Methodist Health System Blog

’Twas the season. The holidays have come and gone, at least for Christians. Epiphany (January 6) marked the 12th and last day of Christmas, the day commemorating the Magi’s visit to the Christ child. Other faith traditions also celebrate holy days in December and January — Jewish, Buddhist, African, Sikh, Hindu, and more. Themes of faith, hope, love, and joy resound in a variet ...

Jolyn Angus, BSN, MBA, comes to her new role poised to position Methodist Health System as a leader in nursing clinical excellence, patient safety, clinical effectiveness, and resource stewardship as well as continue our system-wide Magnet journey.  Jolyn holds a Bachelor of Science in nursing, a Master of Business Administration, and will complete her Doctor of Nursing Practi ...

I’ve always been fascinated with space. It is both terrifying and beautiful to consider that beyond the complex web of diversity that makes up our own world is a universe so vast and untapped that the potential discoveries are literally innumerable. Nothing generates a sacred feeling of awe like the realization that of all the atoms in the universe, mine have coalesced into me, ...

As the Midlothian area continues to grow, the city is gaining its first full-service acute care hospital. Methodist Midlothian Medical Center, located on a 67-acre campus near U.S. Highway 287, features a 190,000-square-foot medical center and 45,000-square-foot medical office building. The hospital is now actively hiring respiratory therapists, staff nurses — especially ICU nu ...

Methodist Health System announced today that it has earned the 2021 Military Friendly® Employer, Silver award level. Institutions earning the Military Friendly® Employer designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. Hundreds of companies participated in the Military Friendly® Employers portion of the 2021 Military Friendly® C ...

It’s a fact — social distancing lessens your risk of catching COVID-19. But some of us define social distancing as social isolation. “Physical distance” is more accurate. Even at a distance, we can be social. Samuel Cullison, MD, vice president of Graduate Medical Education at Methodist Health System, explains that humans are social creatures; our connection to others helps u ...

Methodist Health System announced plans today to break ground on a major three-story addition to Methodist Charlton Medical Center. A new 40,000 square foot Emergency Department (ED) located at Wheatland Road and Bolton Boone Drive will almost double the size of the current ED and increase the number of beds from 45 to 70. Fran Laukaitis, President of Methodist Charlton Medica ...

I have had the privilege of working and mentoring Jessica Pena and Katherine “Katie” Cacioppo for the last six months on 6 Medical. These two young women are unique to Methodist Richardson Medical Center because their story began in the year 2000, when they first met in kindergarten. Katie was shy and reluctant to go into the classroom. But the outgoing Jessica invited her to c ...

As COVID-19 affects every aspect of our lives, it’s more important than ever to focus on enhancing our physical and mental health. Staying well not only improves your immunity but also keeps you mentally sound during times of uncertainty and stress. Like now. In honor of Employee Health and Fitness Month, I encourage you to ask yourself what you can do to stay healthy during t ...

Methodist Health System, as the name implies, has its roots in the United Methodist Church. The idea for the first Methodist hospital, in fact, came out of a Sunday school class nearly a century ago. So Methodist’s healing mission is the direct result of its founders’ faith. These days, the chaplains at Methodist hospitals are busy assuaging the fears and anxieties of our staf ...

On the wall in my office hangs a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy.” This quote reminds me that our character and integrity are best determined when life’s circumstances go against our normal way of functioning and not when ...

Many say that nursing is one of the most honored careers to have. Nurses care for patients and their families both in and out of the clinical setting, and transplant nurses care for patients in all stages of the transplant process. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2019), there are 75,000 people actively waiting for an organ but only around 8,000 dece ...

I’ve been at Methodist Charlton Medical Center my whole nursing career. That’s 15 years. Not once have I ever felt that I needed to look elsewhere. My career started when I was hired as a nursing extern after completing two semesters of nursing school. Methodist Health System has a great program for nursing students. You basically shadow a nurse, so you get to perform some of ...

Is it even possible to ease stress, fear, and anxiety during this pandemic? I believe so. As a nurse, Registered Yoga Teacher, Mayo Certified Health Coach, and certified Mindfulness Trainer, I help people minimize stress and maximize wellness every day. And I know it can be done. It just takes a bit of focus and practice. For example, let’s say that you’re a mom or dad, you ca ...

In 1970, less than 10 percent of medical students were women. In 1972, Title IX of the Educational Amendments passed prohibiting discrimination based on sex in educational programs that receive federal financial assistance, thus opening the door to more opportunities for women. When I matriculated in 1979, the number of women entering medical school had more than doubled to 1 i ...

Nurses are truly the face of healthcare. They are the clinicians who spend the most time with patients. They’re caregivers who consider their job a calling. They’re the people who go the extra mile for patients and families. No wonder nursing is the most trusted profession in America. Every year since 2012, D Magazine’s Excellence in Nursing awards has honored a select number ...

  How’s your work-life balance? With the new year, and a new decade, upon us, it’s a good time to assess it. The topic interests me because in human resources I constantly look for ways to help employees feel great about their work. I think about it in my own life, too. For me, it’s harmony I prefer to think of it as work-life harmony because I recognize that at no given tim ...

Methodist Health System has just been named to the 2020 Military Friendly® Employers list. The honor was presented by VIQTORY, a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business that connects the military community to civilian employment and educational and entrepreneurial opportunities. Since 2003, the Military Friendly Employers list has come to set the standard for organizat ...

  I work at Methodist Mansfield Medical Center as a certified nurse in the operating room (OR). I’ve been in nursing 15 years, but this December marks my second year at Methodist Mansfield. I live in the community, and the hospital is convenient — but that’s not why I work here. I had heard so many great things about the hospital. I even took my kids here to the emergency dep ...

I’ve been in nursing 10 years. I started my career with a medical-surgical residency at another hospital (we were living in Arlington at the time). Then I moved into the orthopedic-neurology unit and later the total joint unit, where I got my orthopedic nursing certification. About that time, a high school in Oklahoma recruited my husband to coach the football team, so we moved ...