Dear Team,
It’s hard to believe it’s time for the holiday season to begin! We are grateful that this year looks a little different than the last. As we prepare for the hustle and bustle, we’re focusing on presence. We know you’ve heard many phrases like, “Live in the moment!” and “Don’t let it slip away!” and while they may be overused, they’re not wrong. Being present-minded helps combat anxiety, cuts down on worries, and keeps us all connected. So, to paraphrase the title of a leadership book by Weisbord and Janoff, sometimes we need to not just “Do something” but also “Stand there.”
So how can we actually be present? We are practicing a pause. Try stopping what you are doing and taking a deep breath. Ask yourself, “Why am I here?” or “What am I doing?” It’s not easy – there is always something to prepare for and not enough time in the day. Being present means working to train our minds. (More tips here)
We wish you a very happy Thanksgiving. Please take some time to relax and be present with your friends and family. We are, as always, thankful for YOU and your dedication to this important work.
Jim, Liz, Karin, Billy, Ann, Jennifer, & Leigh
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Digital Innovation at UVA Children’s
Learn more about how UVA Children's will be an ambitious participant in the KidsX program and how we will distinguish ourselves as digital innovators.
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Heartbeat Teddy Bears Bring Comfort to NICU Families |
Learn more about Angee June's work creating Heartbeat Teddy Bears for families in the NICU, receiving funding from The Little Giraffe Foundation.
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Learn more about the latest updates on epidemiology, variants, vaccines, and more.
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Together We Make a Difference |
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Theme of the Month:
Presence
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Quotes of the Week
November 1: "When we get too caught up in the busyness of the world, we lose connection with one another – and ourselves." ~ Jack Kornfield
November 8: "A great leader also has the ability to make people an inch taller in [their] presence." ~ N. R. Narayana Murthy
November15: "Presence is more than just being there." ~ Malcolm Forbes
November 22: "The little things? The little moments? They aren’t little." ~ Jon Kabat-Zinn
November 29: "Don’t believe everything you think. Thoughts are just that – thoughts." ~ Allan Lokos
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Mark Your Calendar
Professional Recognition & Health Awareness Days
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American Diabetes Month
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Lung Cancer Awareness Month
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National Epilepsy Awareness Month
- Prematurity Awareness Month
- Native American Heritage Month
- Radiology Technology Week (November 7-13)
- National Nurse Practitioner Week (November 7-13)
- World Antibiotic Awareness Week (November 18-24)
- Genetics Counselor Awareness Day (November 4)
- Great American Smokeout (November 18)
- National Family Health History Day (November 25)
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Check out the November calendar from Action for Happiness. This month focuses on trying something new! Learning something new or getting involved in an activity that really absorbs and interests us is great for our wellbeing.
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CHRC Seminar Series
Topic: The Role of Nutrition During the First 1,000 Days of Life in Child Development and Human Capital in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Speaker: Christopher Robert Sudfeld, Sc.D. Associate Professor of Global Health and Nutrition Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Date: Friday, November 12
Time: 12:00pm
Zoom link:
One tap mobile: 14702509358
Meeting ID: 943 4232 4200
Passcode: 457077
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SAVE THE DATE: Pediatrics Racial Justice Book Club
Date: December 8
Time: 7:00 - 8:30pm
Location: Zoom link to be provided
Deadline to join: Friday, November 5
UVA’s Pediatric Equity and Inclusion Committee is hosting a virtual Pediatrics Racial Justice Book Club and would like to extend an invitation to our UVA Children's staff members. The Children’s Hospital is giving away 25 free copies of the book (9 already taken).
Our book will be The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration by Pulitzer Prize–winning author Isabel Wilkerson. She “chronicles one of the great untold stories of American history: the decades-long migration of Black citizens who fled the South for northern and western cities, in search of a better life.”
Interested in joining the book club? Children's team members, please contact Annie Jessee and Department of Pediatrics team members (physicians, residents, and staff), please contact Georgene Nelson. Want more information about the book club or have questions? Please contact Matthew Thomas.
