Suzi Schenkenberger |

Heart-felt thanks for a golden anniversary

Teresa and her mom

A 50th wedding anniversary is traditionally marked with gifts of gold, but how do you recognize a 50th heart surgery anniversary?

For one former patient, the milestone is filled with thanks and appreciation because she knows first-hand that a healthy heart is worth its weight in gold.

When Teresa Cruikshanks, now of Nitro, WV, was 5 years old, her mother noticed she was tiring easily and struggling to keep pace with her brother and sister.

My mama would come out back to check on us and Id be laying in the yard because it was too hard for me to keep up, Teresa said.

Suspicious of their daughters behavior and development, Teresas parents took her to their pediatrician who recommended she be taken to Akron Childrens Hospital for testing.

We learned I was born with a heart abnormality which caused the valve that carries blood to the lower body to be blocked off, said Teresa. My doctors (John Kramer, pediatric cardiologist, and William Falor, cardiovascular surgeon) recommended I undergo a new procedure to fix the problem. The surgery was so new the American Heart Association asked my family if the surgery could be filmed and used for physician education.

Although her heart surgery was a big deal, the young Teresa was more interested in watching other children at the hospital, playing with her new orange stuffed dog and seeing one very exciting visitor.

Daniel Boone visited the hospital while I was there, she said. I remember him coming off the elevator with his buckskin cap and gun. He was the real thing. It was really neat. Ill never forget it.

Teresas procedure and recovery kept her at the hospital for nearly a month so her parents made many trips from Byesville, Ohio, to Akron to be with her. She even stayed an extra day just so her dad, John Cruikshanks, could help take out her stitches.

I was pregnant at the time and had children at home so it was a very tiring and scary time for our family, said Juanita Monfredi, Teresas mother. Im very thankful for the procedure Teresa received and to Childrens for how they helped our family.

After surgery, Teresa went on to lead a healthy childhood, even earning the presidential physical fitness award in high school. She continues to thrive as an adult.

I see the scar every day and dont think much about it anymore, she said. But, this year, I see it and think wow its been 50 years and Im still going strong. Im very grateful to Childrens for their wonderful care.

As part of our year-long anniversary celebration, were telling the story of Akron Childrens through the eyes of past and present employees, doctors, donors, volunteers and patient families. We encourage you to share your own memories and stories about us.

About Suzi Schenkenberger

Suzi Schenkenberger is a freelance writer and public relations consultant. With more than 15 years experience, Suzi has written for local and national brands including GE, Diebold, Akron Children's Hospital and E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall.

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Nurses leave a lasting impression

Sis with her little brother, the late Richard Karg in front of the barn at the farm.

Sis with her little brother in front of the barn at the farm.

For 125 years, Akron Childrens Hospital nurses have been caring for more than boo boos. Whether its changing bandages or giving a high-5, our nurses often become an extension of family to the patients and families they serve.

For one former patient, the care nurses gave her back in 1928 is still fondly remembered today.

Catherine Sis (Karg) Nockengost, now 91, was 3 years old when admitted to Akron Childrens for typhoid fever, a life-threatening bacterial disease spread through contaminated food, water or close contact.

My brother and I would get milk from a farm near our house each day and bring back pails of it for breakfast, said Nockengost. After drinking it one day I got quite ill. My mom couldnt get my high temperature to go down so the local doctor sent me to Childrens for treatment.

Sis Nockengost

Isolated because of the contagious nature of the fever, Nockengost relied on nurses not only for medical care, but also for comfort because her parents couldnt visit her bedside. Im sure it was scary for me because I was so young, but I dont remember it that way. I remember being cared for.

Nockengost vividly recalls how a simple act of kindness made a difference.

When I first arrived, the hospital was across from the Akron Beacon Journal building, she said. The nurses would pick me up so I could look out the windows to see all the pretty lights on the building and watch the people walking in the busy downtown area. I loved looking out those windows.

Change of scenery

Akron Children’s new hospital building at the corner of W. Buchtel and Bowery streets opened on Feb. 1, 1928.

Nockengosts view changed on Feb. 1, 1928, with the opening of the hospitals new building at the corner of W. Buchtel and Bowery streets.

