Affiliated with The University of TexasHealth Science Center at Houston

(UTHealth) Medical School

The mission of nursing at the Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center Campus is to drive quality outcomes by protecting, promoting and optimizing the health and wellbeing of patients we treat.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014

a publication for nurses and allied healthcare professionals

Communicating a Language of Caring

Today’s fast-paced healthcareenvironment has led many employees

to become incredibly busy and task-oriented to the point where staff maymiss the opportunity to visiblydemonstrate their care – or worse, conveythe wrong impression entirely. However,caring communication is a powerful andinfluential contributor not only toproducing high-quality patientexperiences, but also to buildingmeaningful relationships with co-workers.

In support of the Campus Attributesand to ensure caring communication isdemonstrated upon every interaction,the Memorial Hermann-Texas MedicalCenter Campus is excited to introducethe Language of Caring® – a dynamic,evidence-based communication strategy.

The Language of Caring program isdesigned to help healthcare personnelutilize caring communication morefluently and consistently so that patients, families and co-workers feel the individual’s caring disposition, and becomeless anxious and more trusting, confident and cooperative.The program builds communication skills key to successfulimplementation of best-practice tactics, such as hourlyrounding, AIDET, discharge callbacks, whiteboardconversations and much more.

Craig Cordola, Campus CEO, said, “Compassionate careis at the heart of everything we do at the Memorial Hermann-TMC Campus. The Language of Caring will teach all of us howto express genuine, compassionate care in all interactionswith patients, co-workers or even family and friends.”

The program consists of 10 skill modules that teachspecific communication techniques key to patient and family-centered care, engagement and positive outcomes. Themodules include:•Introducing the Language of Caring•Heart-Head-Heart•The Practice of Presence

•Acknowledging Feelings•Showing Caring Nonverbally•Explaining Positive Intent•The Blameless Apology•The Gift of Appreciation•Say It Again with Heart•The Language of Caring: From Good to Great

Staff now have the opportunity to learn more about theLanguage of Caring by attending a JumpStart workshop.These mandatory sessions provide employees with a deeperunderstanding of the program as well as strategies forincorporating caring communication in every interaction.

“The Language of Caring is not just another initiative ortask to add to your workload,” said Victoria King, M.H.A.,M.S.N., RN, CNOR, NEA-BC, CNO of Memorial Hermann-TMC. “The Language of Caring is an indispensable resourcethat will help you build meaningful and trusting relationshipswith your patients and colleagues.”

Continued on page 10

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Anti-CAUTI Task Force Drives Major Reduction in Foley-Associated Urinary Tract InfectionsSince its launch in Sept. 2013, theefforts of the catheter-associatedurinary tract infection (CAUTI) taskforce have managed to achieve a 21percent reduction in overall CAUTIs inthe adult service lines on Campus.

“This is a wonderful improvement,”said Victoria King, chief nursing officerof Memorial Hermann-Texas MedicalCenter. “The taskforce has gone aboveand beyond to improve CAUTIs, one ofour top clinical challenges. With theirinvolvement, I had no doubt we willreduce the incidence to be below thenational benchmark.”

Spearheaded by Nicole Harrison,RN, B.S.N., M.B.A., administrativedirector of the Mischer NeuroscienceInstitute, and Natalie Blum, M.P.H.,CIC, senior regional infectionpreventionist for the Campus, the taskforce is comprised of nurses andclinicians from service lines across thehospital as well as physicians, educators,medical product representatives,members from administration andothers.

“We knew that if we really wanted togenerate change, we’d need to create amultidisciplinary and collaborativeteam,” Harrison said.

The committee meets monthly todiscuss the various challenges unitsfaced in reducing CAUTI incidence.They meticulously evaluated the entireprocess to see where improvementscould be made, from Foley insertion andperi care to product reliability andprocedure compliance.

