Get to Know our Staff: Ryan Calococci, Orthotics & Prosthetics

Get to Know our Staff: Ryan Calococci, Orthotics & Prosthetics

by | May 29, 2024 | Spotlight

What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite for Children?
I am an orthotics and prosthetics technician. It’s my job to make all the orthotic and prosthetic devices for our patients. I also repair broken or worn devices.

What do you do on a daily basis or what sort of duties do you have at work?
I spend half my time fabricating prosthetic devices in the lab outside the main building, and the other half is spent in the Orthotics & Prosthetics main lab on the Lower Level. My duties include filling plaster models, thermoforming plastic and making orthotic devices. I also assist practitioners with repairs, and I run the seven-axis robot carver where we prepare our models for scoliosis braces. Our technician team fabricates thousands of orthotic and prosthetic devices every year!

What was your first job? What path did you take to get here or what led you to Scottish Rite?
For my first job, I was a cart attendant and grocery bagger at Kroger when I was 16. I like to say that Scottish Rite found me. I lost my job in 2008 when the economy collapsed, and I was desperate to find another job. I heard about an entry level position at the hospital through a friend of the family, and I applied. I quickly fell in love with work, the hospital’s mission, and amazing people here. Sixteen years later, and I have certifications in both orthotics and prosthetics. I love the work I do!

What do you enjoy most about Scottish Rite?
I love the culture here – everyone is friendly, helpful and devoted to the mission. I also really love the camps and trips the hospital organizes for our patients. I have had the honor and privilege of attending a few summer hand camps and, most recently, the Amputee Ski Trip. They are truly transformative for the kiddos! 

Tell us something about your job that others might not already know?
Every prosthetic device we make is completely custom-made and will only fit the child it’s made for. It also takes a few weeks from casting to fitting for each device.

Where is the most interesting place you’ve been?
I hiked a trail called Angel’s Landing at Zion National Park in Utah. It was the scariest thing I ever, did but the view at the end was worth it!

What is your favorite game or sport to watch and play?
I don’t really play any team sports, but I do enjoy mountain biking and watching football. Go Cowboys!

If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to?
I would go back to when the pyramids were being built just so I could see how they did it.

What’s one fun fact about yourself?
I have an identical twin brother.

Get to Know our Staff: Peggy Duguay, Radiology

Get to Know our Staff: Peggy Duguay, Radiology

by | May 20, 2024 | Spotlight

What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite for Children?
I am the assistant director of Radiology, and I help manage the Radiology department.

What do you do on a daily basis or what sort of duties do you have at work?
Every day in Radiology is different. I help manage the Radiology department, which includes staff scheduling and payroll, managing equipment including maintenance/testing, state inspections and act as a liaison with our staff physicians and clinical staff. I also help cover many areas including doing X-rays for patients, working the front desk and file room duties.

What was your first job? What path did you take to get here or what led you to Scottish Rite?
My first job was as a dental office receptionist. I learned about radiology technology as a career option through my college advisor and applied for the radiology program. I worked at UT Southwestern for 17 years before applying and getting hired at Scottish Rite for Children. 

What do you enjoy most about Scottish Rite?
I love working with the children and their families. It is a very special and rewarding experience each day. I am blessed to have such a wonderful opportunity to work at Scottish Rite and continue to grow and learn. Also, I love the amazing Radiology staff I work with, as well as the wonderful Scottish Rite staff throughout the hospital.

Tell us something about your job that others might not already know?
I started out at Scottish Rite as a radiology technologist, then became the PACS Administrator, and am now assistant director of Radiology.

Where is the most interesting place you’ve been?
I did a seven-country tour in 1998 throughout Europe. It was so much fun being able to visit so many different countries that I never thought I would get to travel to.

What is your favorite game or sport to watch and play?
Football–I have been a big Dallas Cowboys fan since the 80s when I watched the games with my dad. I also root for all the Texas teams…Dallas Mavericks, Texas Rangers and Dallas Stars! 

If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to?
I lost my dad in 2001. I miss him so much and wish I could travel back in time to see him again.

What’s one fun fact about yourself?
I have an identical twin sister named Patty. We have confused many people over the years including many people from Scottish Rite. We always still spend a lot of time together. Being a twin is so much fun!

Get to Know our Staff: Davoud Babahaji, Pharmacy

Get to Know our Staff: Davoud Babahaji, Pharmacy

by | May 2, 2024 | Spotlight

What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite for Children?
I am the pharmacy manager.
 
