Nurses

By GeTonya Dickerson, RN Clinical Nurse Supervisor, Cardiac Telemetry, Methodist Mansfield Medical Center I always knew I wanted to be a nurse. In 2005, I joined Methodist Health System as a patient care technician (PCT) while attending nursing school. During my last year of school I signed a contract with Methodist. It was great for me because I got paid while I was finis ...

By Chris Murray, RCIS Lead Tech, Methodist Dallas Medical Center We’ve come a long way, baby. That’s not only true of most areas of medicine; it’s especially true for cardiology, my area of specialization. When I think about the leaps and bounds we’ve made in diagnosing and treating various heart problems since I began my career, it’s astounding and satisfying. It’s amazin ...

By Bernnie Kennedy, RN, BSN Director, Cardiology/Nursing Supervision Methodist Mansfield Medical Center And Karen Yates, RN, BSN Cardiac Stroke Coordinator, Methodist Mansfield Medical Center While amazing advances have been made in diagnosing and treating heart disease, the fact remains that it is the number-one killer of men and women in the United States. February is H ...

By Kay Kirby, PHR, HR Business Partner, Methodist Health System It’s a new year. Are you ready for a fresh start? Maybe you’ve resolved that now is the time to take your career to a new level with the organization that best meets your personal and professional needs. If so, then why should you choose Methodist Health System for your career partner? As a human resources pr ...

By Karla Ramberger, RN, Chief Nursing Officer, Methodist Dallas Medical CenterNursing has always been synonymous with nurture. In fact, both words have the same Latin origin, “nutritura,” meaning “the act of nursing.”While nurses have long been devoted to the care and nurture of patients, today’s health care leaders recognize an equally important commitment to nurture our nurse ...

By Bernnie Kennedy, RN, Director, Cardiology Nursing Supervision, Methodist Mansfield Medical CenterBeing a nurse has its share of occupational challenges, but did you know nurses are at great risk for heart attacks? And if you work the night shift, that could mean even more trouble for your health.Several studies have documented that nurses struggling with work pressures have ...

By Kim Cason, RN, Labor and Delivery, Methodist Dallas Medical CenterMost nurses enter this profession with a sense of concern for others. It’s what we were called to do. Finding the right balance between caring too much and caring too little, however, is critical for every nurse’s well-being and long-term job satisfaction.Nurses are increasingly at risk for compassion fatigue, ...

By Grace Secrest, BSN, Nursing Manager, Oncology, Methodist Dallas Medical CenterCongratulations! You’ve graduated with your RN degree and found a job at a hospital. Now what? Welcome to the real world of nursing.Here’s your chance to link book-learning with real-life nursing. It may be what you’ve been preparing for, but most every nurse will admit the first job can be a littl ...

By Christine Walker, RN, MSN, Director of Nursing, Emergency and Trauma Services, Methodist Dallas Medical CenterDoes a full moon mean higher ER volumes? Will more women really go into labor? Halloween conjures up thoughts of black cats, werewolves, and other superstitions. While the full moon doesn’t fall on Halloween this year, it does beg the question, “What’s fact and what’ ...

By Steve Maffei, Director of Organizational Effectiveness, Methodist Health SystemA hospital can have the finest facilities and the most advanced technology, but if it does not have a fully engaged workforce, it may have only limited success.Engagement measures employees’ commitment and enthusiasm toward their work. Engaged employees are highly involved and invested in their co ...

By Irene Strejc, BSN, MPH, Vice President of Nursing, Methodist Richardson Medical CenterThe need for dynamic nursing leaders who will step up to meet the many challenges facing health care practitioners today is greater than ever. Patient expectations are high. Hospitals are anticipating decreased reimbursement levels and are focused on new levels of efficiency. And electronic ...

By Bernadette Trail, Human Resources Business Partner, Methodist Charlton Medical CenterHealth care is one of the few industries that has added jobs during the recent economic downturn. In spite of these financial times, people still get sick and baby boomers are still getting older. The bottom line is that health care will continue to be a good source of career opportunities. ...

By Evelina Echols-Sutton, BSN, Director of Women’s and Children’s Services, Methodist Charlton Medical CenterIt’s hard to believe there was a time when nurses wore starched, white uniforms, stockings, and caps pinned to their heads. They even had to polish their shoes (white, of course) every few days.The uniform is just one symbol of how nursing has changed over the years. Nur ...

By Melonie Jackson, Director of Human Resources, Methodist Charlton Medical Center If you’re even thinking about a career change, career fairs offer great opportunities to explore your options. Career fairs showcase a hospital’s clinical specialties and staffing needs, while giving you a chance to look more closely at the organization and the people who work there. They enable ...

By Tony Paterniti, PhD, RN, Director, Department of Education, Methodist Health System Can you walk into an ER waiting area full of anxious people and calm them down? Are you willing to console a patient and his/her family members when a diagnosis isn’t so good? Can you adapt to change easily? Are you comfortable in a fast-paced working environment that requires prioritizing mu ...

http://youtu.be/RgpBRpnb1Zs Bernnie Kennedy, RN and Director of Cardiology and Nursing Supervision at Methodist Mansfield Medical Center, discusses his experience with Methodist Health System health coverage and benefits for their health care employees. ...

By Nancy Simon, CNO, Methodist Health System Most nurses enter the profession to fulfill a calling to help others, not to get bogged down by new rules, regulations, and health care reform. The fact is, some of those issues are here to stay, but at Methodist Health System, we’re committed to helping nurses navigate the changes while staying true to their personal mission of car ...

By Nancy Simon, CNO, Methodist Health System The pressure to improve the quality of health care in this country has never been greater. Nurses are at the front line, and they often feel that pressure — striving to balance the needs of the patient with changes in the way care is delivered. At Methodist Health System, we believe nurses are at the heart of our efforts to impro ...

By Connie Wang, PT, MS Methodist Dallas Medical Center Patients who are educated about joint replacement surgery and motivated to get back on their feet often have the most positive outcomes. Hip or knee joint replacement surgery patients at Methodist Dallas and Methodist Charlton Medical Centers can do just that by participating in the free Methodist Joint Academy. ...

By Nancy Simon, CNO, Methodist Health System Becoming a nurse leader doesn’t just happen. It takes dedication, commitment, and a willingness to learn on the part of the nurse as well as the hospital. Effective leaders use their passion for caring as a foundation upon which they build their future careers. Successful organizations, ones where nurses want to work and build their ...