Building L O C K s

September 6 Kohl’s SafeKids Fair

The Children’s Hospital parking lot 10:00 a.m.—12:00 p.m.

September 6

NICU Family Reunion

September 13 Juvenile Diabetes Research

Foundation Walk Thompson Park

October 4

Panhandle Down Syndrome Buddy Walk

IT’S SUMMERTIME

by Julie Poindexter, Trauma Services Ah, sweet summertime, carefree days filled with a heap of free-time for kids to do fun and exciting activities; like riding a bike around the neighborhood, going to the local swimming pool with friends & family, hanging out at home or going to the park for the day. Yes, summertime is thought to be a great time to be a kid; however Emergency Medicine Physicians, Trauma Surgeons and Emergency Department nurses know that summertime is “Trauma Time” and that many children will have the unfortunate experience of making a not so happy memory for the summer of 2008. According to SAFEKIDS WORLDWIDE, nearly half of all unintentional injury related child deaths occur from May to August with the greatest risks to include drownings, bike crashes, falls, pedestrian incidents and motor vehicle crashes with July being the peak month for unintentional injuries. We here at the Children’s Hospital at Northwest Texas Healthcare System would like to take this opportunity to remind all parents and caregivers that summertime is also a dangerous time for children and that simple prevention steps could help your child avoid a potentially dangerous &/or catastrophic event. Parents are encouraged to take the time to educate themselves about simple prevention steps and put them into action to make a child’s summer one filled with only happy memories. Below is a safety checklist produced by SAFE KIDS Worldwide. You may also go to the SAFE KIDS Worldwide website located at www.safekids.org for additional injury prevention information, tips and fun filled activities.

Community Events Calendar

Susan Forni, RN, BSN, MBA

Administrative Director susan.forni@nwths.com

354-1507

Vicki Brockman, RN, MSN Director of Neonatal Services vicki.brockman@nwths.com

354-1588

Clint LaFever, RN Director of Pediatric Services

clint.lafever@nwths.com 351-5852

August 9 KidsFest

Thompson Park

August 16 Remembrance Service The Children’s Hospital

Front lawn 2:00 p.m.

August 16

Ronald McDonald House 25 Year Birthday Party(s)

any McDonald’s 1:00—3:00 p.m.

1501 S. Coulter Amarillo, TX 79106

Welcome This newsletter has been designed to keep you informed about the care and education we provide at The Children’s Hospital. We will be mailing the newsletter quarterly with information you will find useful. If you would like to suggest topics for articles please e-mail susan.forni@nwths.com Enjoy!

Susan Forni, RN, BSN, MBA Administrative Director

PREVENTING PEDIATRIC MEDICATION ERRORS by Clint LaFever, RN, Director of Pediatric Services

A recent study indicates that medication errors, the most common type of medical error, are three times more likely to occur in children than adults. Experts also agree that these mistakes have the potential to cause considerable harm in the pediatric patient at a much higher rate than in the adult population. According to Mark R. Chassin, MD, MPP, MPH, President, Joint Commission, “organizations and caregivers must commit themselves to using effective risk reduction strategies to make a difference in preventing pediatric medication errors.” Most of the harmful pediatric medication errors involve either an improper dose or quantity, which usually results from organizations having to create special volumes or concentrations because drugs are usually packaged for adults. In the modification process, many drugs require a sequence of calculations and steps that increase the chance for an error. Additionally, most healthcare environments are designed around the adult patient population, which results in lack of trained pediatric staff, reference materials, and equipment. Children, who cannot communicate effectively, are not able to report any adverse actions that the medication may be causing. To reduce the risk of pediatric medication errors, The Joint Commission suggests that health care organizations institute a series of risk reduction strategies, including: � Use the Joint Commission’s National Patient Safety Foals and Medication Management

Standards to guide safe medication practices for pediatric patients � Weigh all pediatric patients in kilograms, which then becomes the standardized weight that is

used for medication orders and staff communication � Unless in an emergency situation, do not dispense or administer drugs classified as high risk

or high alert until the patient has been weighed � Require prescribers to include the calculated dose and the dosing determination (example:

Tylenol 10 mg/kg – give 70 mg PO q 4 hours PRN pain) so that the calculation an be double checked by the pharmacist and nurse

� Use pediatric specific medication formulations and concentrations when possible If a serious error were to occur, organizations are encouraged to conduct a root cause analysis and implement a corrective action plan. Also, the Joint Commission encourages apology and transparency about the error with both staff and the patient/family involved. For further information on suggested risk reduction strategies and actions, please visit the Joint Commission website at www.jointcommission.org

Hero of the Month

Kids Wish Network’s Hero of the Month program awards children who do not have a life threatening illness, but instead are facing some very sad or

extraordinary experiences and need a little “pick me up”. A child each month is selected and receives a gift card for $200-$500 depending on the child’s age. The Hero of the Month award in June went to Heather Ferguson of Borger. Heather is a frequent patient at The Children’s Hospital for her cystic fibrosis. Even with all of the hospitalizations she remains upbeat and positive about treatments and is planning for the future. She will be a senior this year and has big goals for college and many years to come.

