Start the New Year with Mindful Living Join Holly Baynes, Nurse Practitioner in Cardiothoracic Surgery, for an insightful session on meditation and its impact on your well-being. Holly brings special training from HeartMath , teaching you how to access a healthy, high-performance state called heart coherence—a balance of mind and emotions that: Reduces stress Improves clarity for better decision-making Enhances overall resilience You’ll also learn about heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback a...
Jan 01, 2026•21 min
Meditation for Heart Coherence with Holly Baynes Take a few minutes to reset with this guided meditation led by Holly Baynes, Nurse Practitioner and HeartMath-trained practitioner. This session helps you achieve heart coherence—a state that supports stress relief, emotional balance, mental clarity, and resilience. Perfect for mindfulness, heart health, and overall well-being. Background music provided by Sydney Timmons , Music Therapist at Children’s Nebraska, who uses the power of music to supp...
Jan 01, 2026•4 min
Listen in to Melissa Shade, Endocrine Registered Nurse, and Molly Paskach, Diabetes Clinical Educator at Children's Nebraska tell their story of running and working at Camp Hot Shots, a camp for pediatric patients diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Listen in to hear their passion about their work and creating this wonderful summer experience for their patients.
Dec 15, 2025•11 min
We are proud to hear from a beloved team member at Children’s Nebraska, Barb Schwarz, who shares the story of her 46 years of service before her retirement in December 2025. Barb, who most fondly remembers her many years in the OR as a nurse, leaves a legacy of passion and care for the patients and families at Children’s Nebraska. Listen in as Barb reflects on her journey and shares her hopes for the future of Children’s Nebraska.
Dec 04, 2025•12 min
At Children's, we get the opportunity to spend time in service of others within the community through our BeInvolved community volunteering program. The BeInvolved community volunteering program empowers our team members to demonstrate the same kindness, care and compassion that we demonstrate daily to our patients, families and colleagues and extend that to our community. Listen in to hear Jessica Haywood, Director of Clinical Operations & System Integration at Children's Nebraska, as she s...
Dec 01, 2025•6 min
In our tenth episode of this storytelling series, meet Amber Phipps, Vice President Patient Experience & Regulatory Readiness at Children's Nebraska. Be inspired by her story of allyship from her hero and how this has guided her career and leadership philosophy.
Nov 17, 2025•10 min
In our ninth episode of this storytelling series, meet Jerry Vuchak, EVP Chief Information & Innovation Officer at Children's Nebraska. Be inspired by his hero and her leadership amidst a crisis and how that guided his career.
Nov 01, 2025•9 min
In the cardiac lesion series, Dr. Laura Ortmann, Pediatric Intensivist at Children's Nebraska, discusses the cardiac lesion Cor Triatriatum. Listen in to learn more about this rare defect and how it inspired Dr. Ortmann's career. If you plan to listen to the cardiac lesion series in order, this episode follows RV to PA conduit episode. The TAPVR episode discussed in this podcast is linked here. #drortmanncicu #picu #cicu #pediatrics...
Oct 15, 2025•9 min
In this bonus episode, we share the inspiring journey of Sheri, a former administrative assistant in Child Life and Healing Arts. Though recently retired, Sheri generously shared her story with us before stepping into this new chapter. She reflects on finding strength, balance, and resilience in the midst of life’s challenges—offering a powerful reminder that even in seasons of uncertainty, hope and healing remain possible. 🎧 Listen to Sheri’s full story here, and explore the abridged version i...
Sep 02, 2025•45 min
In the cardiac lesion series, Dr. Laura Ortmann, Pediatric Intensivist at Children's Nebraska discusses Right Ventricle to Pulmonary Artery Conduit (RV to PA Conduit) . Listen in to learn more about caring for heart transplant patients. If you plan to listen to the cardiac lesion series in order, this episode follows the second heart transplant episode. Note that PTLD stands for Post-transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder. #drortmanncicu #picu #cicu #pediatrics
Aug 26, 2025•10 min
In our eight episode of this storytelling series, meet Renee Rafferty, Senior Vice President of Behavioral Health & Wellness at Children's Nebraska. Be inspired by her hero and how this has guided her career.
Jul 01, 2025•5 min
In our seventh episode of storytelling series, Hero of Heroes, meet Laurie, Vice President at Children's Nebraska. Listen in to her story about her hero, Paula, and the importance of being honest, even when it is hard.
Jun 16, 2025•5 min
In the cardiac lesion series, Dr. Laura Ortmann, Pediatric Intensivist at Children's Nebraska discusses Heart Transplant. Listen in to learn more about caring for heart transplant patients. If you plan to listen to the cardiac lesion series in order, this episode follows the first heart transplant episode. Note that PTLD stands for Post-transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder. #drortmanncicu #picu #cicu #pediatrics
Jun 01, 2025•9 min
Listen in to hear the full interview from Diane Varnes, a guest contributor for the Spring 2025 WeThrive Magazine. Diane works for Dr. Bruce Perry, who co-authored the book with Oprah Winfrey: What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing.
May 01, 2025•1 hr 23 min
In our sixth episode of storytelling series, Hero of Heroes, meet Chelsey, Respiratory Therapist Clinical Educator at Children's Nebraska. Listen in to her story about the life-saving power of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and the compassion of strangers.
