| A Note of Gratitude | 
Stead Family Department of Pediatrics,
As the end of the year approaches, we want to convey our gratitude and appreciation for the exceptional work being done throughout the department. No matter your role, the work you do contributes to the success of the department, and ultimately to the patients and families we serve.
Whether you’re in the lab, in the clinic, at a patient’s bedside, teaching the next generation, working remotely, or making the operations happen behind the scenes, your efforts are seen and felt. Thank you for all that you do. We are truly grateful for the dedication, hard work, and support you provide to our department. We are proud to work alongside you and are honored to be part of this exceptional team.
Sincerely,
Alexander G. Bassuk, MD, PhD
Department Chair
Keith Clasen, MBA
Department Administrator | | On Wednesday, November 29, 2023, Bradley Haws, MBA began his role as CEO of University of Iowa Hospital & Clinics and associate vice president of UI Health Care. Click the link above to learn more about our new CEO! | | | | Welcome to the Team! Giana Alzein begins as a Clinical Trials Research Assistant in the division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics today, November 27.
Guidelines on Holiday Decorations
Although they may be fun, many seasonal decorations pose fire safety and infection control risks. If your department is spreading holiday spirit, be sure to know which items are prohibited. Visit The Loop for the full list.
Attendance During Extreme Weather Conditions
Below are some key points regarding attendance during extreme weather conditions.
- If staff members are not able to report to work due to severe weather, supervisors and staff members must follow the UI's Policy on attendance during extreme weather conditions.
- Absences due to severe weather conditions may be addressed in the following manner:
- Supervisors may approve for their employees to work remotely/offsite.
- Employees may be authorized to make up the time absent through an alternate work schedule within the same work week.
- Employees may utilize accrued compensatory time (merit) or accrued annual leave (vacation), if available, to remain in pay status.
| | | A new version of The Loop will be available in the coming weeks to support the work you do daily. On Wednesday, December 13, 2023, The Loop will move to its new platform, meaning when employees access The Loop, they'll automatically be redirected to the new homepage.
What's different for you on December 13:
- Log-in: The upgraded platform for The Loop will require you to log in with your HawkID and password.
- Employee directory: You will have your own intranet profile in the new UI Health Care Directory. You can upload a professional work photo and select your working location.
- Mobile option: You will have the option to access the same great content from your personal mobile device via a new mobile app.
Click the link above for a preview of what The Loop will look like going forward, and visit The Loop upgrade site for an overview of all the changes coming over the next few years.
Tax Forms
You have the option to electronically receive your 2023 tax forms (W-2 and Affordable Care [ACA] 1095) if you make your selection by January 10, 2024. Log in to Employee Self-Service and select My Self Service >> Settings >> Form Delivery Options to request electronic delivery. | | | | Better Bosses, Better Hawkeyes The application for the online supervisor development series Practical Applications of Supervisory Skills (PASS) - Engaging Yourself is now open. This certificate program provides an exciting opportunity to build and practice skills that supervisors regularly use and are especially useful for relatively new supervisors. The series will be delivered via Zoom this Spring on Tuesdays 8:30-11:30 a.m. from February 6 - April 9, 2024.
Those interested are encouraged to apply by December 29, 2023, using the PASS Qualtrics link. For questions, please contact uilearndevelop@uiowa.edu.
| | | 2023 Staff Appreciation Holiday Meal To show appreciation, a complimentary meal will be available for UI Health Care employees and volunteers on Thursday, December 14, 2023. Employees and volunteers must have their ID badge present to receive their staff appreciation meal. Off-site clinic employees should work with their HR representative to learn how to receive their complimentary meal.
The staff appreciation meal will be served at the following locations:
- Fountain Dining Room: 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (traditional menu only)
- Marketplace: 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (vegan and health/GF menus only)
- Marketplace: 3:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.
- Children's Cafe: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (traditional and vegan menus only)
Visit The Loop to view the menus. | | | | Happy Holidays! December is a month of many cultural and religious celebrations around the world. It's important to recognize and respect the diversity of traditions and beliefs that exist in our communities. As we celebrate the end of the year, let's take a moment to reflect on the values of inclusion, kindness, and compassion that unite us all. May this holiday season bring you joy, peace, and happiness, regardless of how you choose to celebrate it. Remember to stay safe and healthy, and cherish the time spent with your loved ones. Happy Holidays!