I remember moving to the new building in an ambulance, which was a pretty big deal back then, said Nockengost. When I got to my room, they put me in a brand-new crib with bars on it, which meant I couldnt get out. I remember sitting in it watching the helpers clean the floors and staring at the bright white sheets. I was so upset I couldnt see out the windows. But then my nurse came in and picked me right up so I could see out my new window. It was very comforting to me.

After her time at Childrens, Nockengost went on to lead a healthy childhood. As an adult, she became a nurse and cared for patients of her own, including dozens during the polio epidemic of the 1940s.

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GOJO Outpatient Surgery Center’s design creates time-saving results

Pierson snuggles with his mommy in a private pre-op room before his ear tube surgery.

At 6:30 a.m., 13-month-old Pierson Spice and his parents, Nathan and Erica, of Copley, were the very first patient family to arrive at our new GOJO Outpatient Surgery Center when it opened today.

Child life specialist Alisa Mills lets Declan cruise around the pre-op unit with his mom, Erica, by his side.

Their arrival was quickly followed by the families of 2-year-old Declan Phelps, of Kent, and 11-month-old Luka Tarr, of Vienna, who experienced firsthand the family-friendly, thoughtful design that went into building the center, located at Akron Children’s Hospital’s Kay Jewelers Pavilion.

Parents were involved in the layout and design of our new space to facilitate the journey from a patients perspective from their first encounter at check-in to their experience with nurses, doctors and staff along the way,” said Lori Davenport, outpatient surgery center clinical coordinator. “The intuitive workflow helps patients and families feel comfortable at every step.

Go with the flow

11-month-old Luca, of Vienna, hangs with his grandma and mom, Kate, in a pre-op room before his eye surgery.

For both the GOJO and existing outpatient surgery areas, patients are required to schedule a pre-surgical preparation appointment within 30 days of their surgery.

At this appointment, they have medical history and physical completed, vital signs checked, lab work drawn, and paperwork completed.

The process expedites check-in on the day of surgery.

Because of the time we save at check-in, patients now only need to arrive about 1 hour prior to surgery rather than 2 hours, said Davenport. For families, this extra hour at home is a big deal.

Nurse shows Pierson the OR before they enter.

Upon arrival, patients and families swiftly move from check-in to 1 of 7 private pre-op rooms to complete registration. In doing so, patients are moved away from common areas and into a private setting for sharing sensitive information.

The patient is then taken to an operating room while parents/caregivers go to the Lois and John Orr Waiting Room. Here, families are greeted with beautiful views of the outdoor garden while a status board keeps them informed of their childs progress from pre-op and surgery to recovery and discharge.

We know families are anxious for information about their child, especially when they have to leave their side, said Davenport. The status board is an ideal tool because it provides up-to-the-minute progress on a patient so families can be reunited as soon as possible with their child in recovery.

Fisheye view of OR 3

There are 14 individual recovery rooms located outside the waiting area.

Although the rooms are private, nurses still have a clear line of sight of all patients from one end of the space to the other, said Davenport. This permits staff to better monitor patients and support their team members who need assistance.

Thanks to the centers improved patient workflow, it also frees up time to accommodate new patients who have been on waiting lists.

New center to handle select surgeries

The GOJO Outpatient Surgery Center will handle about 30 percent of total surgeries at Akron Childrens.

Were using the ASA [American Society of Anesthesiologists] physical status classification system to determine which cases come to the new center, said Amanda Patterson, outpatient surgery center nurse manager. This allows us to evaluate and schedule cases based on the health of a child going into surgery so we can better determine how much time each case will require.

Separating surgeries in this manner also helps minimize delays.

A child who has an illness or medical condition can react very differently in surgery than a child who is healthy,” said Patterson. “This is no ones fault, but the extra time needed to care for one child can cause another child whos waiting for surgery to become anxious or upset.

Common surgeries handled at the GOJO Outpatient Surgery Center include tonsil and adenoid removal, ear tubes, eye surgeries, dental restorations, minor plastic surgery cases, hernia repairs and urology conditions.

The hospitals main surgery area will accommodate higher-risk patients or those with more complicated surgeries.

The new center is projected to accept 560 surgical cases and build to about 4,500 a year or 40 cases per day.

