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Nursing at Texas Children's Hospital
Texas
Children’s Hospital actively supports nursing research
and its nurses are leaders and clinical collaborators in many
ongoing projects. Day-to-day developments from these innovative
research programs are crucial in the discovery of new instruments,
treatments or procedures. Ultimately, these programs provide better
health care for children of all ages, all over the world.
Ongoing nursing research projects at Texas Children's include:
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Effectiveness and comfort of one breast pump brand over another
for milk volume maintenance for mothers of hospitalized, preterm
infants
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Physiologic outcomes in children under 3 years of age who are
sedated for an echocardiogram
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Prevalence of pressure ulcers and skin breakdown on all inpatients
and determine risk factors associated with pressure ulcers and/or
skin breakdown
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Fatigue in children with cancer, the first study of its kind in
the United States
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Pain assessment and management for children
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Temperature assessment and fever management for children.
Working with pediatric patients can present special challenges in
the delivery of nursing care. In their attempts to normalize and
provide the most comfortable hospital experience for children and
their families, Texas Children’s nurses have created innovative
solutions to nursing-care challenges.
Heart Hugs®: Following cardiac surgery, children are
encouraged to cough and breathe deeply to prevent postoperative
pulmonary complications. Sometimes, getting children to cooperate is
a challenge. To meet this challenge, Texas Children’s cardiology
nurses worked with volunteers from the American Heart Association
Heart Guild to design colorful, heart-shaped pillows called Heart
Hugs. Packaged in Texas-shaped boxes, Heart Hugs give children
support and comfort, reducing the pain of coughing.
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The TeddiTop®: Traditional methods used to attach a holter
monitor to a child are identical to those used for adults. However,
several problems arise when using these methods with small children.
It is possible for youngsters to manipulate the monitor and
interrupt or hinder data collection. The TeddiTop was designed by a
research nurse in the department of pediatric cardiology at Texas
Children’s Hospital. It resembles a life jacket and serves as a
backpack to carry the holter monitor. The vest pockets conceal and
protect monitor leads, allowing freedom of movement during the
24-hour monitoring periods.
Rena Dee®: Texas Children’s nephrology nurses
bring happiness to chronically ill children across the world by
introducing them to a very special friend - Rena Dee. She is a
16-inch cloth doll who travels to different hospitals with pediatric
dialysis units and teaches children about geography and other
cultures. She also allows children receiving renal dialysis to share
secrets, tips and strategies to cope with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD).
Designed by a nephrology nurse and a child life specialist to give
renal dialysis patients a feeling of travel, Rena Dee has visited
hospitals across the U.S. and the world.
Learn more about nursing
research fellowships at Texas
Children's Hospital.
  
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