Archive for the ‘Five Question Friday’ Category

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Five Question Friday: Elin Hooper

Friday, June 14th, 2013

 

What drew you to Children’s? When my daughter was born with a congenital heart defect, my life changed in numerous ways. I have a degree in communication studies, and I wanted to begin advocating for children. Health care does not start and stop in the patient room, and Children’s is an amazing example of complete patient and family care. We are involved in the community in a variety of ways, and I was drawn to Children’s because of how much I wanted to be involved in our various programs.

Elin Hooper

What do you love most about Children’s? I love how Children’s encourages and provides opportunities to become involved with our families and patients outside of our daily department. Through our Making Safe Simple events, fundraisers like HeartBeat 5000, and various groups that assist with community events, education, advocacy, and policy, I have had the opportunity to be involved with Children’s in an incredibly enriching way. It has been wonderful to work with children and families in fun learning environments, and to receive additional education and training for myself on how we can improve children’s health care.

On June 22, you’ll participate in the HeartBeat 5000. Can you tell us about your team and why you’re participating? My daughter’s team is Seven of Hearts and this will be our second year at HeartBeat, first as a team. I chose that name because her first heart surgery was on July 7. Last year it was just her and I who ran in the event. I decorated the jogging stroller with hearts and pushed her while I ran. It was amazing to see all the teams gathered together, sharing stories about their heart kids, and advocating for congenital heart defect awareness and research. I was also greatly impressed with all the informational booths at HeartBeat,  and I came away with a lot of helpful information and new friends. This year Maija and I will be running with a team of eight people. Every step of the event, each connection made, they are all so important to the heart community. We are advocating for our children and spreading awareness of the most common birth defect.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be? Since I was a little girl, I have wanted to travel to Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. I grew up celebrating various Scandinavian holidays, enjoying special foods, and surrounded by numerous photos and traditional decorations. The fjords in Norway and the coastline and Nyhavn canal in Denmark are at the top of my list for sites to see.

Is there a staff member you’d like to see featured in Five Question Friday? Send your suggestion to Brady, social media specialist, at Brady.Gervais@ChildrensMN.org.

Posted in Cardiovascular, Five Question Friday, Foundation | No Comments »

Five Question Friday: Mitch Peterka

Friday, June 7th, 2013

 

Your job title is injury prevention program coordinator, so what is a typical day like for you at Children’s? On any given day I can be found doing one of two things: planning for an upcoming event or hanging out in the community spreading safety. If I am planning that means I am working with event organizers or other people here at Children’s to make sure we put on a fun, yet informative, time. If I am at an event that means I am out talking with kids and their parents about different ways to be safe, like wearing bike helmets, using the right car seat and taking the right precautions around the home.

Mitch Peterka

This summer, you’re involved in “Making safe simple: 100 ways in 100 days.” What is that about? Even though Children’s is now a level I pediatric trauma center, we don’t want kids and families to have to meet our Emergency Department staff and trauma team. That is why we are going out into the community all summer long to let kids and families know how they can keep from getting injured. We are visiting parks, swimming beaches and our own neighborhood to give simple advice in all different ways.

What drew you to Children’s? Easy: The opportunity to work with the most fun population in the world (kids) at the greatest place around (Children’s).

Do you have a favorite memory from working at Children’s? Being able to watch Children’s – Minneapolis become a level I trauma center. I started working as an EMT in the Minneapolis Emergency Department almost five and a half years ago and now I work with the Trauma Services, so I am lucky to have had a front row seat to the making of this big achievement.

How do you spend your time outside of Children’s? I love traveling, being outdoors and finding adventure. Whether it is hiking Wild River State Park, skiing in Summit County, Colo., or biking the 30 days of April around Minneapolis, if it is outside I enjoy it.

Posted in Five Question Friday, Injury Prevention | No Comments »

Five Question Friday: Anna Youngerman

Friday, May 31st, 2013

Meet Anna Youngerman, director of advocacy and health policy.

Describe your job as director of Children’s advocacy and health policy. As the director of advocacy and health policy, my job is to oversee our government relations, policy and community engagement work. I work with a great team — Kelly Wolfe who manages our lobbying and public policy efforts and Katie Rojas-Jahn who coordinates our community benefit work, social media efforts and participation in community/advocacy organizations. Together, we work on legislative issues that impact Children’s and children’s health at the state and federal level. We also work to understand the needs of the communities in which Children’s operates and kids across the state and develop plans for addressing those issues. Part of our work is focused on building advocacy interest within Children’s among employees, patients and families so I get the opportunity to present to and learn from medical professionals, our Family and Youth Advisory Councils and others within the organization about what matters to our Children’s community. At the end of the day, my job boils down to advancing and protecting our organization and kids’ health in the legislative arena, making sure we’re the best community partner we can be and equipping people to be effective advocates for children.

