| New Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Lead | 
Congratulations to Brynna Van Wyk, ARNP, MSN, on her promotion to APP Lead! Brynna will support the Division of Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation, and the Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes in her new role starting on August 1.
Later in August we will re-launch an internal campaign to promote three additional APPs to leadership roles in these areas:
- Cardiology
- Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics/Psychology, Hospitalist Medicine/General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
- Hematology-Oncology
Anita Vanderveer, MEd, will share more information next month. The APP Lead role grew directly from Employee Engagement Survey feedback and Peds APP workgroup recommendations.
Let's all welcome Brynna to our excellent team of APP Leads! | | UI Health Care is coordinating an "essentials drive" to support the North Liberty Community Pantry's "Thanksgiving in July" initiative. A donation box is located in the Peds Admin Suite (BT2001) by the reception desk and will be there through the end of July. The items that they need the most are:
- Kid-friendly snacks and treats
- Toilet paper
- Hygiene and bathroom products (toothbrushes, etc.)
- Clothing (especially women's professional wear, winter coats for all ages, shoes, baby, and children's clothes)
- Other items such as pasta, canned goods, cereals, and breads are also welcomed
Drop off your donations within the next week, and please reach out to Abby Pals with any questions. | | | | Welcome to the team! Welcome to the new staff members who recently joined our team:
Lexi Rozen began as a Research Assistant in the Division of Pulmonary Medicine on July 1.
Camilla Hippee began as a Post-Doc in the Division of Pulmonary Medicine on July 1.
Jacob Rhein began as a Financial Analyst on the Finance team on July 8.
Emily Gittle began as a Research Intern in the Division of Neurology on July 15.
Ezra Hendelkin began as a Secretary in the Division of Neonatology on July 15.
Spencer Stout begins as a Med Lab Tech in the Cytogenetics Lab on July 22.
Faith Rooney begins as a Research Assistant in the Division of Nephrology on July 22.
| | | Enhance efficiency with personalized tools: Support from HCIS informatics division Did you know providers who use personalized tools have higher immediate chart closure rates and spend less time charting after hours than those who use other documentation methods?
The HCIS Informatics Division can help providers set up personalization tools and more. Not sure who to contact? Find your informatics support on the HCIS Informatics Division SharePoint site.
Parking and transportation updates
As I'm sure you have noticed, many construction projects are happening across our medical campus which have impacted parking and transportation routes. Subscribe and favorite the Parking and Transportation page on The Loop to receive the most up-to-date closures and changes. | | | | Miracle Treat Day at Dairy Queen - July 25 Since 1984, the Dairy Queen (DQ) system has supported children's hospitals through a partnership with Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. What began with a few dedicated DQ operators raising $30,000 during a telethon has evolved into a powerful partnership that has raised over $180 million for children across the U.S. and Canada. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the partnership.
For every blizzard sold on Miracle Treat Day at participating U.S. locations, $1 will be donated to the Stead Family Children's Hospital. Visit your local DQ on July 25 to participate! | | | Team Golden Bachelor playing for University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children's Hospital on Celebrity Family Feud Team Golden Bachelor was on Celebrity Family Feud playing to raise money for Stead Family Children's Hospital. The episode aired on Tuesday, July 16 at 9/8c on ABC. Golden Bachelor, Gerry Turner, and his family battled it out against Team Bachelor Nation and took home the grand prize raising $25,000 for Stead Family Children's Hospital.
The episode is streaming now on Hulu. | | | | New Medical Director Nine new medical directors were appointed in July. They will serve as clinical team leaders and be responsible for aligning their area with hospital initiatives. Their role is to assure cohesive and patient/family-centered care is achieved in their area by partnering with nursing and administration to influence and improve quality outcomes.
Congratulations to Kari Wellnitz, MD, who was appointed the Pediatric Transport (PICU) Medical Director.
An updated list of all UI Health Care unit-based medical directors can be found on the Unit-Based Clinical Leadership SharePoint site in an Excel document. Other helpful lists of faculty and staff involved in quality and safety initiatives at UI Health Care can be found on the Quality Improvement Program (QuIP) SharePoint site along the right side.
Patient comments from our pediatric specialty clinics
"Dr. Tansey is amazing and worth the 4-hour drive one way to see him. He listens to our needs and is always open to new ideas." -patient of Michael Tansey, MD
"Dr. Wikle is a great Dr. She listens to our concerns and addresses them with patience and clarity. She also does a great job answering our questions and involving us in decisions about care. I would highly recommend Dr. Wikle to other new parents!" -patient of Elizabeth Wikle, MD
| | | Teamwork saves 4-year-old from life-threatening allergic reaction When Theodora "Theo" Narbaitz had a life-threatening anaphylactic (allergic) reaction in the Pediatric Specialty Clinic's (PSC) lobby, several members of the clinic staff leapt into action, helping to stabilize the girl and providing treatment as quickly as possible.
Theo and her mother, Sara, were in Iowa to visit Sara's sister, Megan, and her family in Marion. Megan's son had an appointment with an allergist at the PSC, and as the appointment was ending, Theo complained that her leg hurt and then began to itch. She began vomiting and struggled to breathe. The PSC team got her stabilized and she was admitted overnight.
The PSC's team response was not by chance as the team has been training in rapid emergency response for the last 18 months and was prepared to act. Renee McGinnis, MSN, RN, CPN, joined the PSC as a clinical practice leader two years ago and wanted to bring emergency response simulation to the clinical setting. Diana Bayer, DO, worked with Theo during her initial reaction and after she was admitted. Dr. Bayer followed Theo's care back to California, recommending specialists, and checking in on her results and recovery.
"All aspects of my daughter's stay were so wonderful, and I am so grateful for the care, respect, and love she was shown while at Stead Family Children's Hospital," says Sara. | | | | Selecting a sunscreen Choosing the right sunscreen is crucial since UV rays can damage your skin in different ways, leading to wrinkles, skin aging, and an increased risk of skin cancer. Patients should select broad-spectrum sunscreens that block both UVB and UVA rays with an SPF of 30 or greater. | | | Heat illness Heat illness happens when your body temperature reaches a dangerous level during hot weather. Know the signs and symptoms and use this one-page heat illness guide to spread awareness of heat-related dangers. | | | | Write Winning Grant Proposals seminar Phase I of the Write Winning Grant Proposals seminar will be held from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Friday, September 20 at the Iowa Memorial Union.
The event will be presented by John D. Robertson, PhD, a managing member of Grant Writers' Seminars and Workshops. The seminar will comprehensively address both practical and conceptual aspects that are important to writing competitive grant proposals. This event is intended for faculty members, postdoctoral researchers and administrative staff who have some exposure to writing grant applications, either through training/mentoring or personal experience.
Phase II will be held January 7-8, 2025. Registration for both phases is required. | | | Pediatric lab renovation updates Last year the Stead Family Department of Pediatrics invested in a renovation of the Medical Research Center (MRC) and Medical Laboratories (ML). This renovation provides clinical research space that is appropriate for the needs of our department. It also provides a robust increase in available bench research space for existing researchers and a more attractive space for the recruitment of new researchers.
The renovation was divided into three phases:
Phase 1 - gutting and renovating lab space in MRC into usable clinical research office space.
Phase 2 - renovating segmented bench and clinical research spaces into an open-concept lab space with offices, a break room, freezer room, and more.
Phase 3 - reclaiming pediatric research space and renovating the existing space.
It's hard to imagine what the space used to be, but visit our Peds SharePoint page to view the before and after photos. Phase 3 is underway, and the project completion date is estimated to be around Thanksgiving. | | | |