Apr 07, 2025•10 min
In our fifth episode of our storytelling series, Hero of Heroes, meet Bob Davidson, Vice President of Marketing and Communication at Children's Nebraska. Listen to his inspiring story about the surgeon who became his childhood hero.
Mar 01, 2025•3 min
In our fourth episode of our storytelling series, Heroes of Heroes, meet Ryan Cameron, Vice President of Technology and Innovation at Children's Nebraska. Listen in as Ryan shares the story of his hero- a former professor, mentor, and boss.
Feb 01, 2025•5 min
In our third episode of our storytelling series, Heroes of Heroes, meet Megan Connelly. Megan is the Vice President of Community Health and Advocacy at Children's Nebraska and shares a story from her nursing background about struggling with a patient loss and her hero in that difficult moment.
Jan 01, 2025•5 min
In the cardiac lesion series, Dr. Laura Ortmann, Pediatric Intensivist at Children's Nebraska discusses Heart Transplant. Listen in to learn more about caring for this cardiac lesion. If you plan to listen to the cardiac lesion series in order, this episode follows Pre-operative Single Ventricle Management. #drortmanncicu #picu #cicu #pediatrics
Dec 23, 2024•10 min
In our second episode of our storytelling series, Heroes of Heroes, meet Ashley. Ashley is a nurse in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Children's Nebraska and shares her story of the loss of her daughter Libby.
Dec 01, 2024•5 min
We are proud to introduce a new Series on Healing Hearts: Empowering Pediatric Critical Care Providers. In this series, we will be sharing stories from our heroes at Children's and the impact another individual made on them. Listen in to Hannah, Cardiac Care Unit nurse and her story.
Nov 14, 2024•5 min
In the cardiac lesion series, Dr. Laura Ortmann, Pediatric Intensivist at Children's Nebraska discusses Pre-operative single ventricle management Listen in to learn more about caring for this cardiac lesion. If you plan to listen to the cardiac lesion series in order, this episode follows Double Outlet Right Ventricle. #drortmanncicu #picu #cicu #pediatrics
Sep 01, 2024•10 min
In the cardiac lesion series, Dr. Laura Ortmann, Pediatric Intensivist at Children's Nebraska discusses Double Outlet Right Ventricle. Listen in to learn more about caring for this cardiac lesion. If you plan to listen to the cardiac lesion series in order, this episode follows L- Transposition of the Great Arteries. #drortmanncicu #picu #cicu #pediatrics
Jun 01, 2024•7 min
Join your WeThrive team at Children's Hospital and Medical Center, David Huskey, Sarah Wheeler, Rebecca Crawford, and Madeline Quinn as they embark on this fun journey to inspire wellbeing habits. In this episode, we discuss Howie, our emotional support therapy dog at Children's, and a habit that he incorporates in his daily life.
May 01, 2024•7 min
Join your WeThrive team at Children's Hospital and Medical Center, David Huskey, Sarah Wheeler, Rebecca Crawford, and Madeline Quinn as they embark on this fun journey to inspire wellbeing habits. Delve into how to incorporate physical activity in your daily life.
Apr 01, 2024•6 min
In the cardiac lesion series, Dr. Laura Ortmann, Pediatric Intensivist at Children's Nebraska discusses L-Transposition of the Great Arteries. Listen in to learn more about caring for this cardiac lesion. If you plan to listen to the cardiac lesion series in order, this episode follows double inlet left ventricle. #drortmanncicu #picu #cicu #pediatrics
Mar 01, 2024•10 min
In the cardiac lesion series, Dr. Laura Ortmann, Pediatric Intensivist at Children's Nebraska discusses Double Inlet Left Ventricle. Listen in to learn more about caring for this cardiac lesion. If you plan to listen to the cardiac lesion series in order, this episode follows TET Absent Valve. #drortmanncicu #picu #cicu #pediatrics
Jan 01, 2024•6 min
Join your WeThrive team at Children's Hospital and Medical Center, David Huskey, Sarah Wheeler, Rebecca Crawford, and Madeline Quinn as they embark on this fun journey to inspire wellbeing habits. In this episode, we unravel the timeless practice of sending letters through the mail—an atomic habit that holds the power to forge meaningful connections and create lasting memories. Join us as we delve into the art of penning heartfelt letters, sealing them with intention, and sending them on a journ...
Nov 15, 2023•8 min
Join your WeThrive team at Children's Hospital and Medical Center, David Huskey, Sarah Wheeler, Rebecca Crawford, and Madeline Quinn as they embark on this fun journey to inspire wellbeing habits. In this episode, we dive into the transformative habit of volunteering—a small yet profound action that can create a ripple effect of positive change. Discover the science of altruism and the joy of giving back, and learn how the act of volunteering can be a catalyst for larger transformations in your ...
Oct 15, 2023•6 min
We are celebrating Pediatric Nurses' Week at Children's Nebraska and to bring a little joy today, we have a special bonus episode to bring a little laughter to your day. Join Dr. Chris Maloney as he interviews Gabby the Glove and asks her about the secret life of being a rubber glove in the pediatric unit. Gabby the Glove is voiced by Anne Dey.
Oct 06, 2023•8 min
