President’s Cabinet Awards 

Nellis Loewen, RN, CA-CP SANE, SANEA
Christine Wade, RN, MSN, CEN, ED
Emergency Department

The UTMB Forensic Nursing Team is charged with recognizing the complex needs of assault patients due to acts of violence as well as caring for them in a humane manner and addressing their medical, forensic and emotional needs during the exam process. Access to highly specialized equipment is essential for the team. In an effort to replace antiquated equipment, this project seeks funding to purchase a new state-of-the-art Secure Digital Forensic Imaging Camera system, an Arrowhead Forensics Portable Light Source and training for staff on the use and care of the equipment. Together, these tools will allow for the magnification of accurate and detailed body images that can be used by physicians to determine the most appropriate treatment or as evidence in a court of law.

Souby George, MSN, RNC-MNN
Tracey Santiago, MSN, RNC-OB
Women Infant and Children

Kangaroo Care is a form of developmental care that benefits all newborns, especially those in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The more an infant is exposed to skin-to-skin care, the more likely the infant will experience positive outcomes. Current patient hospital gowns do not facilitate skin-to-skin care or allow for privacy or proper securing of the infant. This project seeks to create a new gown so that all new mothers at UTMB can provide safe and modest skin-to-skin contact with their child within the first few hours of giving birth. Staff will also be trained and certified in Kangaroo Care in order to teach proper positioning and care of the infant during their hospital stay.

Dennis Santa Ana, RN, MSN, ANP, CCRN, BA-C
Adult Patient Care Services

Heart failure is a disease that is difficult to manage for patients, families, caregivers and physicians. Two important elements in managing heart failure are patient education and post-discharge home visits. The goal of this project is to provide these patients with the information and tools they need to participate in their own care by educating them on the signs and symptoms of heart exacerbation. Weighing scales and blood pressure machines will be provided to newly-diagnosed Galveston County heart failure patients who have been identified as high-risk for re-admission or are under the care of the UTMB Cardiology Heart Failure Team. Nurses with the Transition of Care Team will conduct home visits to monitor participants.

Katherine Golden Beck, RN, MS
Jennifer Bledsoe, RN, BSN
Ambulatory Services

Workplace violence incidents are on the rise and are the fourth-leading cause of death in the United States.  Employers and employees are ill prepared and unable to respond swiftly in the aftermath of these events. Experts agree that proper training and access to medical response resources can lead to a reduction in fatalities.  This project will work with Galveston Police Department Sgt. Destin Sims and the NEAR program to provide training for emergency staff on how to recognize, de-escalate and respond to aggressive behavior.  Bleeding management kits will be distributed to 80 UTMB clinics and staff will receive training on how to use the kits and where each should be located within the clinics.

Anthony Nguyen, School of Medicine Student
Jaspreet Sodhi, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Student
Jay Truitt, MD, PhD, PharmD
Barbara Slusher, MSW, PA-C, DFAAPA
Physician Assistant Studies

In 2014, the President's Cabinet supported the creation of St. Vincent's Dental Clinic for basic dental services to Galveston's indigent, uninsured and under insured populations.  Since the program's inception, the clinic has modestly addressed the need for end-stage dental services by treating oral infections through tooth extractions and antibiotics.  This new project will expand current services by establishing a new preventive dental health clinic that will offer oral health education, dental exams and cleanings, fluoride varnish and seal applications for adults and children.  The goal is to prevent new tooth/oral infections, reduce dental decay, decrease the need for antibiotics and improve overall health.

Souby George, MSN, RNC-MNN, CKC
Sara Nowakowski, PhD, CBMS
Obstetrics and Gynecology

In an effort to provide mental health treatment for new mothers who may be experiencing perinatal depression, the Mother and Babies Course will launch a new clinical service within UTMB's pediatric clinics.  This course will be facilitated by psychologists, nurses and lactation consultants trained to address issues surrounding motherhood.  President's Cabinet funds will be used to purchase instructor manuals, equipment, supplies and marketing materials.