What do you do on a daily basis, or what sort of duties do you have at work?
I am responsible for scheduling pharmacists and technicians for the Dallas and Frisco campuses and making changes if someone calls in sick to make sure there is adequate help. My job also includes completing payroll, doing orientation for new residents and fellows, and making sure competencies and daily duties are completed by pharmacy staff. I moderate the Antibiotic Stewardship Committee meetings and am part of the RN/RX and P&T committees. Most importantly, I staff the Frisco campus and do whatever else is needed to help the pharmacy director, Stacie Bukowsky.

What was your first job? What path did you take to get here, or what led you to Scottish Rite?
My very first job was working as a busboy at an Italian restaurant my family owned in Arlington! It was a fun job and helped me pay for pharmacy school, of course with the financial help of my family, too. I graduated from the University of Houston College of Pharmacy in 1994 and worked for a couple of retail pharmacies for 20 years. I came across a job opening at Scottish Rite for Children and was given the opportunity to work as a pharmacy team member in 2014. In 2016, when the pharmacy manager position opened, I was promoted to the pharmacy manager. In the meantime, I received my M.B.A. with a concentration in health care administration from Texas A&M University Corpus Christi. I can honestly say that the last 10 years working at Scottish Rite has been the greatest part of my career.

What do you enjoy most about Scottish Rite?
The staff. Everyone is so nice and professional. I enjoy interacting with nurses, Supply Chain, Engineering, Child Life and staff from other departments. The pharmacy team is awesome — we are more like a family.
 
Tell us something about your job that others might not already know?
Pharmacy involves a lot of reporting. Sometimes, running reports and making sure we are ready for state audits takes a lot of time.

 Where is the most interesting place you’ve been?
This was the hardest question to answer, and I changed my answer a couple of times. The most interesting place for me has always been the Persian Gulf. I lived there for about 10 years, and we would go fishing, swimming and walking by the water. I miss its salty humid air and the friendliest people I have ever met.
 
What is your favorite game or sport to watch and play?
Soccer is my favorite sport, and I love watching the World Cup. We were so happy when Morocco played in the semifinals during World Cup 2022. I am so excited that a few games of the World Cup 2026 will be played in Arlington. We will definitely be there!

Even though I do not understand football that well, I like the Kansas City Chiefs and was so happy they won the Super Bowl again. Go Chiefs!
 
If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to?
Probably 2019! It was a terrible year for me. If I could return to that year, I would do things differently.
 
What’s one fun fact about yourself?
I like to sing! I do that all the time at home or in the car — even though some people in my family may not find my voice desirable.

Get to Know our Staff: Marlon Brown, Security

Get to Know our Staff: Marlon Brown, Security

by | Apr 25, 2024 | Spotlight

What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite for Children?
As a security officer, my job is to ensure the safety of the staff, patients, parents and visitors that come daily to Scottish Rite for Children.

What do you do on a daily basis, or what sort of duties do you have at work?
On a daily basis, in some compacity, I’m always visible to our visitors, whether that means my post is at the Main Entrance, Clinic Level desk or out in front of the hospital. Every day, I’m either greeting people or monitoring cameras throughout the day.

What was your first job? What path did you take to get here, or what led you to Scottish Rite?
My first job was delivering newspapers on foot throughout the neighborhood I lived in, during the summer and as I entered high school. That job gave me constant exposure to people and taught me to pay attention to detail. As I moved on in high school, I went to school half of the day and worked a part-time job the other half of the day — part of the job program I was enrolled in. I worked in a warehouse, shipping and receiving as well as pulling parts for customers who came in locally. I worked there the entire time while in high school and even after graduating, and then, going full time. I eventually had home delivery jobs and worked a long stint at Coca-Cola Bottling Company. These jobs put me in close, consistent interactions with people, allowing me to become the people person I am today.

What do you enjoy most about Scottish Rite?
I enjoy the fact that I get the opportunity to come to a place where I can use my gifts and talents to be a help to others in its simplest form of providing customer service. In any shape, form or fashion, I love just being helpful, assisting and friendly with a smile — in a word, a servant. I thoroughly love coming to Scottish Rite, fulfilling the needs of others who come here always and to those who come for the first time.

Tell us something about your job that others might not already know?
What I do every day, once I pull up on property and eventually walk inside Scottish Rite, I would do for free because that’s how much I enjoy what I do at the hospital. And, I’ve learned what you’ll do for free is your calling, and no one has to pay you. One thing others might not know about me, as it pertains to my job in the Security Command Center along with my coworkers, is I answer every incoming call into the hospital from outside. 

