Beyond the Bedside
Nurses Excel in Patient Rooms and Classrooms

Texas Children’s Hospital is committed to building a community of healthy children, and nurses are at the forefront of this commitment – treating the tiniest patients with a gentle touch and older children with care and compassion.

The hospital’s nurses fulfill an important role by providing children with high-quality health care, while making their visits as comfortable as possible.

Beyond their traditional duties, nurses try to provide a relaxed, normal environment for patients. Working in a multidisciplinary environment, they collaborate with a variety of specialists throughout the hospital to coordinate patient care at the bedside.

"I love working with children," said Maria Cortez, a cardiology nurse who has worked at Texas Children’s for 25 years. "I feel completely supported by other members of the Texas Children’s staff – from other nurses to managers to child-life specialists. At Texas Children’s, there is room to grow."

Nurses at the hospital are encouraged to further their education and pursue professional development opportunities. Several programs are in place to foster ongoing career development and assist nurses in achieving career satisfaction.

The hospital offers pediatric nursing internships and a series of courses that help adult-care nurses make the transition into pediatric nursing. In addition, Texas Children’s provides tuition support and flexible schedules for nurses pursuing higher education.

"Time management is a challenge when you are working full time and pursuing higher education," said Colleen Jones, an operating room nurse at Texas Children’s. "Since I began work on my master’s in nursing/health systems management, my co-workers have been very supportive".

Exceptional nurses are recognized and rewarded for their dedication. In fact, the hospital’s preceptor development program won the Excellence in Educational Design award from the National Nursing Staff Development Organization last year. In addition, six Texas Children’s preceptors won awards for excellence in preceptorship from the organization.

"One of Texas Children’s ongoing priorities is to increase professional development opportunities for our nurses," said Myrtle Williams, director of clinical training and development. "The hospital’s preceptor and educator roles contribute to quality patient care by ensuring competent and high-performing patient-care providers."

Another accolade, the Texas Children’s annual nurse of the year award, is presented to bedside nurses who exemplify excellence based on professional development, teamwork, exceptional service and delivery of family-centered care.

"Texas Children’s has provided me with opportunities to grow in my profession," said Emily Weber, last year’s honoree. "There are so many avenues here to help patients and their families."

In addition to professional development programs for nurses, the hospital supports nursing students through the Students Transitioning Effectively into Practice, or STEP program, which allows aspiring nurses to gain experience in a hospital setting.

For more information on Texas Children’s nursing opportunities, visit http://www.texaschildrenshospital.org.

---

©2006 Texas Medical Center

---

E-Mail: tmcinfo@texmedctr.tmc.edu
URL: http://www.tmc.edu/tmcnews/05_15_02/page_14.html