Their first undertaking was toinitiate daily rounding on all patientswith a Foley catheter in all unitsthroughout the hospital. The roundingresulted in increased documentation,which provided the team with reliabledata while also improvingdocumentation compliance. During therounds, members of the task forceevaluated whether basic Foley protocolwas being followed, including: • Examining the patient to determine

whether the catheter was stillclinically necessary

• Whether the Foley was secured witha stat lock or alternate unit-approved device

• That there were no kinks in thetubing

• That less than 1,000 cc of urinewere in the drain bag

• That the drain bag sat below thelevel of the bladder and off the floor

• That the drain bag was labeled withthe date of insertion

• That Foley care and peri care weretaking place according to protocoland were also being properlydocumented

The committee reviewed their collecteddata and generated proposedmodifications to the hospital’s Foleyprocess, then instituted those changesin the units evaluated. One of their mostimportant findings was that dailyrounding created an additionalopportunity to evaluate whether apatient still required a catheter – or ifthey ever truly needed one in the firstplace.

“Time and time again, it has beenshown that the best way to reduceCAUTIs is the immediate removal of theFoley catheter once it is no longerrequired for patient care needs. In short,they should be removed as soon aspossible,” Harrison said. “What wasreally interesting is that we were findingthat in some cases, patients were given a

Foley when it wasn’t actually necessary –historically, Foleys were commonly usedin certain patient scenarios. We have tomodify this process if we really want toreduce CAUTIs – it isn’t going to be easybecause it’s a culture change – we’reasking clinicians to reevaluate what theywere taught in school, what they’vealways done. But it’s important.”

Now, trials are taking place in boththe OR and the Emergency Center inwhich each and every patient is beingevaluated for Foley need. In bothdepartments, Foleys are often insertedautomatically based on certainprocedures and diagnoses. The hope isto catch patients who, despite theseindications, don’t actually need acatheter.

“We are learning that our practicesmust change to evaluate the specificpatient’s need for a Foley rather thanletting the patient diagnosis be thedriver,” Harrison said. “Lowering thenumber of catheters in use is one of theeasiest ways in which we can reduceinfection rates. If a Foley isn’t necessary,there is no reason we should be insertingone.”

In addition to re-evaluatingnecessity, the task force also determinedthat Foleys should be inserted by two

The task force reviewed findings, collected data and proposed modifications to thehospital’s Foley process. One of their most important findings was that daily

rounding provided additional opportunity to evaluate whether a patient still requireda catheter, which resulted in preventive actions and improved patient care.

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individuals rather than one; making thisa two-person procedure provides extra support for ensuring sterile techniquesare followed.

Regarding post-insertion care, thecommittee organized a pilot project inwhich 2% CHG wipes were added to theperi care routine, which resulted in asubstantial decrease in infections. Dueto the success of the pilot project, theuse of 2% CHG will become a standardof practice for all adult patients. Theyhave also recently set up a bowelsubcommittee to evaluate aggressivebowel protocols which often lead todiarrhea, a common spur of urinarytract infections.

Examining all angles, the task forceturned to the catheter equipment itselfand found that maintaining a closedsystem was superior to an open one

because fewer openings reducesopportunities for pervasive bacteria toget inside the device. They even lookedat the equipment used in urinaryanalysis: when a sample is drawn, asubstantial period of time usually passesbefore it reaches the lab for testing –time for bacteria to replicate and renderthe sample’s test unreliable andsometimes inaccurate. To remedy this,the committee is presently researchingcontainers that will inhibit growth.

“We really looked at every angle tosee where we could reduce infectionrates,” Harrison said. “No matter howminor some of these initiatives mightseem, they will all contribute to a drasticand sustained reduction in CAUTIs.” Over the next month, the task force willtrain select bedside nurses to becomeAnti-CAUTI Champions – experts in thenew Foley and peri care protocols

created as a result of the committee’sfindings.

“We are excited to roll out theseinitiatives Campus-wide, because weknow it works,” said Harrison. “In unitsthroughout the hospital we are seeingeveryone’s hard work pay off throughmajor reductions in CAUTI numbers.It’s very promising.”

In fact, one of the units Harrisonoversees – the Neuroscience ICU – hashistorically struggled with reducingtheir CAUTI numbers; prior to the taskforce, they hovered around 40 cases ayear for the past 10 years.

