nursing Professional Development Certification
22 HOUSTON METHODIST NURSE | SPRING 2017
OPC 18 OR nurse Jordan Garner graduated with his master’s in Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner from UTMB Congratulations to Sana Haj-Khalil (director dialysis), Sunila Ali (manager NICU), Pauline Todd (director clinical research), Shella Shook (manager SNF) and Lydia Coleman (manager 3SW) who successfully graduated the Nursing Leadership Institute program developed by the Texas Medical Center and UT Health Keinesha Gloria, nurse manager in the MICU, obtained her master’s degree in Nursing Leadership Regina Hunter of Jones 10 received her Master of Science in Nursing with a focus on Leadership and Management from Western Governors University Emma Murillo received her Family Nurse Practitioner degree, and Sharon Vu, Hilda Alas, and Salima Gilani received their Acute Care Nurse Practitioner degree Sam Machuca, PCA, from Kirby Emergency Care Center, graduated from nursing school Joyce Shedrick, RN, from Kirby Emergency Care Center, graduated from Nurse Practitioner school with her MSN Maureen Ehieze from the Emergency Department graduated from the FNP program at UT Health and passed her boards
Promotions Kathleen Petrola of Main 4W was promoted to RN II Christiane Perme, PT, CCS, has been promoted to the position of Clinical Development Specialist for the all departments in Rehabilitation Services areas Alessa Smith from the Kirby Emergency Care Center has been promoted to PCA III Annie Flynn of the MICU was promoted to RN III Shontae Terry was promoted to PCA III
Awards and Recognitions Rowena Sneathern, nursing director on Alkek 8, was named one of the 2017 Outstanding Filipino Nurse awardees. Nikki Washington, MSN, MBA-HCM, RN, CNOR, was elected to the AORN Nominating Committee in Boston during the 2017 AORN (Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses) Global Surgical Conference and Expo. She will serve a two-year term. Ebony Mitchell, MSN, RN, CNOR, was honored at AORN “Forty Under 40” reception in April. She is one of 40 young professionals who show a high level of commitment to professional growth in the perioperative professions. Christiane Perme, PT, CCS, has been accepted for Fellowship in the American College of Critical Care Medicine (FCCM). DAISY Award • Elisabeth Zane, February • Paula Renteria, March • Michael McGilberry, April • Manny Navarro, May
Presentations and Publications Rafael R. Felippi, PharmD, BCPS, Theresa T. Pinn, RN, Vidya M. Saldivar, PharmD, and Janice P. Finder, RN, MSN, had an abstract accepted for poster presentation at the Houston Medication Safety Symposium. The abstract is titled “PostHospital Discharge Automated Calling Program to Identify and Resolve Medication-Related Issues.” Heather Vick, Renee Stubbins and Melody Pakeltis presented their abstracts and representing Houston Methodist at the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) Congress. Heather and Renee presented “Assessing the Change in Lean Body Mass in Oncology Patients that are at Risk for Malnutrition,” and Melody presented “Putting Together the Pieces of Infection Prevention in an Outpatient Infusion Clinic.” Shannan K. Hamlin, PhD, RN, ACNP-BC, AGACNP-BC, CCRN, NE-BC, Hsin-Mei Chen, PhD, MBA, and LaDonna Christy, MSN, RN, CCRN, recently were published in the Nursing Clinics of North America journal, volume 52. Great work!
HOUSTON METHODIST SAN JANCINTO HOSPITAL Certifications Sarah Stephens, RN, and Nilda Asuncion, RN, earned their CEN certifications Linda Castillo, RN, earned her DNP certification
Jessica Sutterfield, RN, NE-BC, successfully completed her NEC exam Pam Myers, RN, successfully passed her CCRN exam
Awards Heather Walker, RN, Birthing Center, was named an I CARE Award winner
Presentations Karen Askew, RN, MSN, ACM, director, Quality Care Management, and Case Manager Diane Walker, BSN, RN, ACM, presented a discussion titled “ER Case Management—Know Your Value” at the American Case Management Association’s National Conference, April 19-22 in Washington.