Cuddling Spotlight

Judy Solomon has been cuddling in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for over a year. She travels Monday evening from Vega to come rock and hold babies as part of our Cuddling Program. This is service is provided to all families as an additional support to families who may live out of town and may be unable to visit daily or to help tend to fussy babies while nurses are tending to other patients. It is their goal to give a baby their undivided attention. Judy states, “I love this opportunity to hold, cuddle and rock these precious children. I consider it a ministry to be able to love and pray for these children as we spend this valuable time together. I am glad to be of assistance to stressed parents and hard-working nurses in their time of need. After a hard day teaching school, it is relaxing for me to spend this time rocking and cuddling a baby! I LOVE

IT!”

A Special Wish Joel was graciously given a second wish through the Marty Lyons Foundation, a New York based wish organization with an office in Houston. Joel had a received a wish from Make-A-Wish when he was four and when his cancer came back he did not qualify for another wish. Thanks to the Marty Lyons Foundation, Joel was able to have another wish granted, this time to go on a shopping spree at Toys R Us and play at Chuck E. Cheese. Both wish organizations make kids like Joel forget for a moment all that they have endured. Special thanks to Royal Limousine, Toys R Us, Chuck E. Cheese, and the Marty Lyons Foundation for making this one of the best days for Joel.

A special thank you to one of our strong supporters

A House Built on Hope It is a modest house from the outside, with big windows that let in the sunlight, pleasantly situated on a large lawn dotted with trees. Inside it is warm and inviting, with thirteen bedrooms to welcome the next family. It is the Ronald McDonald House of Amarillo®, and it has been welcoming families of premature babies and sick children since August 14, 1983. This House has been witness to countless moving, deeply personal stories.

The medical reasons that bring families to the House are as unique as each child, but the impact of the child’s illness on each family is similar. When a child becomes ill or a baby arrives too early, the family’s entire world suddenly is turned inside out. The child becomes the focus of every ounce of the family’s energy. Nothing else matters. Physically, financially and emotionally stressed, the family finds itself on the front steps of a House built on hope.

Here, they come to feel like a family again—a family made up not only of parents and their child, but a larger family of people who are going through the same thing. There are shoulders to cry on, arms to hug, home-cooked meals, cable TV, a computer, video games, a piano, tons of toys and a big family room and kitchen where they can visit with friends and other families. Thirteen private bedrooms give families a place to rest and recharge from the stress of another day caring for their sick child. Families can take a long walk around the lake at the adjoining park, do their laundry, stay in touch with family or co-workers through the Internet, or just quietly reflect. Each person in the House is cared for, respected and honored. Every family who comes through the front doors of the Ronald McDonald House brings with it the fear of their child’s unknown future. But when these families leave, they take with them memories of those who cared for them and supported them through the most difficult time of their lives. At the House, we receive hundreds of notes and photos from our families telling us about the newfound health and happiness of their child. At times, we also receive profoundly moving notes about the loss of a child. Each note, like each family, is unique—and each is similar. They talk about their journey and how that journey led them to the front door of the Ronald McDonald House . . . the House that Love Built®, a House built on hope.

2008 NRP Schedule Initial Certification Classes This course is for any expired cards and students that have never taken NRP. Class starts at 0830 and usually lasts until about 1630.