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2021 Seasons Treatings
Deadline: Friday, December 10
Our annual Season’s Treatings event is coming soon, and we are inviting you to participate by donating toys to directly benefit our pediatric patients and families. Thank you for your generosity and for helping us make this season bright!
To donate, shop here: Amazon Registry & Target Registry ("UVA Child Life Office" will be a shipping address, so please select that option before completing your purchase.)
For more information, questions, or to make an in-person donation, please contact Amy Cesak, 434-760-4148.
We will not be utilizing donation bins this year due to COVID-19 hospital restrictions.
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Children's Hospital & Women's Services Halloween Winners |
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Congratulations, Peds Acute! |
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Department of Pediatrics Halloween Winners |
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Individual Winner: Victoria Remley as “Washing Machine” |
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Team Winner:
5th Floor BB nurses as “Ninja Turtles”
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Individual Runner Up:
Roxy Zdanis as "Rexy"
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Team Runner Up:
PICU team as "Snow white and Dwarfs"
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We are so proud of our Top Performers and Most Improved Patient Experience Award Recipients! Congratulations to you and your outstanding teams for providing committed, compassionate care to our patients. |
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Thank you, doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and dentists who have provided an outstanding patient experience. Each recipient of this award has achieved a rating at or above the 90th percentile in our FY21 patient survey results used to measure patients’ perceptions. (One * = 2nd year awarded; Two *=3rd year awarded)
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Team Member Spotlight: Amy Cesak |
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My name is Amy Cesak and I’m stepping into the Patient Family Centered Care Program Coordinator Role in an interim capacity. I’ve been at UVA Children’s for almost four years, serving as a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS), most recently in the PICU.
A little bit about me: I’ll always be a Houstonian at heart but absolutely love living in Charlottesville and being close to nature. In my free time you can usually find me outside cycling, hiking, reading, floating the river, or hanging with my people!
I’m excited to meet new faces and work with some of you in a different capacity. Please don’t ever hesitate to give me a call or send an email!
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Welcome, Midwifery Team Members |
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Chelsea Hull, CNM
Chelsea, although new to the midwifery group, is not new to UVA. She is a 2015 UVA School of Nursing graduate and completed her Midwifery and WHNP training with Georgetown University School of Nursing and Health Sciences.
Chelsea has worked right here at UVA in L&D/Mother-Baby/Antepartum as well as being L&D charge nurse immediately prior to joining the Department as a Midwife.
As a member of the Midwifery group, Chelsea will provide services at the Battle Building, Labor and Delivery and when rotations permit, Northridge 3rd floor and PCC.
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Catherine Assink, CNM
Catherine is also returning to the UVA community having completed studies at UVA in 2013 with a major in Global Development and Public Health. She then moved on to Emory University to earn her Bachelors in Nursing and completed her Midwifery and FNP programs there as well.
Prior to joining UVA Midwifery, Catherine provided midwifery care at OB/GYN groups in Georgia. She as well as Chelsea started with UVA Midwifery on October 1 and hit the ground running.
As a member of the Midwifery group, Chelsea will provide services at the Battle Building, Labor and Delivery and when rotations permit, Northridge 3rd floor and PCC.
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Thank You, Patient Family Centered Care Committee and
Children’s Hospital Advisory Board
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The Child Life Team passed out close to 100 Halloween Goodie Bags to the NICU, PICU, and Peds Acute units. The bags were graciously donated and packed by volunteer members of the Patient Family Centered Care Committee and The Children’s Hospital Advisory Board. They were filled with books, fall themed receiving blankets, craft kits, socks and many other items. We are always so grateful for their partnership and support! |
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Thank You, Outpatient Pharmacy & Medical Labs Teams |
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“Thanks to the Outpatient pharmacy team for providing Halloween goodie bags for our Battle Building Greeters to pass out on each floor. Additional Thanks to the Medical Labs team for providing Halloween Shoe Boxes for patients in the ED. Thanks to these two departments, pediatric patients all over the hospital were able to receive some Halloween cheer!” |
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Thank You, ReadyKids Volunteers |
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Shout out to the School of Nursing for your support of ReadyKids!