Anna Youngerman

Because of your role, you spend a lot of time at the state Legislature. What did you take away from this session? There were a lot of pre-conceived notions about what this state legislative session would yield because it was the first time in more than 20 years that the Governor’s Office, House and Senate were entirely in DFL control. For example, many in the healthcare community thought this would be the year (after more than a decade of cuts) that health and human services would see funding increases but, instead, legislators wanted to cut it again. In the end, Children’s and children’s health issues ended up doing fine, but what it showed is that the process is always unpredictable, it takes a lot of active monitoring and heavy lifting to make sure we come out OK in the end.

Your job extends beyond Children’s doors. What does that mean? Most of our work is focused on efforts outside the walls of Children’s. On the policy side of our work, we spend a lot of time with legislators and administrators to help them understand what Children’s does, why we’re unique and what we need on a legislative level to continue doing what Children’s does best. For those folks, our team is often “the face” of Children’s (for better or worse :) ). We also spend time working with other organizations who have common interests, including public health leaders, health advocacy organizations and other health systems.

What drew you to Children’s? I had the opportunity to work with Children’s in my previous job and had a great feeling about the organization. I was interested in using the advocacy skills I’d developed to help drive a singular cause forward and, with Children’s, there is a strong commitment to the organizational mission of serving children. My sense of this place has absolutely been affirmed – everybody lives and breathes kids. I wasn’t a mom when I started but now that I have a little one of my own, being able to advocate on behalf of this organization is even more of a pleasure.

What is your favorite memory from working here? I don’t have one memory but rather a collection of experiences that have been powerful to me. It sounds hokey, but I often find myself in awe of this place. Walking through the cafeteria, participating in a meeting with clinicians, hearing from a doc about an issue he/she wants to address, listening to a family’s experiences, even talking about healthcare reform — in all of those encounters, I get to see and hear how amazing the kids, parents, nurses, doctors and administrators are when it comes to doing what’s right for kids.

Posted in Advocacy, Five Question Friday | No Comments »

Five Question Friday: Tera Bollig

Friday, May 24th, 2013

Tera Bollig

Describe your job at Children’s. I work in the marketing and communications department. My main job is to ensure that materials and information given to patients/families about Children’s services are accurate so families have a positive experience. I work with various internal departments, print vendors, photographers and designers to ensure print and online collateral is accurate and meets Children’s brand guidelines for design and writing style. My ultimate goal with all my projects is to give patients/families a consistent experience with the information they receive before they get here, while they are here and when they leave. I also work on initiatives such as wayfinding improvements, Wash ‘em Proud and events such as the Minnesota State Fair and Rock the Cradle.

What drew you to Children’s? I started at Children’s as an intern in the marketing department more than five years ago. I knew somebody who worked in the department at the time, and I applied for the position. Once I started my internship I knew I wanted to work here – and luckily a full-time position opened up.

What do you love most about working here? I love the passion that everyone has for making kids feel better. Whether it’s the patient care staff on the units or the staff behind the scenes, everyone has enthusiasm for what we do at Children’s.

Do you have a favorite memory working here and, if so, what is it? One of my favorite memories is when I was an intern and was assigned to accompany the media at the Santa visit at Children’s – St. Paul. Members of the St. Paul police department dressed like Santa, Mrs. Claus and elves and distributed presents to the kids. It was fun to see how happy and excited the kids were! I saw firsthand how special Children’s is and how much members of the community care about the kids here.

How do you spend your time outside of work? I’m usually training for a full or half-marathon, and I help coach at a local running club. I love to spend time hiking around the state parks, and I always enjoy sitting on the porch and reading on a nice summer or fall evening.

 

 

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Five Question Friday: Margie Nelson

Friday, May 17th, 2013

You’re an annual giving officer at Children’s. What does that job involve? My title is annual giving officer, a position on the annual fund raising team working with donors who give gifts to the hospital for the first time or every year, usually in the $1-$1,000 range. Specifically, my job is to work as a patient family representative from the Foundation. Eighty percent of gifts to hospitals come from families who have had a patient experience. I visit families while they are at Children’s and thank them for their past support, report their stories for our giving blog and stewardship reports and connect families to events and hospital programs of interest. I am helping to build a culture of generosity throughout the hospital by assisting physicians and nurses when they encounter the families who want to give back to Children’s after a powerful experience.