“In both November and December,the Neuroscience ICU had zero catheter-associated urinary tract infections afterimplementing these new processes. Idon’t believe we’ve ever achieved zero inthe history of this unit – the numbersspeak for themselves.”

Magnet Moment: One Nurse Cares for Two Generations When Brenda Jimenez was 8 years old, she was cared for by anurse who forever changed her perception of what it means toreceive high quality care.

Jimenez said, “I was a kid and terrified to be in thehospital, but my nurse went above and beyond to make me feelcomfortable. I have never forgotten her and everything she didto provide me with a great patient experience.”

When Jimenez’s son, Jonathan, was admitted to theChildren’s Center North (CCN) at Children’s MemorialHermann Hospital in January, she was incredibly nervous andconcerned about his condition. She hoped that he would getthe kind of nurse she vividly remembers from when she was inthe hospital almost 15 years ago.

During her son’s stay in the CCN, Jimenez’s expectationswere not only met, but exceeded when numerous physiciansand clinicians went above and beyond to provide her son withexceptional care.

“It was amazing being surrounded by that many talentedhealthcare professionals who all demonstrated the samecompassionate care I experienced as a patient years ago,” saidJimenez.

Even more, the nurse who cared for Jimenez when she was8 years old, Jennifer Watkins, RN, CCN, coincidentally wasJonathan’s nurse for two days.

Jimenez said, “I could not believe my eyes – standing infront of me was my nurse, the same nurse who made such animpact on my life 15 years ago. There truly are no words toexpress the amount of joy I felt at that very moment.”

Watkins has been a nurse at Children’s MemorialHermann Hospital for more than 12 years and a caregiver formore than 22 years. A seasoned professional, Watkins said,“I’m so happy that Jonathan’s mom recognized me and I’m

honored to have made such an impact on her life.”Jimenez said, “After interacting with the CCN nurses and

then reuniting with Jennifer, I finally got it. There are goodnurses and there are exceptional nurses. The nurses atChildren’s Memorial Hermann Hospital are exceptional andI’m so grateful that both Jonathan and I got to experiencethat.”

Elizabeth Fredeboelling, chief nursing officer ofChildren’s Memorial Hermann Hospital said, “Brenda’s storyis a perfect example of how one nurse’s impact can transcendgenerations. Jennifer and nurses like her are the reason whypeople choose to receive care at Children’s MemorialHermann Hospital.”

With two decades of clinicalexperience, Jennifer Watkins, RN,has been a nurse at Children’sMemorial Hermann Hospital formore than 12 years.

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AIDET is a simple and successful tool tohelp clinicians effectively communicatewith patients and families. The acronymensures patient expectations areexceeded upon every interaction and isone of the foundations for nursing at theMemorial Hermann-Texas MedicalCenter Campus.

The quick tips below reiterate theimportance of embracing AIDET.

ACKNOWLEDGE

Greet people with a smile and use theirname. Embrace a positive spirit anddirect all attention solely on the patientand their family. An example ofacknowledgements:

“Good morning Mr. Smith.Welcome to the MIMU. It is my goalto take excellent care of you today.”

INTRODUCE

Consistently introduce yourself by nameand explain your role in the department.“Manage up” by talking positively aboutthe Campus and your department. Thisis your time to let your personality shine.An example of introduction:

“My name is Sarah Jones and I havebeen a nurse for more than 15 years.I see that you are scheduled for an X-ray. Our Radiology department isincredibly skilled and uses the latestequipment. You are in great handstoday!”

DURATION

Always provide the patient with anestimate of how long he or she may haveto wait or the time it takes to complete aprocedure. An example of duration:

“Mr. Smith, I’m going to look in onmy other patients but will be back inan hour. Is there anything I can dobefore I leave? At 3 p.m., you arescheduled for an X-ray. The X-ray

should only take about 30 minutesand then you will come back to yourroom.”

