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Have you ever read an article and found yourself nodding your head the whole time you are reading it? That happened to me recently. I came across an article entitled “Five New Year’s Resolutions That Will Change Your Life,”  by Shane Robinson. The article appeared in the Jan. 10, 2015 issue of Forbes Magazine. While I’m not a regular reader of Forbes, I’m certainly glad my path ...

I’m so proud to be a part of the Methodist Health System family. That pride grows even stronger when I’m in the community and people tell me about their heart-warming experiences at a Methodist hospital. But for me, it’s our history of taking care of our own through financial and emotional support that truly demonstrates the spirit of family that is embedded in the Methodist cu ...

  At Methodist Health System, we don’t just talk about teamwork and family. Our culture is infused with collegiality, and our employees have each other’s backs. The great thing about a team is that its members can accomplish much more than what one person can do alone; however, it’s that individual effort that contributes to the overall success of the team. For our patients, t ...

By Fran Laukaitis, RN, MHA Chief Nursing Officer, Methodist Charlton Medical Center I love National Nurses Week. It’s one of my favorite times of the year. This week, at Methodist Health System we’re having a wonderful celebration to honor the extraordinary nurses who are part of the Methodist family. What’s more, we’re kicking off the DAISY Award program to further recogni ...

By Doris Giles, RN, MS, and Debbie Seider, RN, MSN Congregational Nursing Coordinators, Methodist Health System Many hospitals talk the talk about treating the whole person -– body, mind, and spirit. We’re proud to say that at Methodist Health System, we walk the walk. As congregational nursing coordinators, we extend the Methodist Health System mission by partnering with nur ...

By David Campbell, RN, BSN, CEN, CPEN, CTRN Manager of Education, Methodist Richardson Medical Center (Formerly Emergency Department Nurse, Methodist Charlton Medical Center) I loved being an ED nurse. I say loved because eight months ago I took a new position as manager of education for Methodist Richardson Medical Center. But, for the first 12 years of my career, I was a ...

By Jeanne Reeves, RN, BSN, MS Vice President of Nursing, Methodist Mansfield Medical Center I’ve always found it ironic that nurses receive recognition for doing what they have been called to do: giving of themselves to care for others at the frailest point in their lives and nurture them back to the highest level of health possible. I truly believe that nursing professionals ...

By Irene Strejc, RN, BSN, MPH Vice President of Nursing, Methodist Richardson Medical Center For more than 20 years, the health care landscape has changed significantly thanks to many mergers, acquisitions, and government regulations. The momentum behind consolidation has been fueled by providers looking to increase economies of scale, enhance their position with payers and r ...

By Pam Gessling, BSN, MBA, NEA-BC, RNC-OB, EFM-C Director of Nursing for Women and Children’s Services, Methodist Dallas Medical Center April 21 is a day that many Methodist Health System employees are looking forward to. That’s the day we get to show our true color -- Methodist blue -- by supporting the health of babies in our community by participating in the March of Dime ...

By Jeanne Reeves, RN, BSN, MS Vice President of Nursing, Methodist Mansfield Medical Center When I think about the twists and turns my nursing career has taken over the years, I’m reminded of the famous Beatles song, “The Long and Winding Road.” From nursing school graduation in Kentucky in 1985 to caring for patients in a med-surg and ICU hospital setting to becoming a tra ...

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 Melanie Algermissen, Assistant Vice President, Wellness, Methodist Health SystemChristmas day has come and gone. Now it’s time to start that diet, exercise more, quit smoking, or spend less money. Or maybe you’ve given up on resolutions since your great intentions seem to fizzle out a couple of weeks into the new year.Many of us fail at New Year’s resolutions because we choo ...

ttp://youtu.be/nFMa4SJoCy0 Chef Carol Ritchie has lost 23 pounds and six and half inches from her waist on the Methodist To Life! weight-loss program and that's something she vows she'll "never see again" as she pumps up the volume on her exercise routine and continues to eat healthful, hearty meals and snacks. This week she prepares nutrient rich nourish snacks -- cottag ...

By Jackie Middleton, Vice President, Human Resources OperationsWith changes to the Medicare payment system on the horizon, many new acronyms have surfaced. They’re quickly becoming part of our daily vocabulary, but more important, the meaning behind the letters will drive how hospitals and clinicians provide care. Every health care employee has a stake in these changes, how the ...

By Tim Taylor, RN, BSN, Manager of Intensive Care Unit, Methodist Mansfield Medical CenterThe latest buzz in health care is the proposed linking of patient outcomes to hospital reimbursement, slated for implementation in 2012. This heightened awareness of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reimbursement and value-based purchasing is, frankly, a little overwhel ...

By Jon Aldama, RN, Manager of Cardiology Service, Methodist Charlton Medical Center Summer may be the time to kick back and relax, but in health care, that’s easier said than done. Summer often means more stress from managing work schedules, kids at home, family commitments, and vacations. Basically, summer ...

strong>By Michael Seifu, RN, Director of Emergency Department, Methodist Charlton Medical Center Summer’s here and so are the hot-weather health hazards that keep emergency departments hopping. As a health care professional, how can you help your patients, friends, and family members learn how to be injury- and accident -free? The answer is by brushing up on your summer safe ...

By Tammy Pikey, CMSRN, Methodist Charlton Medical Center Enlightened hospital leaders know employee satisfaction leads to patient satisfaction. When employees feel valued and enjoy working with their teams, it translates to patient satisfaction. Improving satisfaction is the right thing to do and reflects our goal to treat others as we want to be treated. And with federal ...