Promotions
Degrees
Doreen Singh, MSN, RN, was promoted to Medical-Surgical Director
LaTasha Broussard, manager 6E Med Surg, received her Master of Nursing Science with an emphasis on leadership from Grand Canyon University
Gretchen Belmarez, BSN, RN, was promoted to Nurse Manager of the Postpartum unit Judy Jacob-Mathew, MSN, RN, RNC-OB, was promoted to Nurse Manager of the Labor and Delivery unit
Certifications Heather Cabrera, ADN, RN, earned her CNOR. Ron Gomez, BSN, RN, earned her CNOR. Emergency Department Amanda Lloyd Kristin Marcum Ann Hernandez Marissa Ramirez Breanna Smith Nikki Bodiongan Gina Grosser Paula Froelich Janna Young Rita Richards Jubril Aderibigbe Sean Hollingsworth Karen Cothran The Birthing Center is of the following who have completed the Breastfeeding Counselor Certification (CBC) Course Bernie Reyes Darlene McNulty Delphy George Ebong Etuk Jane Ruppert Jelsa Antu Jisha Jacob Juliana Miranda
Camille Tarley Marilyn Guzman Munira Sachwani Reena Tharakan Regina Woode Rosemary Herrington Somi Valayil Yamuna Mangaly
Degrees Susan Shibu, BSN, RN III, CVRN, earned her MSN in nursing leadership and administration from Grand Canyon University Amalia Gonzales, BSN, RN, earned her MSN from Grand Canyon University Rebekah Johnson, BSN, RN, earned her MSN from Grand Canyon University Elisa Cantu, BSN, RN, CVRN, earned her MSN in nursing education from UTMB Suresh Thampi, RN, ACNPC-AG, earned his nurse practitioner MSN
Lilia Gonzalez has completed and passed her boards for her NP
Jackie Herrera, BSN, RN, CMSRN, has been promoted to Nurse Manager of Main 6 West
Amanda Luby and Melanie Alexander completed their NP and graduated in May
Denise Winter, ADN, RN, was promoted to Charge Nurse of Pre Admission Testing (PAT)
Presentations
Iesha Monroe, BSN, RN, CAPA, earned her RN III
Beth Trainor presented the OR Turnover Poster with the OR team at AORN.
Awards DAISY Award
HOUSTON METHODIST SUGAR LAND HOSPITAL
Beth Trainor completed her MBA in February
• Noelle Mayor, RN (Surgical-ICU)
Evidence-Based Practice Projects and Poster Presentations
HOUSTON METHODIST WEST HOSPITAL Certifications
“Improving Practice and Reducing Hospital Costs: Establishment of an Outpatient Ostomy Clinic” (Janet M. Ramundo, MSN, RN, CWOCN, FNPBC; Jocelyn Goffney, MSN, RN, CWOCN; and Mary Harris, MSN, RN, CCRN-K).
Algay Wowo, Med/Surg certification, 6E Kim Nguyen, Med/Surg certification, 6E Kerby Barker, Med/Surg certification, 6E Andrea Watson, Med/Surg certification, 6E Jennifer Criaco, ED, CEN Sarah Fleming, 6W, NE-BC Gabi Lonzo, Med/Surg Certification, 5W Keanna Johnson, Med/Surg Certification, 5W
Publication
Degrees
“Music Therapy: A PACU Evidence Based Practice Project” (Fiona Smith, BSN, RN, CPAN). Accepted for poster presentation at the 36th ASPAN National Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Sebastian-Deutsch A. (2017). Navigator Collaboration. In Daugherty, P., Gamblin, K., and Rummel, M. (Eds.), Oncology nurse navigation: Case studies (pp. 203-207). Pittsburgh, PA: Oncology Nursing Society
Retirement Bella Gumbayan (AOD) retired after 40 years of service with Houston Methodist
Other Accolades Judy Jacob-Mathew, MSN, RN, RNC-OB, has been elected to serve as a delegate for the Texas Nurses Association, District 9 (2017-2019)
HOUSTON METHODIST WILLOWBROOK HOSPITAL Certifications Colleen McKay, CCRN Laura Connelly, CCRN Becky Davis, CPHRM Keerat Singh, CNL These nurses recently obtained certification for bariatric nursing. Their official title is CBN (Certified Bariatric Nurse). Shantal Mosri, BSN Kelli Howell, BSN Anna Sansom, BSN Lauren Gregg, BSN
Kevin Brashear, MSN, charge nurse on 6E Latricia Russell, MSN, charge nurse on 6E Thomas Shanahan, BSN, ED Andrea Cressy, BSN, ED Nori Kifer, MSN, 5W Angela Obi, BSN, 5W
Promotions Erin Kibbey, has been promoted to night manager in the ED
Awards I CARE Award • Wendy Calvert, L&D • Jacinta Anigbo, Nursery • Karin Hoesel, Administrative Coordinator Firecracker of the Month • Iana Philogene, April, 6E • Silvia Reyes, April, 6W • Amritha Raveendran, April, 5E • Tosha Garmon, April, 5W • Erlinda Gonda, March, 5W • Zoila Beltran, March, 5E DAISY Award • Michael Scott, ED
LEADERS IN NURSING | SPRING 2017 23
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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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