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e t h o d i s t
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e a l t h c a r e
WHEN CHRISTINE PETERSON,
MSN, CPNP, CPEN,
CPN, was in college, she was accepted into a premed
program, but she left to go into nursing. “The approach
that a nurse has in caring for patients is so different
from that of a physician,” says Peterson, a nurse in the
emergency department at Methodist Children’s Hospital.
“I have always had a gift with children, and I wanted to
make a difference.”
Today, Peterson is making a difference in the lives of
thousands of San Antonio children through the Child
Abuse Resource Education (CARE) team she helped de-
velop and implement at Methodist Children’s Hospital.
The team is trained to recognize and document suspected
child abuse cases involving children from South Texas,
and this documentation is saving lives.
Texas has one of the highest rates of child abuse in
the country. In 2009, Bexar County had 5,721 confirmed
child abuse or neglect cases. More than 50 percent of the
perpetrators were parents or caregivers, and 142 of the
children were murdered in their own homes. In addition,
Texas has the lowest number of children removed from
their homes compared to other states in the country.
The CARE team is a multidisciplinary group of spe-
cially trained nurses, child life specialists, chaplains, so-
cial workers and pediatric certified physicians, who can
evaluate any child aged 16 or younger.
Children are brought into the Emergency Room (ER)
at Methodist Children’s Hospital for a variety of reasons. If
the ER staff sees a pattern of injuries consistent with child
abuse or neglect, they notify the physician, who orders
a CARE team consultation. The CARE team nurse does
an assessment of the child that includes photographing
THE FOURTH ANNUAL
Graceann Durr Humanitarian
Awards were presented in May recognizing the outstand-
ing efforts of physicians, volunteers and employees of
Methodist Healthcare. This award is named in memory
of Graceann Durr, a long-serving and devoted Methodist
Healthcare board member. Durr was the daughter of G.S.
McCreless, a real estate developer who, with four other
businessmen, donated land for building a Methodist hos-
pital for the community. Throughout her life, Durr em-
braced the value of the human spirit and the duty of each
of us to work diligently to improve ourselves and others.
In recognition of exemplary service to patients and
the health care community, and in recognition of a dedi-
cated spirit and genuine concern for the welfare of oth-
ers, since 2010, Methodist Healthcare gathers to honor
the outstanding commitment of physicians, volunteers
and employees who are the foundation of our mission of
Serving humanity to honor God by providing exceptional
and cost-effective health care accessible to all
.
Physician nominees included:
George Ford, MD
, In-
ternal Medicine, Methodist Stone Oak Hospital;
F. Wright
Hartsell, MD
, Staff Physician, Emergency Medicine,
Methodist Healthcare;
Steven Hearne, MD
, gastroen-
terologist, Northeast Methodist Hospital, a campus of
CAR T AM L ADS FFORTS
AGAINST CHILD ABUS
the child’s injuries, draw-
ing diagrams and recording
measurements, and taking a
narrative from anyone who is
with the patient. Often simul-
taneously, Child Protective
Services and the San Antonio
Police Department (SAPD)
are notified. The CARE team
will provide documentation
and photos for these agen-
cies to further investigate and
possibly remove a child from
an abusive household.
Peterson worked many hours to ensure that suspected
child abuse cases are documented accurately. She con-
sulted with SAPD detectives, who helped the team learn
about proper documentation and evidence collection.
SAVING LIV S
The first cases were documented in 2010.
Since that time, photo documentation has been produced
on 600 children. In 2012, more than 80 cases were docu-
mented. In 2013, by the end of August 40 children had
been documented. Methodist Children’s Hospital pro-
vides the CARE team as a community service.
The CARE team saves lives. “Until abuse and neglect
can be documented, the children are returned back to the
homes, where this is occurring,” said Peterson. “With our
documentation, children are taken to a safe place. They
won’t become fatalities.
“It’s really about the children. Things that were missed
before are now being caught.”
Peterson has spent many hours doing community
outreach helping hospitals in rural areas better identify
and report abuse and neglect. “In outlying areas and in
smaller communities, people are afraid,” she said. “The
people they report may be their neighbors.”
Now when staff at all the other Methodist Healthcare
hospitals see signs of abuse and neglect in children, these
patients are transferred to the CARE team at Methodist
Children’s Hospital.
Earlier this year, Methodist Healthcare awarded
Peterson the Graceann Durr Humanitarian Award for her
service to patients and the health care community and in
recognition of her dedicated spirit and genuine concern
for the welfare of children.
Peterson has taken the Methodist Healthcare mission
statement of
Serving Humanity to Honor God
to another
level and has forever impacted the care and safety pro-
vided to the children of South Texas.
HONORING HUMANITARIANS
Methodist Hospital; and
John Kupferschmid, MD
,
Cardiothoracic Surgery, Methodist Children’s Hospital.
Volunteer nominees included: Barbara Ringen,
Methodist Hospital; Don White, Methodist Hospital;
Pat Balhorn, Methodist Stone Oak Hospital; Abigail
Lozano, Metropolitan Methodist Hospital, a campus
of Methodist Hospital; and Skeeter Powell, Northeast
Methodist Hospital.
Employee nominees included: Mike McQueen, RN,
ICU, Methodist Texsan Hospital, a campus of Method-
ist Hospital; Almera Pasasadaba, RN, ICU, Methodist
Stone Oak Hospital; Christine Peterson, MSN, Emer-
gency Department, Methodist Children’s Hospital; Aida
Perez, Executive Assistant, Methodist Hospital; Darrell
Ranselben, Controller, Metropolitan Methodist Hospital;
Cecilia Lynn, RN, ICU, Methodist Stone Oak Hospital; and
Sandy McBride, RN, Rehabilitation/Joint Care Coordina-
tor, Northeast Methodist Hospital.
A committee of staff and board members selected
the recipients. In the physician category, Dr. Hartsell
was chosen for his many years of service bringing life-
saving health care services to the people of Guatemala.
Dr. Kupferschmid was chosen for his work establishing
support groups for families with children who are living
Graceann Durr, 1926–2008
with chronic heart
conditions. In the
volunteer category,
Don Wh i t e wa s
chosen for his many
years of service and
leadership to the
Blue Bird Auxiliary.
Abigail Lozano, 18, is
the youngest recipient
o f t he Gr a c e ann
Dur r Award. She
has volunteered at
Metropolitan Methodist Hospital since she was 14 and
is a devoted member of her church, where she volunteers
to distribute food to needy families. Employees receiving
the award included Christine Peterson for establishing
a child abuse prevention program at Methodist
Children’s Hospital. (Read more about the CARE project
above.)
Sandy McBride was honored for her years of service
to the Raul Jimenez Thanksgiving Dinner and several or-
ganizations including the Humane Society, Delta Society
and the American Red Cross.
MAKE TEXAS A BETTER PLACE: Methodist Children’s Hospital team congratulates
Christine Peterson, RN. Pictured are, from left, Sonya Hernandez, RN; Peterson;
Mark McLoone, CEO, Methodist Children’s Hospital; and Pamela Dwyer, RN.
K E E P I N G
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