Victor Sierpina, MD
Anna Fields, School of Medicine Student
Mercedez Hernandez, School of Medicine Student
Jessica Stauber, School of Medicine Student
Daniel White, School of Medicine Student
Family Medicine

Food insecurity is an unreliable access to affordable and nutritious food.  Rates of food insecurity in Galveston exceed national and state averages.  A partnership between UTMB, the UTMB Greenies Gardening Club and Seeding Galveston will work with at-risk residents to build and maintain backyard and neighborhood gardens.  The program will also establish a compost pick-up program designed to generate a cost-effective alternative to conventional garden fertilizer.

Brenda Yanez, RN, BSN
Julia Anderson, BSN, RN, CCRN
Jennifer Higgs, MSN, RN, CEN
Georgia Emily Motter, RN, BSN
Briana Sowell, MSN, RN, CEN, TCRN
Hospital Administration

Since 2016, more than 100 nurses and emergency medical services (EMS) staff have attended the Advanced Stroke Life Support class.  UTMB is the first academic center in Texas to serve as a training site for this certification.  The university has noticed an increase in the number of stroke patients who are brought to the emergency department via EMS rather than a personal vehicle.  This might indicate an increased awareness that being transported by ambulance means quicker treatment for stroke patients.  Due to the program's success, President's Cabinet funds will support training for an additional instructor and educational materials to certify an additional 200 per-hospital and hospital providers.

Kelsie Carpenter, School of Nursing Student
Ashley Kwartler, School of Nursing Student
Kaitlyn McMahon, School of Nursing Student
Shelley Smith, MEd
Interprofessional Education

Disaster Day is a student-led exercise designed to recreate an emergency scenario where students and members of the community act as first responders and patients.  This simulation aims to prepare health care students for catastrophic events, allows them to practice skills they are learning in class and fosters interprofessional teamwork.  This program, in conjunction with the Galveston County Community Emergency Response Team, teaches students to successfully manage disasters while preparing them to act as a community resource.  President's Cabinet funds will be used to purchase simulation and casting/molding supplies and related equipment for a two-year period.

Rebecca Castro, LCSW
Savannah Parks, MEd, LBSW
Health Resource Center

Unexpected health crises often mean patients and their families are unprepared for hospital stays, and many find themselves in need of food, clothing, personal hygiene products and laundry services.  Through the creation of The Care Closet at the John Sealy Annex, patients will have access to such items and will be provided with information and referrals to community resources.  Two adjoining rooms will be dedicated within the hospital for laundry services and food storage.  The project will be sustained through partnerships with the Galveston County Food Bank and the Salvation Army of Galveston County.

Sylvia Campbell, RN, BSN
Savannah Parks, MEd, LBSW
Lauren Michelle Thierry, MHA
Patient Navigation and Support

Studies show that low income and elderly patients with complex life-altering health diagnoses often have trouble accessing adequate health care.  Some may lack transportation, are unfamiliar with the hospital system, lack insurance or are unable to afford medication.  Those barriers ultimately may lead to a poor quality of life and unfavorable health outcomes.  In an effort to improve hospital access, the UTMB League City Campus Patient Navigation and Health Resource Center will provide patient education, dedicated navigation team support, community outreach, enhanced communication and increased access to multidisciplinary care.

Dr. Marguerite Sognier
Science Education

There is a critical need for additional qualified workers in careers utilizing Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). Women continue to remain underrepresented in STEM fields and strategies are needed to inform and inspire more pre-college level girls to this arena. To foster awareness, this project will create an annual STEM Career Conference for girls in grades 3-8 throughout Galveston County. Participants will be exposed to science, math, engineering and technology-related careers by attending hands-on workshops presented by successful women from universities, businesses and government agencies. Examples of conference exploration workshops are aerospace, accounting, engineering, petrochemical industry, maritime industry, biomedical sciences, health care, zoology, and more.

Dr. Premal Patel
John Davis, PhD student
Manasa Kanukurthy, School of Medicine Student
Naim Mekdessi, School of Medicine Student
Zhihao Zhu, School of Medicine Student
Internal Medicine

Currently, St. Vincent's Clinic does not have the necessary infrastructure or resources to screen patients for HIV/AIDS according to the guidelines of the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Because of these limitations, the decision to order HIV testing is often based on patient requests and clinical intuition. The development of a pilot HIV screening program at St. Vincent's will improve adherence to USPSTF guidelines, provide linkage to care for a vulnerable populations likely to be at high-risk for transmissions and serve as a platform for incorporating comprehensive preventive medical care and establish population health monitoring.