EXPLANATION

Keep the patient and family informed ofwhat you are doing, the procedureprocess and who to contact forassistance. Ask the patient for feedbackand take time to listen. Whenappropriate, include safety oreducational information. An example ofexplanation:

“For your safety, I’m going to scanyour arm band before administeringthis medication. The medication isfor your pain and you should begin

to feel relief within 20 minutes. I will be back to check on you withinthe hour and we will re-evaluateyour pain level to see how much thepain medication has helped. Is thereanything else I can get you before I leave? I have the time.”

THANK YOU

Share your appreciation for the privilegeto care for the patient. An example ofthank you:

“It has been a pleasure taking careof you today. Please let me know ifyou have any further questions orconcerns.”

Back to the Basics: AIDET

AIDET is a fundamental of exceptional service and ensurescare is communicated in a visible manner.

Journey to Magnet: Campus UpdateWe are excited to announce that on Feb.3, our Campus submitted theapplication document for the AmericanNurses Credentialing Center’s MagnetRecognition Program®. The applicationconsisted of 14 volumes, each around200 pages, detailing the history ofnursing at Memorial Hermann-TexasMedical Center and our journey toMagnet designation.

What’s next? It will take anywherefrom six weeks to four months forMagnet representatives to review thedocument and notify Victoria King,CNO of Memorial Hermann-TMC, if thehospital received approval for a sitevisit.

King said, “In March, we will beginfocusing on Magnet education at theunit level and discussing what it meansto our Campus as a whole. We lookforward to continuing this journeytogether!”

This section is dedicated to honoring our Campus’ DAISYAward winners. Congratulations to the following Novemberand December winners for going out of their way to bestdemonstrate the Campus’ pillars of nursing and DAISYqualities.

To nominate a nurse for this prestigious honor, fill out anomination form located on various units throughout thehospital and available online at TMC Connections on InSite.Nominations are due by the 15th of each month, or they will becounted as a contender for the next month’s award.

Tiffany Davis –NovemberNovember’s DAISY Award goes to Tiffany Davis, RN, RCW.Davis received the nomination from a patient’s mother whowrote, “She always took time to listen to my concerns aboutmy son. She is very sweet and caring. She truly loves her joband it shows through her kindness and love to her patients.”

Robert Couchman – December December’s DAISY Award goes to Robert Couchman, RN,Stroke Unit. Couchman received the nomination from apatient’s daughter who wrote, “Rob was great! He was so

patient and caring for our mother. He was very informative,providing us with literature to help us, but most of all hiscompassion helped us in our time of need. His personal touchmade it easy for us to ask questions and it made our mothercomfortable, which helped her recover quicker. Thank youRob!”

November and December DAISY Award Winners

Tiffany Davis, RN Robert Couchman, RN

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Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center Campus

American Nurses Credentialing CenterMagnet Recognition Program® Documentation Submission

February 2014

Organizational OverviewVolume I

The cover page for each volume – one example is picturedabove – was designed to reflect the unique culture andenvironment of the Memorial Hermann-TMC Campus.

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The restroom is the No. 1 reason forpatient falls, based on data gathered bythe Fall Champions Committee fromJuly to December 2013 at the MemorialHermann-Texas Medical CenterCampus. Although elderly patients maypose the highest risk of patient fallsnationally, the committee’s researchrevealed that patients between the agesof 50 to 59 make up the highestpercentage of falls at MemorialHermann-TMC.

Professionally, middle-aged adults(45-60) are often at the height of theircareers and generally inclined toperform duties themselves, utilizingpast experience for knowledge. Theyhave also started to experience the onsetof physical changes that accompanyaging, such as eyesight problems orhearing loss.

As a result, middle-aged adults arehesitant to request assistance fromothers. Research conducted at theCampus level indicated that most ofthese individuals avoid using the callbutton because they “don’t want tobother the nurse.”

The fall prevention techniquesbelow are universal regardless of age,but are specifically tailored to helpimprove fall prevention communicationwith middle-aged adults.

Early education on fallprecautions and risksWhen talking with patients, it’s helpfulto be sensitive to their psychosocialneeds. Patients should be reminded thatwhen anyone is placed in an unfamiliarenvironment and taking newmedications, a fall can be a serious riskand result in prolonged recovery.Middle-aged adults do best with clear,concise directions. After providingthese, take a moment to listen to thepatient’s concerns and make a note ofany requests, such as leaving on anightlight.