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New NICU opens May 5, offers quiet privacy for baby and family

Sam and big sis and NICU grad Bekah check out the expansive views from a NICU room

NICU grad Bekah and her little brother check out the expansive views from a NICU patient room.

A sprawling, 2-story treehouse has taken shape atop Akron Childrens new Kay Jewelers Pavilion, providing a peaceful, medically-advanced oasis for the tiniest and most fragile babies.

The thoughtful design of our new Women’s Board of Children’s Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit creates tranquil privacy where parents and babies can bond and babies thrive.

Occupying the 6th and 7th floors of Kay Jewelers Pavilion, the NICU opens May 5.

With the help of patient families and staff, we tried to design a space that could support the whole family from rooms with a window and sound isolation to an on-site play area and laundry facility, said Chris Young, director of nursing, neonatal services at Akron Childrens. The design really promotes quality contact between family and baby, which helps babys development so she can get home sooner.

Helping baby thrive

Families got a sneak peak at the new NICU during a public grand opening celebration in April.

A baby born at 28 weeks can hear her parent’s voice but her underdeveloped neurological system will cause her to startle at loud external noises and show outward signs of stress.

A key component to the design of this space was making sure each baby and family had a quiet place to learn and grow, said Young. Our single rooms not only reduce noise and distractions, but also provide much needed privacy for breastmilk feeding and skin-to-skin care to aid in bonding.

Since parents are able to stay with baby around the clock, theyre also less likely to miss clinical discussions about their babys care plan and progress.

Tailyn and Bekah in front of their photo on the NICU Wall of Hope, which honors NICU grads.

Now parents are able to watch and learn how to care for their child every time a clinician visits their room day or night, Young said. This allows parents to become active participants in their babys care team sooner, which helps them gain confidence in their ability to care for baby at home.

A babys swallow reflex develops at 34-35 weeks gestation so many premature babies need a feeding tube until they learn to eat by mouth.

To help with this transition, our new NICU features private lactation rooms where mom can learn how to breastfeed with consultation and care from our lactation specialists.

Another addition is an on-site milk lab. This central area allows mom to deposit and process breastmilk while staff maintains safe storage, identification and retrieval of breastmilk when baby needs it.

Nutrition in fragile infants can be challenging so these new features really help us support mom in providing the best outcomes for babys nutritional status, Young said. The milk lab really allows us to support mom in providing the best outcomes for her babys nutritional status.

A large, centrally located waiting area is available for extended family and guests to relax, watch TV or access vending machines and restrooms. It also features a sibling play area.

We currently see about 570 babies a year in our Level 3 NICU and that number continues to grow, Young said. Our newly designed space allows us to expand and add more rooms and services as our patient needs change. Were excited to share this new space with babies and their families. It truly is a home-away-from-home that supports the whole family.

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Spacious, new ER opens May 5, keeps patients moving forward

As part of the overarching “Backyard” theme of Kay Jewelers Pavilion, our ER’s puddle theme features a calming blue palette, splashes of artwork, ripple patterns in the flooring and an aquarium.

Located in Kay Jewelers Pavilion, Akron Children’s newly designed ER, which opens at 7:30 a.m. May 5, is twice as large as the old one, with a focus on providing comfort and organization to patients during an otherwise stressful time.

Our new ER is all about forward motion, said Dina Dornack, clinical nurse manager at Akron Childrens Emergency department. From drop off to discharge, we keep patient care moving.

The ER main entrance, 177 W. Exchange St., features free valet parking and a dedicated parking lot to ensure safe and convenient access to care. Once inside, a nurse assesses the patient to determine the best treatment area.

By design, our assessment rooms have doors that open into the main emergency treatment areas to keep patient care moving forward, said Dornack. This triage space also gives us the flexibility to get X-rays or lab tests started prior to seeing a doctor, which is a more efficient use of time and enhances the patient experience.

Another design feature that improves patient flow is the EMS-only entrance. With more than 2,800 children transported to Akron Childrens ER last year, this dedicated entrance helps relieve traffic in the main entrance area and allows EMS workers to get critical patients into a room faster.

Many of our EMS providers travel long distances because Childrens is such a large referral center, Dornack said. Our EMS entrance features an equipment room and lounge so workers can retrieve equipment, have computer access to complete run reports and grab a quick snack before going back on the road.