Where is the most interesting place you’ve been?
New Orleans, Louisiana 

What is your favorite game or sport to watch and play?
Basketball and football

If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to?
1986 

What’s one fun fact about yourself?
I’m a good listener.

D Magazine’s 2024 Excellence in Nursing Award Winners

D Magazine’s 2024 Excellence in Nursing Award Winners

by | Apr 18, 2024 | Spotlight

Congratulations to Michelle and Valencia on being named two of D Magazine‘s 2024 Excellence in Nursing honorees!
 
Take a moment to read what their coworkers have to say about them:
 

MICHELLE

 
“Three of Scottish Rite’s core values are child-focused, excellence, and education. Michelle positively impacts each of these core values every day. Michelle demonstrates the child-focused value because she consistently puts the needs of her patients and their family ahead of everything else. She advocates for her patients, works effectively with interdisciplinary teams to coordinate care, and anticipates the needs of her patients. Michelle is an excellent nurse and often receives compliments on her patient care. As an RN III on the Inpatient Unit, she is a clinical expert and assigned to patients with complex diagnoses. Despite the increased complexity of her patients, she has not made a medication error or received a patient complaint in her nine years at Scottish Rite.  Finally, Michelle has exceeded expectations regarding education and is a lifelong learner. Michelle started her nursing career at Scottish Rite as a student nurse. Michelle was accepted into our summer Nurse Extern program and was eventually hired as a full-time nurse. Over the past nine years, Michelle has earned her ADN, BSN, and recently, her MSN. She is now a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at Scottish Rite.

– Lia Young, RN Assistant Director of Nursing

 
“It has been such a pleasure working with Michelle and being able to witness the thoughtful and holistic care she provides to every patient and family she encounters. She is very patient and caring and without thinking twice, always goes the extra mile for her patients. She fully embodies the definition of an EXCELLENT nurse. We are very lucky to have her be a part of our team!”

– Angie Torres, APRN, CPNP

 
 

VALENCIA

 
“I have worked with Valencia for about 7 years. She embodies all the characteristics of what a great nurse should be. She is a great asset to Scottish Rite. As a peer, she is always willing to help her team. Valencia goes out of her way to contribute and help colleagues during her shifts. Valencia is always willing to share her knowledge and experience with us, providing guidance and support when we need it. Valencia has a kind spirit that shows in her day-to-day nursing with her patients and her peers. We are all lucky to have her as a coworker!”  

–Maria Perez, BSN, R.N.

 
“I wanted to share a few words on Valenica. She is extremely caring, kind, and compassionate. She listens to and spends time with her patients. She also helps her coworkers and team. Valencia will go the extra mile for others, patient, families, and coworkers alike. 
 
Valencia has high integrity and will always do the right thing. She strives to grow in her nursing and to advance her career. She is a great example to all nurses of loving your profession, advancing in your profession, and doing it all to advance nursing care and nursing practice.” 

– Connie Pachicano, DNP, MSN, RN, CPN, Nurse Manager Inpatient Uni
Get to Know our Staff: Latasha Noel-Spann, Laboratory

Get to Know our Staff: Latasha Noel-Spann, Laboratory

by | Apr 4, 2024 | Spotlight

What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite for Children?
I am a Lab Tech, and I collect specimens from our patients and staff per physician orders.

What do you do on a daily basis or what sort of duties do you have at work?
I provide a safe environment for my patients while collecting lab specimens and providing the results from them per their physician’s orders.

What was your first job? What path did you take to get here or what led you to Scottish Rite?
My very first job was babysitting kids of my mom’s coworkers. I studied biology to become a pediatrician, but I later decided to stick with the laboratory and science side of things. I really like collecting and analyzing blood, and I learned from the best. My mom has been a medical lab technician for more than 35 years.

What do you enjoy most about Scottish Rite?
I enjoy my patients and their families, and of course, my coworkers – they know who they are! I always see a smiling face or hear a welcoming greeting when I am around. I seem to have a positive effect on others!

Tell us something about your job that others might not already know?
There is never a dull moment. Always expect the unexpected with kids when in the lab. It’s challenging at times – I just make it look easy.

Where is the most interesting place you’ve been?
My past birthday I went to Jamaica, and I had an amazing time!

What is your favorite game or sport to watch and play?
Basketball is my favorite.

If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to?
I would like to revisit year 2000. You think I’m living my best life now, but back then it was so fun!

What’s one fun fact about yourself?
I’ve dabbled in the movie industry back in the day.