Proactive restroom reliefInstead of asking the patient if he or sheneeds to use the restroom, proactivelyrequest permission to take them to therestroom. Compassionatelycommunicate the following – “I will be

back in one hour and want to make sureyou are as comfortable as possible beforeI leave. Let’s take a moment and use therestroom right now.” This action notonly prevents patient falls, itsignificantly contributes to their overall satisfaction and happiness.

Hourly RoundingClinicians are required to round on their patient a minimum of everyhour. Hourly rounding helps fosterrelationships, provide consistent care,reduce pain, improve outcomes andmuch more. Rounding shows theclinician is proactive in caring for theneeds of the patient and patientsperceive they are receiving a higherquality of care, as evident in researchprovided by the Language of Caring®.

Fall Prevention Techniques

Congratulations to thefollowing units for zeropatient falls in January:

• ACE• CCU• CSC• CIMU• CVICU• ER• MICU• NICU• NIMU• NSICU• PICU• RCW• Signature Suites• STICU• TSICU

Clinicians can tailor fall prevention communication by thepatients’ age to help them more easily comprehend the

risks of falling and impact on recovery.

While working in healthcare can pose many potential risks,according to Cory Worden, M.S., CSP, CSHM, CHSP, CESCO,manager of System safety, the key to staying safe in thehospital setting is awareness.

“The more employees are educated on potential risks andthen armed with information to avoid those risks, the saferthey are,” Worden said. “The best cultural change we canmake right now is to actively identify hazards and risks in ourwork and then find and use the right controls to preventinjuries. Controls can be guards and devices, processes andprocedures, personal protective equipment such as gowns,gloves, glasses and other items, training sessions and muchmore. If a control isn’t in place, or isn’t available, we’ll need toknow that, too, so one can be developed.”

This month, Clinical Notes is addressing one of the topthree employee safety risks at the Memorial Hermann-TexasMedical Center Campus – needlesticks.

NeedlesticksNeedlesticks and other sharps-related injuries may exposeworkers to bloodborne pathogens, infectious microorganismsin human blood that can cause diseases. Needlestick injuriescan occur during procedures, as a result of mishandling or inthe process of disposal.

Needlesticks are extremely dangerous due to theirpossibly infectious nature. Keeping this in mind, all needlesshould be handled with the utmost safety precautions. Somenotable preventive measures for needlesticks from theNational Institute for Occupational Safety and Health(NIOSH) include the following:

• Plan for safe handling and disposal of needles beforebeginning an operation.

• Avoid the use of needles where safer alternatives areavailable.

• Help identify and evaluate devices with safety features andrecommend infection prevention practices.

• Use safety features as provided.• Avoid recapping needles.• Promptly dispose of needles in appropriate sharps

disposal containers.• Tell your supervisor about hazards from needles you

observe in your workplace.

Clinical Safety Risk Reminder: Needlesticks

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As the primary caregiver, nurses are the most susceptibleto needlesticks. The key to avoiding needlesticks and

other employee safety risks is awareness of surroundings.

How to Properly Display Your CredentialsA standard format for listing credentialshas been established by the AmericanNurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) toensure everyone, including nurses,healthcare providers, consumers, third-party payers and government officials,understands the significance and valueof credentials.

The preferred order is:• Highest earned degree• Licensure• State designations or requirements• National certifications• Awards and honors• Other recognitions

The education degree is listed firstbecause it is considered a “permanent”credential, meaning it cannot be takenaway except under extreme

circumstances. The next two credentials (licensure and state designations orrequirements) follow education andindicate a nurse has been authorized topractice nursing. National certificationand awards, honors and otherrecognitions can be included on avoluntary basis.

A few examples of credentials in thepreferred order are doctoral degrees(M.D., Ph.D.); master’s degrees(M.S.N., M.S.); licensure credentials(RN, LPN); state designations orrequirements (APRN, NP); nationalcertifications (RN-BC, FNP-BC); awardsand honors (FAAN); and othercertifications (EMT-Basic/EMT).