Margie puts a tattoo on a child at the HeartBeat 5000.

Your position allows you to develop unique relationships with families. What do you love most about getting to work with families every day? My children don’t live at home anymore, so I love the opportunity to visit with children and families of all ages and learn about their lives, their schools, how they are feeling and what they love to do when they are not at Children’s. Parents who I see in and around the hospital are genuinely surprised to be thanked in person for past donations and support to Children’s. I think they feel a powerful relationship to the hospital when they are recognized, and it feels great to be the person bringing this to them at a time of great worry and stress.

What drew you to nonprofit work and, specifically, Children’s? I have volunteered at nonprofits since college, when I was an EMT for my home town fire department. Giving back to communities and causes is a family value shared and enjoyed among generations in my family. I feel privileged to be able to build a career in a non-profit or service organization like Children’s as it is easy to put your heart and soul into the mission and work. While working in an underserved children’s non-profit educational organization, I started as a volunteer on an Integrative Medicine Task Force at Children’s and was recommended for the Foundation job a few years later. It is a perfect fit!

What do you think makes Children’s, Children’s? The big things like the people (outstanding doctors and nurses) and the beautiful buildings and then the little things like the kids and the extras; music and pet therapy, hugs, art, games, understanding (child and family services.)

What has been your favorite memory to date working here? The families who have lost children often come back to give gifts so that other families have an easier time. I have learned from them and grown into a better person in the light of their healing generosity.

 

Posted in Five Question Friday, Foundation | No Comments »

Five Question Friday: Lora Koppel

Friday, May 10th, 2013

How long have you worked at Children’s? I’ve been here for 25 years.

Why Children’s? I knew early on in nursing school that I was most happy in my work when kids were involved. Children’s was called Children’s Health Care at the time I applied, and it was “the place” for pediatric care. 

You work in the diagnostic center at our clinic in Minnetonka. Can you describe your job? I have been so lucky in my career. That is the beauty of the nursing profession. I have done camp nursing, home care, private duty, clinic nursing, nursing management and now have landed at Children’s–Minnetonka in the radiology department. The environment is “team focused,” and I am one of many who work with children for sedation procedures done. It is less intense than some of my other positions, which allows me time to “play with kids” at work.

It’s National Nurses Week. What do you enjoy most about your job? What I love about pediatric nursing are the 3- and 4-year olds. If you haven’t had a conversation with one lately you are missing out on life.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? It took me 50 years, but I have found my passion in nursing. I travel one to two times per year to remote areas of the world with a team of pediatric health care professionals to perform surgery on children who have no access to health care. The poor, orphaned, abandoned and forgotten children. My eyes have been opened, in a whole new way, watching the resilience of a child. I have learned that anywhere in the world you go, all parents want the same thing for their children. A chance at a better life.

Happy Nurses Week to you all!

 

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Five Question Friday: Dr. Molly Martyn

Friday, May 3rd, 2013

Dr. Molly Martyn joined Children’s General Pediatrics Clinic in Minneapolis last September. She completed her residency and chief residency at Seattle Children’s Hospital and previously worked as a hospitalist and Urgent Care provider in Seattle.

Dr. Molly Martyn

You have some special connections to Children’s.  What are those? I grew up in the Twin Cities and my connection to Children’s started long before I became a pediatrician. I have been a patient, a family member of a patient, and a volunteer at the hospital.

When I was 8 years old, I had my tonsils taken out at Children’s. I remember everything from the Child Life specialist who met with me the morning of my operation to the orange Popsicles I got to eat after my surgery.

The most important way I was connected to Children’s in the past was as the family member of a patient. My younger brother underwent brain and spine surgery at the Minneapolis campus when he was in middle school. It was a scary time for my family, but he was in competent and caring hands, and my family is thankful to this day for the excellent care he received during his hospitalization.

I volunteered at Children’s during college when I was home for the summers. The hospital looked a lot different back then, but the spirit of the volunteer program was the same. Every time I see a volunteer in a red vest around the hospital, it makes me smile.

What drew you to Children’s? The Children’s philosophy of patient-centered care was part of what attracted me to the organization, as was the diverse group of patients we serve. I have the opportunity to work with amazing families in the General Pediatrics Clinic.

There are many things that make our clinic unique, but two aspects stand out for me. One is our Special Needs Children program, focused on providing a medical home for children with complex medical needs. The other is our access to high quality interpreter services, which helps us as medical providers to communicate and connect with every family in their language of preference.

