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Get to Know our Staff: Ron Prater, Security

Get to Know our Staff: Ron Prater, Security

by | Feb 10, 2020 | Spotlight

What is your role at the hospital? 
I am a security officer and work to provide a safe environment for our patients, families and staff.
 
What led you to Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children? How long have you worked here?
After being discharged from the U.S. Marines, I learned about an opportunity to join the security team at the hospital. I’ve been here for 18 years. 
 
What do you enjoy most about Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children?
I love that I am able to have interactions with people from all over. As a security guard, I am usually the first person a patient or family sees, so I feel kind of like an ambassador.
What was your first job? What path did you take to get here?
My first job was in the car prep department for Toyota. I went from college to the Marines (for eight years) and then to the hospital.
 
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Anything with sports – especially football. I also enjoy track & field and fishing.
 
Three words to best describe you:
A big deal.

What would you do (for a career) if you weren’t doing this?
I would be either a football or track coach. 
 
What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?
When I was in the Marines, I jumped out of airplanes.
Get to Know our SRH Staff: Karol Yeager, Ambulatory Care

Get to Know our SRH Staff: Karol Yeager, Ambulatory Care

by | Sep 30, 2019 | Spotlight

What is your role at the hospital? What do you do on a daily basis? 
I am the nurse coordinator for the two non-surgical sports medicine physicians in Frisco. I handle the daily coordination of patients, orders, education, referrals and help the clinic run as smoothly as possible.
 
What led you to Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children? How long have you worked here?
I volunteered at the hospital during nursing school and fell in love with it. I have been here for six months.
 
What do you enjoy most about Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children?
I really enjoy the success stories, as well as being able to be a part of helping kids get back to being their best! The atmosphere here is so kind. I love being part of such a positive environment where everyone is helpful and family oriented.
What was your first job? What path did you take to get here?
My first job was a lifeguard and swim instructor. 
 
My path wasn’t very direct, but what matters is that I ended up here. My first degree was in kinesiology/health. Years later, I went back to school and earned another degree – this time in nursing. During nursing school, I volunteered at the hospital and fell in love. When I graduated, I started working in the Pediatric ICU, which I have a heart and passion for, and worked there for eight years. After that, I dabbled in school nursing and then found my way here!

What do you like to do in your spare time?
Travel, spending time with family/friends, baking, trying new restaurants and watching sports.
 
Three words to best describe you:
Loyal, kind, funny
 
What would you do (for a career) if you weren’t doing this?
Probably own a bakery.
 
What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?
I went for a ride in one of the Goodyear blimps!
Get to know our SRH Staff: Dong Tran – Research

Get to know our SRH Staff: Dong Tran – Research

by | Jun 7, 2018 | Spotlight

Meet Dong – a clinical research team lead for our spine team. She works closely with our spine doctors and interacts regularly with patients and their families. Learn more about her in our SRH Staff Spotlight below:

What’s your favorite part of your job?
I love my interactions with our patients and getting to know the families. 

What’s your favorite thing about the hospital?
So many to choose from! Events for staff, for patients, camps, Junior Volunteer Book Sale, bazaars, pancake breakfast, Halloween costume competition, etc. 

Describe a typical day.
Data, data, data, seeing patients, data, data, seeing patients and more data!

How long have you worked here?
I started out in Medical Records for four years and then moved to Research for the last five years.

How did you find out about the hospital?
I first learned about the hospital over 10 years ago when I was a college student looking for a part-time job.

What made you want to work here?
When I finished graduate school, I wanted to be at a place that supports my passion for helping people and academia. This hospital has always held a special place in my mind. When an opportunity arrived, I came back as soon as I could. 

What skills do you need for your job?

  • Kindness and respect
  • An eye for details
  • Patience

What was your first job? What path did you take to get here?
My first job was a grocery clerk in my hometown local grocery store in Sioux City, IA. During my time in undergrad and graduate schools, I became interested in research through my work with my professors. I was involved with their research on education, equality in the workplace and women’s health care and policies. I saw the importance of studying the outcomes of processes and policies that guide our lives in the most minute ways. 