Karen Ratcliff, PhD, OTR
Claudia Hilton, PhD, OTR, MBA, FAOTA
Occupational Therapy

Studies have shown that physical activity during school time can increase attention and memory and reduce inappropriate behavior, resulting in improved academic performance. In an effort to assist academically low-performing students at Odyssey Academy in Galveston, the UTMB Occupational Therapy Department will create a sustainable motor lab program called BLASTOFF and work with students in the school's reading intervention program five days per week for 20 minutes per session. The BLASTOFF lab will be equipped with dance software, a gaming system, gross motor skills equipment, motor coordination and fitness gams and more.

Cheron J. Hillmon, LMSW
Community Health

In an effort to support patients with cancer at UTMB, Chemo Care bags will be given to patients at the beginning of their chemo or radiation therapy. These bags will contain educational and treatment materials and comfort items such as lip balm, lotion, blankets, journals, socks and ginger candies. Each bag will be specially packed by people who have gone through similar treatments and know what items would be of most value. The goal is to provide first-time patients with much-needed items and allow them to pack other comfort itmes for subsequent appointments.  This award will provide funding for 600 bags over a two-year period.

Dr. J. Michael Leger
Dr. Maureen Biggs
School of Nursing

Transitional Care Management (TCM) programs have proven effective in bridging gaps across health care settings, particularly for patients deemed at high risk for poor medical outcomes. With an estimated 3,000 patients seeking medical treatment at the St. Vincent's House Nurse Manage Clinic annually, more than 17 percent of these patients are considered at-risk and often "fall through the cracks." To help with this problem, this project will provide for the services of a nurse transition care manager to facilitate a TCM program at St. Vincent's. The objective is to build a rapport with patients, provide disease-specific education to facilitate self-management, perform medication reconciliation, confirm follow-up appointments, and provide care management to support treatment.

Michael Washburn, MA
Michelle Sierpina, PhD
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

Since 2002, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UTMB in Galveston has successfully provided a welcoming learning environment to adults age 55 and over. Because of its enormous success and the growth of UTMB's presence in Brazoria County, this project will help establish a similar lifelong learning community for residents in Angleton, Danbury and surrounding areas. President's Cabinet funds will be used to create a basic classroom infrastructure at an Angleton location and provide free one-year memberships to the program for under served community members. College level courses, age appropriate fitness activities, consultations and a variety of health-related workshops will be modeled after the successful OLLI program in Galveston.

Stephanie Kemmerling, MSN, FNP-C
Dermatology

The pain associated with medical procedures can cause significant stress and anxiety for child and their families. Studies show that distractions are considered an effective, safe and low-cost method to reduce pain and anxiety during medical procedures. Because UTMB's outpatient pediatric clinics lack resources to provide distraction techniques for children, President's Cabinet funds will provide for the creation of 25 specialized portable pediatric care kits that will include age-appropriate toys, an iPad loaded with specialized comfort applications and an external vibratory buzzing device. These kits will be distributed to clinics based on the severity of the medical procedures that take place, including immunizations, venipuncture, cryotherapy, biopsies, etc.

Mona Singh, MD, MPA, PGY4
Lance Lyons, MD, PGY3
Jed Assam, MD, PGY2
Misha Syed, MD, MEHP
Mary Schmitz Brown
Ophthalmology and Visual Science

Building on the success of a 2011 President's Cabinet Award that provided hundreds of patients in the greater Galveston area with sight-saving diabetic retinopathy treatment and follow-up exams, this new award will expand vision services to a large economically disadvantaged population that depend upon the St. Vincent's Eye Clinic for their complete eye care. Award funds will be used to upgrade and purchase new equipment, broaden services, supply patients with quality eyeglass prescriptions, provide testing modalities and treatment avenues for patients with glaucoma and develop charity cataract surgery services.

Kathleen T. Nguyen (OT doctoral student)
Tuan Pham (MS1 student)
Office of Student Affairs

The goal of this program is to increase the number of Galveston County home bound residents enrolled in the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry (STEAR) program. Hurricane preparedness boxes will be prepared and distributed by the UTMB House Call Program to 200 home bound seniors. Each box will contain STEAR registration information and other essentials like medical list needs a basic first aid kit, batteries, a radio, flashlights, water, dry goods, etc.