February 2007
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Online Extras
Holiday visits
For a gallery of visits that raised children's spirits, go to: www.childrenshospital.org/gallery/index.cfm?G=11Open Meetings are coming!
All employees, staff and volunteers are invited to attend the Children's Hospital Boston Open Meetings at Enders Auditorium.Two Sessions
-Friday, February 16 at 8:30 a.m.
-Tuesday, February 27 at noon.(Both meetings will also be available live via Breeze Web conferencing. Watch for instructions via Small Talk.)
Speakers
-Dr. James Mandell, president and CEO
-Sandra Fenwick, chief operating officer
-Inez Stewart, vice president, Administration and Human ResourcesEmergency Department keeps up improvements
In the past year, Children's Hospital Boston's Emergency Department (ED) has implemented a host of improvements to the department's physical space and its internal procedures. Many of the changes were made between 2005 and last summer, including two key initiatives: Quick Registration and Immediate Bedding. ED nurses also formed a group to meet with inpatient unit nurses to address delays in patient transfers.There have been physical changes, too. Workers recently transformed a utility room into a lab that allows ED staff to perform rapid influenza, strep and pregnancy tests, eliminating time-consuming waits for results from the main lab. Also, in November, the ED opened nine new, state-of-the-art exam rooms and a charting area with the goal of facilitating collaboration and consultation among ED staff and specialty services.
The procedural and physical changes have been accompanied by aesthetic changes as well. A department volunteer has taken on the daunting task of transforming the grey construction walls into a work of art. Karen Stocker, a Wheelock College graduate student who's studying to be a Child Life Specialist, and her friend, Lauren Ferrone, designed and painted a new mural that covers the length of construction wall in the waiting area and will be up until the completion of the new triage area. Even with all these changes, the ED isn't resting on its laurels. Still to come are a new entryway, triage area, registration space, and a central core support section that will include a new pharmacy and supply area.
Award-winning design
The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) recently announced the winner of its annual Chapter Community Service Award: the Devon Nicole House project. The project was a redesign of the Devon Nicole House, the communal housing facility for families with a child staying at Children's. Each year, the award is given to the professional chapter whose community service best exemplifies the spirit of bringing design to life in the service of others. The chapter will be recognized in ASID ICON magazine and will be honored at a Celebrating ASID Service celebration this month.Radiation Safety Program
For a decade, the Children's Radiation Safety Program has undergone and passed annual unannounced inspections by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH). December marked the tenth consecutive year that Children's program passed the yearly DPH inspections. Radiation Safety Officer William A. Lorenzen, MS, says, "The success of this inspection and the program are due to the continued dedication and support of the hospital and its employees."Just published
The second issue of Children's nursing newsletter, Nurses: Dedicated to Excellence, came out last month. The publication, produced by Children's Nursing and Public Affairs departments, was conceived of by two nursing committees, Nurse Champions and Magnet Core Team, who wanted to improve nursing communication throughout the hospital. Copies are available in nursing units and on the internal Web site.Captain for a Day
Captain Ruth Kennedy earned her title through worry and love. She's the mother of Ewan Kennedy, a 3 year old with half a heart. Ewan was born with tricuspid atresia, a severe heart defect that left him with only one working heart ventricle. At only six days old, Ewan underwent the first of three open-heart surgeries. His third surgery is still to come.Ruth realized she could take action to help Ewan and thousands of children like him by participating in Children's annual pledge walk, Miles for Miracles. In 2006, she donned the Captain's hat and put together a walk team named Ewan's Friends that raised more than $3,500.
You, too, can become a captain and walk either seven or two miles on June 10. And, if you'd like to walk in honor of someone and name your team after him or her, like Ruth did, log onto www.childrenshospital.org/walk to register, or call (617) 355-6666. It'll be a fun-filled day with friends, food and fundraising, all to help Children's continue its lifesaving mission.
Putting her back together again
With four knee surgeries behind her, 15-year-old Victoria Westerhoff has a message for children facing physical injuries: No matter what your physical condition, life has endless possibilities. Victoria came to Children's four years ago after an accident left her unable to walk. During her treatment, she turned to books for inspiration, but found there weren't many for teens her age. Now a healthy sophomore in high school, she's written one herself in order to inspire others.Titled Humpty Dumpty Fell off a Rock Wall, the book is a fundraiser for Children's. Victoria wanted to give back to people like Lyle Micheli, MD, director of Sports Medicine, and physical therapist Kathleen Richards, for helping her walk again. Her book can be purchased for $6 from On a High Note Productions at on_high_note@comcast.net and part of the book sales go to Children's.
Mickey visits Children's
A larger-than-life Mickey Mouse greeted patients at Children's Patient Entertainment Center on January 10. Each child spent a magical moment with Mickey and left with a picture of him and a stuffed Mickey Mouse toy, courtesy of Disney Worldwide Outreach and Radio Disney.
