Introducing your health care team

Many people are involved in the care of your child at Cook Children’s Medical Center. The health care team is made up of medical and support staff.

Below is a list of people that might be included on your health care team:

• Doctors check your child each day and decide what tests, medicine and treatments your child needs. They give other members of your health care team directions for taking care of your child. Your child might have more than one doctor, depending on their diagnosis.
• Nurse practitioners work with doctors and the rest of the health care team to diagnose and treat your child. A nurse practitioner can also prescribe medications and other treatments.
• Clinical educators help teach you about your child’s diagnosis and treatment. All members of the health care team provide education, but a clinical educator may be called for more difficult medical needs.
• Pharmacists work with doctors and nurses to make sure your child gets the right medicine.
• Nurses care for your child around the clock and let you know about changes in the plan of care. Your nurse records your child’s medical history and symptoms, helps perform tests and give medicine. Your nurse will also teach you about your child’s illness or injury.
• Care partners help nurses care for your child. They take temperatures, change bed sheets, help with baths and more.
• Child Life specialists help your child cope with stress and anxiety through play and education. Your Child Life specialist also talks to brothers, sisters and the rest of the family about their feelings and behavior related to the hospital stay.
• Activity coordinators give your child toys, plan fun activities and play with patients to keep their normal growing and learning on track.
• Respiratory therapists give therapy to children when they are having trouble breathing. They work closely with doctors and nurses to treat and educate children and parents about breathing problems.
• Rehabilitation services includes occupational, physical and speech and language therapy. A therapist may come to help your child if they are having a hard time standing or walking, talking and more.
• Radiology staff takes pictures to help doctors treat your child’s illness. Pictures may include X-rays, scans and ultrasounds.
• Lab technicians carry out laboratory tests ordered by your child’s doctor. This may include taking blood, collecting samples and more.
• Anesthesia staff gives children medicine to put all or part of their body to sleep in order to prevent pain during surgery or procedures.
• Parents are a big part of the care team because they know their child best and know how to work with and support the medical team.

The support team includes the following people:

• Case managers review patient cases and are assigned, as needed, to families who need help getting medical services or equipment at home. Your case manager may work with you and your insurance company to make sure the payment procedure is followed.
• Social workers provide support, counseling and resources for you and your child. A social worker can also help you apply for aid through Medicaid, SSI, early childhood intervention and other programs.
• Unit secretaries organize and file all of your child’s medical records. A unit secretary can answer general questions about the unit where your child is staying and the medical center.
• Chaplains can pray with you and listen to your hopes and fears, as well as help you practice your chosen faith. If a decision seems hard, chaplains can discuss ethics with you.
• Environmental service staff makes sure your child’s room stays clean. They will dust, mop, empty trash and remove all dirty linens.
• Patient representatives are here to make sure you have the most positive experience possible. They can help if you have a concern and/or comments about your visit.
• Nutrition associates help with menu choices and discuss food choices and special nutritional needs with you and your child. They also deliver your child’s meal trays and snacks.
• Volunteers wear a Cook Children’s shirt or apron and they help around the medical center. You may see volunteers spend time with patients, deliver toiletry items and other donations, provide office support and more.
• Interpreters are available any time. Ask your child’s nurse if you need an interpreter.
• Teachers are Texas-certified educators trained in a variety of areas, including elementary, middle, high school and special education. If you would like more information, please talk to your Child Life specialist.
• Welcome ambassadors are here to help when you need information about services offered in the local area and general information about the medical center.
• Parent mentors provide support and encouragement to families with a new diagnosis, disability or other medical concern. Parent mentors are matched with families who share similar situations or have the same diagnosis or health care need. If you are interested in speaking with a parent mentor, call our parent advisor at 682-885-5480.

Please share with us important information about your child’s health and any changes you have observed. We are here to help.

Parents as team members

As parents or caregivers, you are important members of the team that cares for your child. Our family-centered care can help relieve your child's fears and often helps speed recovery.

While your child is in the medical center, you should continue regular routines such as brushing your child's teeth and hair. This may also help ease the stress felt by parents and siblings. When it makes sense, you are encouraged to take part in the treatment of your child. This is especially important for parents who will provide treatment for chronically ill children at home. Ask your nurse or physician how you can help.

Here are some tips for talking with your health care team from parents who serve on Cook Children’s Family Advisory Council:

• Take a friend, your spouse or a relative with you for support. This person can take notes so you can focus on the conversation.
• It helps to write down questions before the appointment.
• If you don’t understand what you are being told, ask the staff to spell or explain it in a different way.
• Let the staff know if you need to take a break. Conversations about your child’s health can be tiring.
• Let the staff know if you feel you need more privacy.
• If more information would be helpful, let the staff know. Make a specific request. For example, “How can I get more information about this?”
• Ask if there are other options in the plan of care for your child.
• It is okay to tell your health care team you want to get a second opinion for your child.
• At the end of the conversation, get agreements on things like:
  • What is the next step?
  • Who will call you with the test results and when?
  • When will the next appointment or meeting take place?
  • What are the remaining questions?
  • Who should you call if you have more questions or information to share and how do you reach them?