From Emily Harpster, Senior Philanthropy Officer: "These volunteers were so incredible and we were so grateful for their help. They worked not only on sunshine kits, but on assembling craft kits for kids, tidying up our outdoor playspace, assembling curriculum materials for our Star Kids program, and more."
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A Little Person with a Big Heart |
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On October 11, Jalpa Ramwani and her mother donated coloring books, activity books, mini trucks,
dolls, and washable crayons to UVA a children’s. Thank you for your kind and generous donation!
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Kay's in Waynesboro Donates Teddy Bears |
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A huge thank you to Lisa, Angie, Kelly, Angela, Ginger, Roger, and Donna of Kay’s in Waynesboro for donating these adorable super plush teddy bears and stuffed dogs. The kids will love them! |
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On Tuesday, October 26, seven volunteers from Volunteer Services, UVA HR, and the School of Medicine gathered in the Panera Room to stuff about 1,000 books into 200 bags for the Books at Birth – Yes! Program. A huge thank you to the Soho Center for graciously donating these books. The book bags go to Mother Baby and will be given to new moms that discharge with their newborns. Thank you to everyone for their help! |
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NICU: Haley Life, NICU RN, received her certification for RNC-NIC
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NICU: Taylor Cady, NICU RN, was voted in to the PNSO nominating committee
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NICU: Welcome back, Jane Quinn! Jane moved to Florida, recently returned as a Traveler, and has decided to stay full-time as a NICU NR!
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NICU: The project team is working through WCH to go live with Vocera unit by unit which will greatly impact interdisciplinary communication
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Mother Baby: Kelly Terreri, RN, won this month’s Daisy Award
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Ambulatory: Leah Sibert joined the GI RN Care Coordinator team
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Ambulatory: Kassidy Lampert joined the Endo RN Care Coordinator team
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Otolaryngology: My child was very nervous and they were all very understanding and helpful. I couldn't have asked for a better doctor.
Neurosurgery: They are extremely kind people and nice people. I love how they treat my little girl and everything is excellent. I always leave satisfied.
Dev Peds: Allison is one of the best health care providers I've seen. She is patient, understanding, and extremely kind. She listens to your every concern and answers any question you have. She is extremely nice and thoughtful. She gave me resources to others who could help with my son's condition and more information about everything I needed to know. I will highly recommend more people to come see Allison.
7 West: Loved how passionate the staff was about caring for my son.
7 Central: UVA provided excellent care. Michaela and Alexis were exceptional nurses.
Diabetes: Dr Repaske is outstanding! I miss seeing him in person but am SO grateful for this virtual option to help keep my child safe.
Ortho: Best children's hospital we been to!
Psych: We had a great experience!
8 Central OB: I can't thank the labor and delivery team, and the mother and baby unit enough! They all made our stay as comfortable as they could. The care that my daughter and I received was so much more than I expected! I'd like to thank nutrition too! Everyone was amazing!!!!!
Maternal Fetal: I loved the entire staff! Best appointment I have ever had!!!
Northridge OBGYN: Dr. Bray is amazing and fully trusts and listens to my health concerns. Having her as a trusted doctor through medical issues is a gift. She is fantastic at listening to, explaining, and addressing issues.
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Landon Allen Fox
October 27, 2021
Hannah Fox, NICU RN
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Have a story idea? Let us know!
Working on an exciting new project? Want to spread the word about your clinic? Know a team member that should be recognized? We can help!
Womens and Childrens Wisdom and Wellbeing
The Communication and Culture workgroup is evolving into the Wisdom and Wellbeing Steering Committee and Peer Representatives. In alignment with UVA Health, we are expanding our efforts to include not only team building and resilience, but also to stress first aid, peer support, and identification and removal of unnecessary stressors in the clinical work environment. Please let us know if you would like to get involved in the is important work!
Please help us spread the word
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Monthly Matters newsletter archive
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