On legal documents, such asprescriptions and notes on medicalrecords, clinicians must use thecredentials required by the state for theindividual’s area of practice. For

example, Jane Smith, RN, or John Davis,APRN.

If a nurse has more than one of thesame type of credential, list the highesteducation degree first. For example, anurse may list his or her credentials inthe order of M.B.A., M.S.N., RN, withthe highest non-nursing degree firstfollowed by the highest nursing degree.

Multiple nursing certifications maybe listed in any order, but the ANCCrecommends to list them in order ofrelevance to the individual’s practiceand to always list non-nursingcertifications last.

For more information about how todisplay nursing credentials, please visitnursingcredentialing.org.

Article Source: The American NursesCredentialing Center

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Recognizing Our EmployeesRecognizing clinicians for theirachievements in patient care and in ourcommunity is an integral part of theculture of clinical excellence atMemorial Hermann, both at the TexasMedical Center Campus and across theSystem. It is also an important aspect ofMagnet® Structural Empowermentcomponent – to reward and recognizestaff, many of whom have gone aboveand beyond their day-to-dayresponsibilities to make achievements in their fields. Congratulations to thefollowing employees!

PromotionsCIMU• Maria Melendez was promoted to

RN III

Emergency Center• Algin Adap was promoted to RN IV• Rachel Goldman was promoted to

RN III

Heart Transplant ICU• Rita Nwazojie was promoted to

RN III

NICU• Erica Boots was promoted to RN III• Brooke Shoemaker was promoted to

RN III

MICU• Katy Mclaughlin-Finney was

promoted to RN III

Certifications• Ron Dorsey, RN, received his

professional certification CRRNfrom the Association ofRehabilitation Nurses.

• Julian Pabian, RN, received hisprofessional certification CCRNfrom the American Association ofCritical-Care Nurses.

• Dolly Varghese, RN, received herprofessional certification CMSRNfrom the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses.

Achievements• Alexis Asprah received her

bachelor’s in nursing.• Hana Chung received her bachelor’s

in nursing.

• Victor Ejimudi received hisbachelor’s in nursing.

• Sarah Foji received her bachelor’s innursing.

• Elizabeth Mitchell received hermaster’s in public administration.

• Shu Wang received her bachelor’s in nursing.

• Cindy Watson received herbachelor’s in respiratory care,magna cum laude.

New Leadership• Clare Carroll has been named

clinical director for the medicineservice line.

• Nicole Francis has been namedclinical director of the neonatalintensive care unit, neonatal specialcare unit and neonatal transport.

• Gina Huckels has been namedpatient care director ofInterventional Radiology.

All employees are encouraged to submit nominations for the 2014 NursingPillar Awards. The Pillar Awards recognize nurses from Memorial Hermann-TexasMedical Center and Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital who exemplifyexcellence in nursing and fulfill the six nursing pillars as defined by the NursingProfessional Practice Model: nurses as clinicians, nurses as collaborators,nurses as advocates, nurses as innovators, nurses as teachers and nurses asleaders. Nomination forms can be found under the Announcements section onTMC Connections. Completed nominations should be emailed toDavid.Bellinger@memorialhermann.org by Friday, Feb. 28, at 5 p.m.

2014 Nursing Pillar Awards Now Accepting Nominations

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FebruaryFeb. 17 & 18, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Pediatric Advanced Life SupportFeb. 17 & 18, 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. *Class Full

TEAM Training for Direct Patient Care ProvidersFeb. 18, 8 a.m. – Noon

EKG Interpretation: Beyond the BasicsFeb. 20, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Fundamentals of Critical Care NursingFeb. 20, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Pediatric Advanced Life Support – RecertificationFeb. 20, 8 a.m. – Noon *Class Full

Phlebotomy ClassFeb. 20, 8 a.m. – Noon *Class Full

Continuous Renal Replacement TherapyFeb. 20, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Advanced Care4 Training for Respiratory TherapistsFeb. 21, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Acute Care Concepts Day 1Feb. 24, 7:45 a.m. – 4 p.m. *Class Full

CPR for Healthcare Providers (Licensed Staff Only)Feb. 24, 7:50 a.m. – Noon *Class Full

CPR HeartSaver (Non-Licensed Staff Only)Feb. 26, 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Introduction to Critical Care HemodynamicsFeb. 26, 9 – 11 a.m.