Fully-equipped patient rooms

Our new ER has larger patient rooms with enough space for families to comfortably remain close to a patient during their visit.

In addition, every room has standardized medical equipment and access to supply carts for specialty care such as casting. The rooms also feature technology that allows staff to easily share patient data, test results and X-rays without moving the child from place to place.

The last thing a parent or child wants to do when they come to ER is sit and wait or, worse yet, feel like theyre going backwards, said Dornack. Now we can bring care to the bedside, allowing the patient to remain in one room until they are ready for discharge from the ER.

Another benefit of our new ER is a dedicated radiology suite. The suite includes 2 X-ray rooms, a CT scanner and ultrasound room exclusively for emergency patients. A portable X-ray is available for patients who need to remain in their room.

The new design and workflow of the ER allows us to reduce time wasted in movement and increase time caring for patients, Dornack said.

Room to grow

Akron Childrens is the second busiest pediatric ER in Ohio. We handle about 160 patient visits a day and that number isnt slowing down.

The forward-thinking design of our ER gives us the flexibility needed to meet the needs of our patients and their families today and in the future, said Dornack. Its a true reflection of our dedication and commitment to caring for patients and whatever changes come our way.

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Volunteering is food for the soul

Volunteer Tyler Vanderhoof shares his joy with Nolan Stroud.

Volunteerism and Akron Childrens Hospital go together like peanut butter and jelly or macaroni and cheese. Theyre better together.

In fact, volunteerism is at the very core of the hospitals culture of caring and the foundation on which it was built 125 years ago.

As part of National Volunteer Week, Akron Childrens held a themed Our volunteersOur legacy celebration that included food and extra helpings of thank you.

Volunteer Joanna Yurjevich and Spider Man (aka James Meyer).

Our volunteers are incredible. Their enthusiasm and commitment to our staff, patients and families is uplifting, said Vicki Parisi, director of volunteer and visitor services at Akron Childrens. No 2 volunteers are the same, yet they all share a passion for Childrens Hospital and giving back to the community.

Although the reasons that bring a volunteer to Childrens may differ, the feeling they get from volunteering is almost always the same an indescribable feeling of warmth and joy that only comes from volunteering.

I love the way it (volunteering) makes me feel, said Joanna Yurjevich of North Canton. I treat these children as if they were my own. I rock them, transport them, talk with them I know Im helping someone and it feels so good. It warms my heart, and its that feeling that keeps me wanting to come back.

Volunteer Tyler Vanderhoof, a Kent State University pre-med student, knows the feeling.

Tyler Vanderhoof

The idea of having a positive impact on a childs day, even if its only for 5 minutes, is a wonderful thing. I get to make a difference in someones life, said Vanderhoof. I help with the character cart thats filled with toys and superhero props, so I see a lot of smiles. I dont do any work, yet I get all the reward.

Many hospital programs wouldnt be possible without the dedication and time of our volunteers, as well as the variety of talents they bring with them.

One such talent is retired home economics teacher Nora Houser. When it was time for her to step out of the classroom, she felt the calling to be surrounded by children again.

I started helping because I wanted that interaction that feeling of helping others, said Houser. Im so blessed to be able to help. Whether its the cookie cart, sewing blankets or just talking with patients, I tell everyone I have the best gig at the hospital.

With a background in radio and voiceovers, volunteer Tom Cullison puts his gifted voice and storytelling skills to good use as a Reading Rover at Akron Childrens.

Reading to these kids allows me to do what I enjoy. I use funny voices and make sound affects. The kids love it and so do I, said Cullison. One time, I had a little guy fall asleep right in my arms. Theres no better feeling. Besides raising my family, volunteering at Childrens is one of the best things Ive ever done. Im proud to be a part of it.

Paying it forward

Each year, volunteers donate more than 100,000 hours to help Childrens patients at our Akron and Beeghly campuses.

Besides answering questions, taking calls and running errands, they help entertain and distract patients during a hospital stay. Volunteer-run activities such as craft cart, good-night cart, glamour techs, cuddlers and visits from our Doggie Brigade or Petie the Pony delight patients every day.

The hospitals successful volunteer program is the result of people who are inspired by our tradition of caring and are committed to paying it forward in their own special way, said Parisi.

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