How did you decide to go into pediatrics? Pediatrics has been the perfect career for me because I get to blend the two things I have always enjoyed the most, learning and helping others. In general pediatrics, we join families in conversations about safety, nutrition, preventative medicine and everything else that goes into keeping their children healthy. Parents and guardians are the true experts on their children, and I enjoy partnering with them to provide medical care that is a good fit for their families.

What about kids’ health are you most passionate? I am passionate about ensuring that all children (regardless of their family structure, financial situation, language of preference, etc) have access to high quality healthcare. My hope is that every child has the opportunity to thrive and be as healthy as possible, and an important way to achieve that goal is to create a healthy environment around them.

How do you spend your free time? We provide books at well-child visits through the Reach-Out-and-Read program, which is fun for me because reading has always been my favorite pastime. I also like to do just about anything outside, including biking, swimming, hiking, and playing tennis.  I enjoy everything more when I am around family and friends!

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Five Question Friday: Dr. Rod Tarrago

Friday, April 26th, 2013

Meet Dr. Rod Tarrago, MD, an intensivist and chief medical information officer at Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota.

You have two roles at Children’s. Can you describe them? Having two different but complementary roles at Children’s is one of the best things about my job. I spend about half of my time as a pediatric critical care physician in both pediatric intensive care units. This is where we take care of the sickest kids, ranging in ages from just a few days old up to “kids” in their twenties. While it can be challenging, it’s also extremely rewarding because truly, most kids do get better.  The other half of my time is spent as Childrens’ Chief Medical Information Officer, where my job is to be the “go-between” for Children’s physicians and providers, and the IT department.  I work to make the electronic medical record more efficient, safer, and easier to use.  I also often find myself answering questions and working on technologies that don’t really have anything to do with the electronic medical record such as the online call system and even helping people get their email set up on their iPhones!

Dr. Rod Tarrago

What fascinates you about the intersection of medicine and technology? In this day and age, there really is no separating medicine and technology. One could argue that being comfortable using the electronic medical record is just as important as knowing how to use a scalpel or knowing which antibiotic to use. We are now moving into an age where we are relying more and more on electronic data to tell us about our patients, and tell us how well we are doing in treating our patients. That is one of the most exciting aspects of my job — being involved with technology has really opened doors to many opportunities to improve our quality and safety.

What drew you to pediatrics? From the time I decided to go into medicine, I knew I was going to do pediatrics.  Even when I was a teenager and young adult, I was always drawn to kids.  During holiday dinners, I preferred to sit with the kids. It was just a lot of fun. For me the difficult decision initially was which area of pediatrics to pursue.  I entered my pediatrics residency with the intention of becoming a general pediatrician. That changed my second month of residency when I got to do my first PICU rotation. On my first day, I got to take care of a really sick little kid. By the end of the day, my head was spinning, but I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my career — I wanted to become a pediatric intensivist.

What do you enjoy most about your job? For me, the best part of my job is the variety. One day, I can be taking care of a child with a life threatening infection. The next day, I can be standing next to a geneticist teaching her how to enter orders more efficiently. The next, I might be attending the hospital’s quality meeting talking about how to make medication use safer. Most days, I get to do a combination of all of these. It’s challenging, but very rewarding and never boring.

If you weren’t working in medicine, what do you think you’d be doing? This is a tough one. I’ve always loved math and science, so I’m sure I’d be doing something involving these fields. My major in college was biochemistry, so there’s a chance I’d either be working in a biotech company, or maybe even teaching science to kids. After all, it was my high school chemistry teacher who took a child of the 80′s who wanted to be an investment banker and turned me into a science and computer geek (or at least brought out my inner geek)!

Posted in Five Question Friday, PICU | No Comments »

Five Question Friday: Dr. Dave Aughey

Friday, April 19th, 2013

Meet Dr. Dave Aughey, MD, medical director of adolescent medicine.

What drew you to adolescent medicine? This will sound cliché, but I was quite ill as a pre-teenager.  My recovery overlapped with the magical time of puberty, and it was an emotional and a physical transformation.  From this time on, I knew I wanted to work with teenagers.  I couldn’t decide if I wanted to be a pediatrician or a psychologist.  I was drawn to Adolescent Medicine because I could do both.

Dr. Dave Aughey

Are there any trends you’re seeing right now in adolescent medicine and, if so, what are they? Nationally, about 600 pediatricians are certified as Adolescent Medicine specialists. In the last 10 years, only about 225 of these have gone through the three-year post-residency training and certification. Most of these pediatricians practice in academic centers and not in community settings. The field is struggling to find its niche and to attract new practitioners. The good news is that adolescents are now being recognized as having unique health needs, which are best served by a “psychosocial” care model.  This model embraces the “health” needs of adolescents and young adults, not just the physical dimensions. Many other primary care providers also now recognize these special needs and are effectively providing care and guidance.

