Interested in informatics? Leadership? How about surgery? Or is your heart in tending to patients at the bedside? Whatever your passion, Texas Health Resources is rich with possibility for nurses.
The 7,907 nurses employed by the system are in countless roles, from desk jobs to the bedside.
“The contributions of all nurses, across a wide range of roles, are vital to caring for our consumers,” said Michelle Kirby, executive vice president and chief people officer. “Nurses have a wide range of skills and capabilities, which strengthens our organization and helps us fulfill our Mission of improving the health of the people in the communities we are so privileged to serve.”
A common thread that runs through their stories, regardless of their roles: Nursing is a calling where you must be open to change and learning.
(Pictured from top left, Ilda Martinez, R.N.-BC, NE-BC, Heather House, B.S.N., R.N., CNOR, Natalie Whitworth, BSN, R.N., MBA . Kimberly Williams, M.S.N., RNC-MNN, Betsy Bauer, R.N.-OCN, and Brittany Newman, B.S.N., RN-BC.)
Betsy Bauer, R.N.-OCN
Betsy Bauer was eight years old when she decided she wanted to be a nurse. Today, she’s been one for 33 years, much of the time as a chemotherapy nurse.
A candy striper in the eighth grade, she moved on to become a nurse’s aide in high school and entered nursing school in St. Louis as soon as she graduated.
From there, she became a traveling nurse, working in Missouri, Florida, Pennsylvania and then Salt Lake City, where she “met a boy.” He was transferred to Texas, and she was hired in 1992 at Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital.
“I’ve always done oncology,” she said. “I kind of fell into it and decided I really liked the bond you make with the patients — it’s not the come and go you see in surgery. I’ve been to patients’ weddings, their kids’ weddings, patients’ funerals. I love that relationship we develop with them.”
Today she works three days a week in the outpatient transfusion department at Texas Health Arlington Memorial, and one day a week as a chemo nurse on the oncology unit.
“I never had a desire to change jobs because none of it is moving up,” she said. “We’re all important in the nursing world.”
Heather House, B.S.N., R.N., CNOR
Heather House, a surgical nurse, finished her Bachelor of Science in nursing in December, after completing her Associate’s Degree in Nursing in May 2017 — and after a first career as a cosmetologist.
“My whole life I wanted to be a nurse. I went to hair school so I could pay for nursing, but I met a guy, got married, had kids. But the lessons I learned in all those years of doing hair have helped me tremendously. When you talk to the public a lot you can deal with anybody,” she said.
Heather was part of the first Versant residency for the operating room, rotating through three hospitals before she was hired at Texas Health Harris Methodist Fort Worth Hospital two years ago. She used the Texas Health tuition reimbursement program, and still worked as a cosmetologist.
Heather said she also had a mentor in a private practice physician she also worked with while she was in school, who pushed her toward surgical nursing.
“I love it. I cannot imagine doing anything else. I’m not a floor nurse, God bless those that are,” she said. “Find your niche. If you don’t like surgery, you don’t have to do it. If you don’t like the floor you don’t have to do it. There are so many different avenues in nursing.”
Heather recently became a preceptor, teaching new nurses the skills they need.
Ilda Martinez, R.N.-BC, NE-BC
The powerhouse director of the nursing, medical-surgical, intermediate and critical care departments at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Stephenville likes to say, “My staff leads me well.”
Ilda Martinez, who has been in her current position since 2005, started out as a staff nurse in 1999, one of a long line of nurses in her family. Ilda had considered getting a Master of Business Administration degree and a business career, but once she started in nursing she never looked back. She continued to advance in leadership through formal education as well as experience.
“When I started I was 19 and I just loved it,” she said. “I couldn’t get enough. I would float anywhere and I was the first to raise my hand for any task.”
Ilda has continued that mindset throughout her career – she’s currently finishing up a master’s degree in mental health and wellness because she took note of the increased need for specialty services.
Management hasn’t completely taken her away from the bedside: “I have a very tight calendar, but when there’s a patient need, all bets are off.”