December Holidays and Celebrations
12/01/2023: World AIDS Day
12/03/2023: International Day of Persons with Disabilities
12/07 - 12/15/2023: Hanukkah
12/08/2023: Bodhi Day
12/10/2023: International Human Rights Day
12/16 - 12/24/2023: Las Posadas
12/21/2023: Yule Winter Solstice
12/25/2023: Christmas
12/26/2023: Boxing Day
12/26/2023 - 01/01/2024: Kwanzaa
12/31/2023: New Year's Eve
BMindful Holy Days
BMindful is an initiative that seeks to meet the needs of diverse communities by providing event and conference planners with the dates of holy days of major religious faiths for five years into the future. Add the dates to your calendar and view the year-by-year calendar HERE! | | | Announcements DEI Grand Rounds
Friday, January 19, 2024 | 12 - 1 p.m.
Dr. Sheldon Riklon is presenting on Infectious Disease and TB in Micronesian communities.
DEI Book Club
Thursday, January 25, 2024 | 12 p.m. via Zoom
Just Medicine: A Cure for Racial Inequality in American Health Care by Dayna Bowen Matthew
Zoom Link | Meeting ID: 996 7615 1943 | Passcode: 344649
16th Women's Faculty Development Conference
Friday, February 16, 2024 | 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. | Registration is Open! - 16th Annual Women's Faculty Development Conference | Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost - The University of Iowa (uiowa.edu)
New DEI Committee Dates for 2024!
The DEI Committee will meet on the 3rd Thursday of each month at 12 p.m. starting on January 18, 2024.
If you are interested in joining the DEI Committee, please email Dr. Jenna Paternostro. | | | | Taking Care of Yourself and Each Other During Challenging Times Stress is a natural response to crisis. Consult these resources to understand the signs of stress, when to take action, and how to help yourself, your colleagues, and anyone you care about. Employee Assistance Program staff can offer additional advice and services, including free, confidential counseling for University of Iowa employees. | | | Live Healthy Iowa is back! Team up with your University of Iowa coworkers and join thousands in Live Healthy Iowa's annual 10-Week Wellness Challenge! Over the course of the challenge, you will track your weekly physical activity minutes and compete against teams across the state while improving your health.
Last year, UI logged over one million physical activity minutes! Visit the Live Healthy Iowa website for details and registration information. | | | | Save the Date - Peds Research Day Save the date! The Stead Family Department of Pediatrics Research Day is April 12, 2024. This annual event will feature guest speaker Dr. Steve Abman from 12 - 1 p.m. and poster sessions from 4 - 5:30 p.m. in the MERF Atrium
Abstracts will be accepted beginning February 1, 2024, and must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday 26, 2024. More specifics to come regarding abstract submission.
For additional information or questions, please contact Lyndsay Harshman.
| | | Interrupting Brain Degeneration Following Brain Injury Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are a leading cause of death and disability in children and adolescents in the U.S. While advances in pediatric critical care in the past two decades have led to greatly improved survival rates in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) nationally, neurological dysfunction is still a common result of critical illness, particularly after TBI.
Elizabeth Newell, MD is working to improve outcomes following TBI in her critical care practice, which she couples with her research on how immune cells in the brain respond to a TBI and impact long-term recovery.
Read more about Dr. Newell's research HERE! | | | Communications Corner - StARR Program Scholars | The NIH R38 Stimulating Access to Research in Residency (StARR) Program provides an amazing extended research opportunity for individuals pursuing residency at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. StARR scholars spend an additional year during residency focusing on a chosen project, after connecting with a mentor who can help them achieve their goals. Funding provided by the NIH's National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute through the StARR grant can provide support for up to four years for individuals in the UI Hospitals & Clinics Department of Internal Medicine and Stead Family Department of Pediatrics.
The groundbreaking research done by faculty, staff, residents, and students is helping to change the lives of patients every day. Read the full piece about the 2023 NIH StARR Program Scholars HERE. Pediatric residents who wish to learn more about this program, visit the Pediatric Research Opportunities website.
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