What do you enjoy most about your job? I view myself as a pediatrician who specializes in being a primary care provider for adolescent and young adult patients and their families (and sometimes their friends). I have opportunities to be a dermatologist, counselor, gynecologist, sports medicine doctor, psychiatrist or pediatrician on any given day. I really enjoy being able to provide this range of care to patients. It makes relationships with patients and families very rich and gratifying.

What is your favorite memory from working at Children’s? After 25 years, it’s impossible to pick a favorite memory. I’ve had the honor of working with extremely compassionate and caring colleagues. Patients have been inspiring, especially those who overcame challenges and adversities that would have bewildered me. I remember patients who proudly shared their accomplishments with me.  Former patients who’ve brought their babies to show off. Patients who’ve stopped me on the street. “You don’t remember me, but….” These memories are all warm and heart-felt.

If you weren’t working in medicine, what do you think you’d be doing? My fall-back plan early on was going to be that I would run a hardware store. In retrospect, given the emergence of the big boxes, that would have not gone well. I still would love to teach high school and be around adolescents in another capacity.  In the deepest, darkest corner of my soul, I dream about being a woodworker or a dancer. Or a photographer. Or maybe an engineer…

Posted in Adolescent Health, Five Question Friday | No Comments »

Five Question Friday: Sheralee Leonard

Friday, April 12th, 2013

Meet Sheralee Leonard, one of our social workers at Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota.

Sheralee Leonard

What does a typical day look like for you? Being one of the social workers in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) on the St. Paul campus, my daily routine includes meeting with parents and extended family members of medically fragile and sick infants. I provide ongoing support while the baby remains hospitalized.

We often talk about ways they are making connections with their infant and how they are feeling about the experience, as attachment can be more difficult with a baby who is in an isolette, connected to wires, and may not be able to be held or tolerate much stimulation. I also listen to the families tell their stories and explore ways for them to cope in a healthy and healing manner.

Assessment for postpartum depression is also crucial in the NICU. Mothers and those they are getting support from are both educated on the risks and symptoms of postpartum, and I check in with mothers regularly on how they are coping.

Families can often have unexpected financial stressors related to needing to be away from work so they can be here at the hospital. I help families to connect with various community programs that may be able to assist them in getting baby items, or help with a rent or mortgage payment.

Considering no one day is like the other in the NICU, there are many other aspects to my job. Child protection reports are made when a baby tests positive for a reportable drug.  Behavior contracts are made and discussed with family members when unsafe behavior occurs in the hospital. This is in collaboration with security and our NICU nurse manager. I also provide grief support to families, related to their hopes and dreams for their baby which may be altered because of a medical diagnosis affecting their child’s long term functioning.  I also support families when their baby dies.

And not to underestimate the value of team, I am collaborating and communicating with the various members of the healthcare team in the NICU. We work closely together on ways to help support these families. Without the many caring and dedicated staff in the NICU, families would not be able to get the family-centered care and respect that is seen in the NICU.

What drew you to Children’s? My first experience working in a hospital was at United Hospital as a weekend/on-call social worker.  At that time, United Hospital provided on-call and weekend coverage to Children’s as well. I soon discovered how much I loved the work at Children’s, and whenever a referral came up at Children’s, I offered to take it. The connections with families, the diversity of the types of work I could do, and the collaborative relationship between the different disciplines in the hospital all drew me to Children’s.  Soon I was able to work there full time, and I haven’t left.

What do you enjoy most about working here? I truly feel honored to be allowed to accompany and offer emotional support to families going through a difficult experience related to their baby’s health.  The compassion I have seen from families, and the extent of caring from members of the NICU healthcare team, has touched my heart and soul.

What do you think makes kids great? Children are amazing! They are so intuitive and honest in their perceptions. Children possess such strength, and given a nurturing environment can flourish and get through some very stressful and difficult situations. I have been very impressed by the children and families I have worked with here at the hospital, learning more about the aspects of hope, healing and the desire for a better life.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? When I was younger I traveled to Europe. I think it would be great to return. It would be fun to be among the beauty of the mountains in Switzerland, enjoy the city life in Paris, and be able to get on a train and travel to new places.

Do you have a recommendation for a Children’s employee who should be featured on Five Question Friday? Send your suggestions to Brady at Brady.Gervais@ChildrensMN.org.

Posted in Five Question Friday, NICU | 2 Comments »

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