Ilda said it’s not unusual for her to come to the units she manages at night to check in with her staff. “Part of leadership is caring for our patients and our employees.”
Nurses interested in a management role should stay openminded, she said.
“I strongly encourage exposure to all options, because that’s how they will gain experience and knowledge and also start to figure out their niche and their passion, what piques their interest. What they’re good at they’re going to like and what they like they’ll be good at.”
Ilda has been a part of numerous system projects and continues to advance not only nursing but also the hospital’s community engagement activities. She serves on several boards, is the program chair for Health Day for the Chamber of Commerce and facilitates a community group of health-related businesses that has grown by 400% since 2011.
She has received several awards over the years.
Brittany Newman, B.S.N., RN-BC
You won’t find Brittany Newman at the bedside or even in a cubicle at a hospital or the Arlington Tower. She works from home most of the time, helping to build software for the electronic health record.
Board certified in informatics, Brittany describes herself as the “go-between for nurses and the electronic health record.” Ultimately, she said her job uses both her nursing and technology skills to help give nurses more time to care for patients.
“My goal is to be able to make documentation easier and more efficient for nursing staff so they can focus on patient care,” said Brittany, who has a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
She started out as an oncology hospice nurse about 12 years ago and continued down that path for four or five years. But then she glommed onto the technology side of things, becoming a Care Connect super user during a Go Live.
“I got good with the software, met people and networked that way. I helped developed workflows.”
While nurses can get a master’s degree in informatics, Brittany — who has two young children — decided to sit for a board certification test instead. She attended a two-day boot camp to help prepare for the exam.
“To start you want to just become a subject matter expert and get involved,” she said.
Natalie Whitworth, BSN, R.N., MBA
Natalie Whitworth, a director of system transformation in the Transformation Office, facilitates design teams to create Reliable Care BlueprintingTM modules, which impact patient care. Her office in the Arlington Tower is a far cry from where she started — Natalie was a bedside nurse for 14 years and has been in her current position for four.
“I have always had a strong interest in high reliability and patient safety,” she said. “As a bedside nurse, I was extremely passionate about high quality care and safe patient care.”
After transitioning from bedside care, she earned her Master of Business Administration in 2012. She first worked in Quality and Patient Safety, was a risk manager for a time, and then was director of Quality at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Alliance before her current job.
“The primary challenge in the transition away from the bedside was learning to engage teams and facilitate work that has to be done in partnership with other stakeholders,” she said. “When you’re a bedside nurse you have almost total control over the care you’re providing to a patient or your patient load and you have a lot of autonomy. This work requires you to do a lot of listening to facilitate teams to reach decisions by consensus.”
Her suggestions for anyone interested in a similar career: “I’m not afraid of change. People who easily embrace change will do well in this type of role.”
Kimberly Williams, M.S.N., RNC-MNN
Kimberly Williams is clinical excellence program manager at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, where she helps nurses advance their professional practices to sustain a Magnet® environment.
She started in a stepdown trauma unit at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth more than 22 years ago and became a charge nurse before transferring to mother-baby, where she became the manager. “I felt like I could make a difference as a leader there,” she said.
After a 20-year nursing career in women’s services, Kimberly moved to Texas Health Dallas two years ago in a completely different role: She supports Texas Health Dallas in its journey to Magnet® re-designation and Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Kaufman in its journey to Pathway to Excellence® re-designation.
“My gift and my passion is to help bring out the best in others, promoting professional development in nursing,” Kimberly said. “When I look at the professional development side, I love to help people grow and share their God-given gifts.
She holds a master’s degree in nursing, with a leadership focus. Kimberly credits a Texas Christian University fellowship – during which she did an evidence-based project on skin-to-skin contact for babies and mentoring from leaders — with inspiring her to pursue an advanced degree.
“I’m trying to help expand the voice of nursing, to empower nurses,” she said. “They can lead patient outcomes through projects and compassionate care.”
By Judy WIley • Posted June 18, 2019