What is your favorite…

  • Hospital event: summer and holiday bazaars
  • Food in the cafeteria: sandwich station
  • Place in the hospital: the playground

What’s your favorite…

  • Place to travel: mountains and deserts
  • Type of food: anything fresh with a lot of veggies
  • TV show: currently enjoying the Great British Baking Show

If you could have a super power, what would it be?
I’m a mom, that’s got some super power, right?! The power of multiplicity, so I can be at many places at once. 

What did you want to be when you grew up?
While growing up, I wanted to be a writer and a photographer.

What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?
Does having a baby count? If not, I’m still waiting.

What’s the last book you read?
I’ve read and reread Robert Frost and Pablo Neruda’s poetry collections on and off for over 20 years now and to this day, I always find something new. 

What kind of animal would you be?
Elephants – they live and travel in a herd to protect and care for one another. They are the gentle giants. 

How long is your commute? What do you do on the drive?
60 – 90 minutes. 80s/90s music and podcasts keep me entertained. “This American Life”, “Revisionist History”, “Freakonomics Radio”, “Hidden Brain” and “Modern Love” are a few favorites.

What’s your go-to karaoke song?
Any songs by Madonna, the Backstreet Boys and Vietnamese 60s/70s love ballads. 

WFAA: Dallas chef making a difference in hospital kitchen

WFAA: Dallas chef making a difference in hospital kitchen

by | Feb 20, 2018 | Press Coverage, Spotlight

For the video and full story, watch here.

Most chefs spend decades trying to get where Venus DeJesus was back in 1996. After years of hard work DeJesus, an immigrant from Mexico, husband and father of two had made it to the top. He landed a job in one of Dallas’ finest restaurants at the time. 

“Fancy customers expect a lot,” DeJesus said. 

But then DeJesus did the unthinkable. He left what others would call a “dream gig” to take a position in a hospital cafeteria. 

“I love it here,” DeJesus said. 

DeJesus didn’t pick any hospital, he accepted a position at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children where he has put his fine dining skills to work for the last two decades. DeJesus arrives every morning at 2:30 to start baking gourmet desserts for some of the littlest customers. 

“If the kids are happy, I am happy,” DeJesus said. 

Children come from all over the country to get treatment at Scottish Rite. Often they are in pain and don’t have appetites. Like magic those appetites reappear the same time Chef Venus’ desserts enter the room. 

“Sometimes I’ll deliver the food but I don’t tell them I made it. I just want them to enjoy,” DeJesus said. 

The desserts look and taste like something you’d find at a five start restaurant. Parents of patients say these little treats and attention to detail make kids feel like kids again. 

“I just want them to forget about their pain for a second,” DeJesus said. 

Chef Venus has been at the hospital for more than twenty years and he says he has no plans of making another career change. If anything he’s looking for ways to keep feeding the children even after his work is done. 

“If I ever retire I will come back here as a volunteer the next day because I just love this place so much,” DeJesus said. 

Get to Know our SRH Staff: Beatriz Rodriguez, North Campus Appointment Secretary

Get to Know our SRH Staff: Beatriz Rodriguez, North Campus Appointment Secretary

by | Jan 8, 2018 | Spotlight

Beatriz is an appointment secretary who works at our North Campus in Plano. Get to know more about her in our Staff Spotlight below.

What’s your favorite part of your job?
Helping people

What’s your favorite thing about the hospital?
The Staff 

Describe a typical day.
I make sure that everything is ready to as soon as I arrive.
I make sure that I have a positive attitude.

How did you find out about the hospital?
My coworker referred me

What made you want to work here?
The fact that patients can still receive treatment regardless of the family’s ability of payment.

What skills do you need for your job?
Patience 

What was your first job? What path did you take to get here?
Medical Assistant/ Billing and Coding for a Pediatric office. I completed the Medical Assistant program. 

What’s your favorite…

  • Place to travel: the beach
  • Type of food: Pizza
  • TV show: Ninja Warrior

If you could have a super power, what would it be?
Read minds 

What did you want to be when you grew up?
An Interior Designer 

What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?
Travel to a foreign country with a group of friends 

What’s the last book you read?
The Secret 

What kind of animal would you be?
A bird 

What is something people don’t know about you?
I love to dance 

What’s your go-to karaoke song?
Zombie by The Cranberries