HealthQuest – Nursing ADTFeb. 27, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Fundamentals of Critical Care Nursing

MarchMarch 3 & 4, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Advanced Cardiac Life SupportMarch 3, 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

TEAM Training for Direct Patient Care ProvidersMarch 4, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Fundamentals of Critical Care Nursing

March 6, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. EKG Interpretation: Beyond the Basics

March 6, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Advanced Care4 Training for Respiratory Therapists

March 10 & 11, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. *Class Full Pediatric Advanced Life Support

March 12, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. *Class Full Advanced Cardiac Life Support – Recertification

March 13, 8 a.m. – Noon Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy

March 17 & 18, 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. *Class FullTrauma Nursing Core Course

March 18, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Acute Care Concepts Day 2

March 19, 8 a.m. – Noon *Class FullPhlebotomy Class

March 20, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Pediatric Advanced Life Support – Recertification

March 20, 8 a.m. – Noon EKG Interpretation: Beyond the Basics

March 20, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Advanced Care4 Training for Respiratory Therapists

March 21, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.Critical Thinking and Decision Making in the Clinical Setting

March 24, 7:45 a.m. – Noon *Class FullCPR HeartSaver (Non-Licensed Staff Only)

March 26, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. *Class Full Advanced Cardiac Life Support – Recertification

March 27, 8 a.m. – Noon Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy

March 28, 7:45 a.m. – 4 p.m. *Class FullCPR for Healthcare Providers (Licensed Staff Only)

March 28, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Respiratory – Adult Emergency Airway Management Course

March 28, 9 – 11 a.m. HealthQuest – Nursing ADT

Continuing Education Opportunities

To register or get more information on any class, visit the Partners in Learning section of InSite.

Upcoming EventsBlood Drive: Feb. 20Partners in Caring (PIC) will host ablood drive in the Cullen Lobby from 8a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20.Please consider donating, as a singledonation of blood can help save thelives of three different people. Walk-ins

are welcome, but it is strongly encouraged that you schedulean appointment and fill out your health history form inadvance. For more details or to schedule your donation, visitwww.giveblood.org. All donors will receive a free T-shirt.

22nd Annual EmployeeChili Cook-Off: Feb. 28The Memorial Hermann-TexasMedical Center Campus will hostits 22nd Annual Chili Cook-Offon Friday, Feb. 28 from 11 a.m. to3 p.m. in the Emergencydepartment parking lot. Teamsfrom multiple departments willcompete for bragging rights to

the best-tasting chili and best-decorated booth. Be sure to stopby for some delicious food and fun with your colleagues!

4th Annual Texas Two-Step Conference: Medicolegal Issues in OB/GYN: Feb. 28 – March 1Obstetrics and Gynecology is one of the highest at-riskspecialties for litigation, as there remains a high acuity andcase complexity rate for women (pregnant and non-pregnant).Although rates are improving, there remain multiple areas ofopportunity to reduce the frequency of near misses andmedical errors, therefore preventing unnecessary harm. Thetwo-day conference includes experts in Obstetrics andGynecology providing current perspectives, guidelines andbest practices for significant healthcare liability concerns in

OB/GYN. It will take place at Hotel Sorella, City Centre, 800Sorella Court, Houston, TX 77024. For more information orto register online, visit childrens.memorialhermann.org/events/Texas2Step2014. The two-day activity has beenapproved by the Texas Nurses Association for a maximum of15 contact hours of nursing continuing education.

Second Annual Neuro-ICU Symposium: March 5-7This year's symposium highlights Cutting-edge Managementof Neurological / Neurosurgical Emergencies and Critical Careand will take place at the JW Marriot, 5150 Westheimer Road,Houston, TX 77056. The course director is Kiwon Lee, M.D.,associate professor and vice chair of critical care for thedepartments of Neurology and Neurosurgery at UTHealthMedical School and director of neurocritical care at MischerNeuroscience Institute. This activity has been approved by theTexas Nurses Association for 20 contact hours of nursingcontinuing education. To register, go to:neuro.memorialhermann.org/cme.