Friday, July 11, 2008 Monday, October 27, 2008

NRP recertification will be conducted differently this year from the past years. Learners recertifying will take the NRP written evaluation online and then attend the Megacode at the hospital. Learners can take the online evaluation at their convenience, as long as it is no more than 30 days prior to the scheduled Megacode they wish to attend. Testing in this manner should give the learner a more relaxed environment, as well as saving time on classroom in-struction. Recertification Classes Please note that there will be no instruction except for the Megacode video (see additional information below). This class is only for current cards that have not expired yet. Class starts at 0830 and lasts until you are done with tests and skills.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008 Thursday, November 13, 2008

General Information The learner will sign up for a scheduled Megacode / recertification class, then take the exam no more than 30 days prior to the class. The learner will take the test online by going to www.aap.org/nrp. There is a $29.00 fee for the test, which may be either purchased by each individual, or a facility may purchase a bank of access numbers for those renewing during the year. No continuing education credits are available for online testing. Providers must successfully complete all lessons of the online evaluation prior to the expiration date of their existing NRP provider card. After online testing is completed, the learner will receive a printout of completion and the date of completion. The learner must present the printout and current NRP Provider card to the instructor when attending the recertification class. If the card has expired, the learner will be required to attend a new NRP Provider class. The learner has 14 days to complete the full exam from the time of registration. A time limit of 20 minutes is allowed for each exam. If after completing the online test, 30 days pass without completion of the Megacode, the online test becomes invalid, and the learner will have to pay to retake the exam. The test fee is not refundable. The 30 days start on the day that the learner takes the exam the first time. Scoring Online testing is arranged in sections starting with lesson 1, just as on the hard copy test. The learner may skip questions and come back to them, or change answers until the test is submitted for grading. If the learner fails one or more lessons, the test section can be retaken one time. Lessons can be retaken immedi-ately, or a lesson can be retaken on a different day, within 14 days of the original purchase date. After 14 days the online test becomes invalid and the learner needs to pay the fee and begin again. The original test fee is not re-funded. If the learner fails a second time, the learner needs to pay the test fee again and retake the entire evaluation. The original test fee is not refunded. The learner has the option of attending a new Provider NRP class and retake the hard-copy exams in front of an instructor. All classes are held in the Education Department. Employees may sign up for a class through Learn.com. For more information, contact Amanda Young at 351-5950 or Vicki Brockman 354-1588.

You are invited to any area McDonald’s to celebrate the Ronald McDonald House

25th Birthday Party(s)

August 16, 2008 1:00—3:00 p.m.

Neonatal Transport Team

By Vicki Brockman, RN, MSN, Director of Neonatal Services The NICU Neonatal transport team has been in place for more than 25 years! These dedicated and specially trained neonatal RN’s and respiratory therapists love what they do, and are well known throughout the region. The team works under protocols, developed by the neonatologists, for the most common diagnosis/conditions they encounter. These include hypoglycemia, sepsis, respiratory distress, and seizures – just to name a few! The team travels by ground the majority of the time. We have four (4) new ambulances on order to help us continue to respond as quickly as possible when called. Team members feel strongly that teaching is a major part of their job. They educate while in the hospital for transports, and also help with scheduled regional outreach / educational opportunities. The transport team does a wonderful job and certainly makes a difference in the lives of our tiniest patients throughout the Panhandle. The following are members of our neonatal transport team: Richard Broyles, RT June Brown, RT Karen Chapman, RNC Myra Dougherty, RT Bambi Duke, RT Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to come into your facilities and help with neonatal patients!

April Oglesby, RNC Hope Ramirez, RT Kathy Ray, RNC Lori Saucedo, RN Connie Thornburg, RNC Rosa Twait, RT

Ronda Gwyn, RNC Mary Irwin, RNC Delayna Mathes, RNC Ricardo Mercado, RT Connie Moorman, RT Lydia O’Con, RT

S.T.A.B.L.E. Program 2008

S.T.A.B.L.E. targets the post-resuscitation care of sick neonates, and is therefore considered by many experts to be the follow-up, complimentary program to the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP). S.T.A.B.L.E. serves as a concise educational tool to or-ganize the myriad of details necessary to stabilize and care for sick neonates. S.T.A.B.L.E. is recommended for physicians, RN’s, LVN’s, and respiratory therapists working in L&D, postpartum, nursery, NICU and ER.

Schedule for 2008 Initial Course (0830 – 1600)

Cost: $75.00 (includes textbook and CEU’s)

October 14, 2007 (deadline for registration October 6th)

Recertification Course (0830 – 1330) Cost: $30.00 (no textbook)

Note: No CEU’s available for recertification course

September 25, 2008 (deadline for registration September 16th) Brochures are available with registration forms, class objectives and class schedule, and continu-ing education information. Please call Vicki Brockman (354-1588) for brochures. All classes will be held at Northwest Texas Healthcare System.

Remembrance Service Families of children who were lost in the past few years will be invited to attend a service to remember their precious child. A balloon release will take place in memory of each child.

August 16, 2008 2:00 p.m.

The Children’s Hospital Front Lawn