Houston AorticSymposium 2014: March 6-8The 2014 Houston AorticSymposium is open to allhealthcare professionalsinvolved in the care andtreatment of patients withcardiovascular disease. It willtake place March 6 to 8 at TheWestin Oaks Hotel in

Houston. Course directors include Hazim J. Safi, M.D., andDavid D. McPherson, M.D. To register, please visitwww.promedicacme.com. Provider approved by the CaliforniaBoard of Registered Nursing, Provider #8495 for 17.5 contacthours.

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The workshops employ a blended learning approach thatcombines successful components of face-to-face interactionwith Web-based instruction and resources, includinginteractive Web-based skill modules, team learning andhardwiring. The modules will be rolled out over the next yearand a half to provide employees with ample opportunity tohardwire each skill into their daily routine. Other facilitiesthat utilize the Language of Caring have noted enhancedpatient outcomes, improved survey performance and patientsafety, and increased employee satisfaction.

Cordola said, “The Language of Caring is an investment

in every single member of this Campus, including those inclinical positions, support departments, food and nutritionservices, valet services and physicians. Change will nothappen overnight – it will require time and patience as we allwork together to take caring communication to the next level.However, I look forward to the benefits this program will haveon the patients and families we serve.”

Register for JumpStart sessions through Partners inLearning. Search “Language” for a list of available classes.The first session is being offered at various times now through March to accommodate all employees. Registration is required.

C A M P U S

CONSTRUCTIONU P D A T E

C A M P U SC A M P U

U P DONSTC

C A M P U

ETAU P DUCTRRUCTIONONST

SC A M P U

UCTION

Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center is expanding the Campus and upgradinginfrastructure. The objective of this monthly Campus Construction Update is to keep ouremployees, patients and visitors informed of our ongoing development projects.

Procedure Area on 1 Robertson Now ClosedAs part of the ongoing Campus improvement projects, the pre- and post-procedure area on 1 Robertson closed permanently on Saturday, Jan. 11. The area is being repurposed and will berenovated into a new 22-bed observation unit for the Campus. Construction on the project isexpected to last approximately three months. By creating a dedicated observation unit, inpatient beds currently used by observation patients will become available for inpatient use. As a reminder, patients previously seen in the procedure area are now being directed to thefollowing units:

Other Ongoing Construction ProjectsIn January, the dialysis unit moved back to the 9th floor. Construction on the 9 East Jones and 9West Jones units are tentatively scheduled to be completed in March. Phase II of the 3 Jonesrefresh project should be completed by mid-March. Construction is still taking place on thepediatric surgical waiting area on the 2nd floor of Robertson Pavilion. During this time, some ofthese areas will be blocked off to ensure the safety of employees, patients and visitors.Additional updates will be provided via weekly News Flash emails. E

Infusion Therapy patients � Cancer Center (MHMP 29)

Gamma Knife® patients � Gamma Knife (Ground Robertson)

Interventional Radiology patients � Interventional Radiology (2 Jones)

Apheresis patients � HVI Apheresis (3 HVI)

Paracentesis patients � EDDC (MHMP 14)

6411 Fannin | Houston, TX 77030 | 713.704.4000 | www.memorialhermann.org

CLINICAL NOTES EDITORIAL TEAM

Alex Rodriguez LoessinCaryn GebhardLauren AllenInternal Communications

Elizabeth Fredeboelling, M.S.N., RN, NEA-BCChief Nursing OfficerChildren's Memorial Hermann Hospital

Victoria King, M.H.A., M.S.N., RN, CNOR, NEA-BCChief Nursing OfficerMemorial Hermann-TMC

Clinical Notes is a publication of MemorialHermann-TMC internal communications. We welcome your suggestions and comments.

713.704.1222

medicalcentercommunications@memorialhermann.org