Clinical Nurse Leader Employee at Cook Children's Health Care System

Daniel Figueroa

Clinical Nurse Leader

Daniel engages in interdisciplinary collaboration to enhance bedside nursing care, increase quality metrics, cultivate a positive work environment, and improve patient outcomes.

“I would like for an applicant to know that Cook Children’s makes an effort to cultivate a caring, supportive, and positive work environment.”
- Daniel

What attracted you to work at your company? How did you know it would be a good fit?: During my initial interview, I researched Cook Children's NICU and was intrigued by its level 4 designation, and the high level of care their team provides. My research helped me discover that the upper administration of the nursing leadership team included a Hispanic male nurse. Seeing him occupy such a role made me feel like I too had an opportunity to grow my nursing career as part of the Cook Children’s team. I knew it was a good fit when my manager at the time pulled me aside to express the leader she saw in me. She encouraged me to apply to become a charge nurse in the NICU and to seek opportunities of professional growth. Having her encouragement and support made me see myself as a leader, something I hadn’t seen in myself.
What are you responsible for in your current role?: The Clinical Nurse Leader role encompasses a high level of clinical skill, knowledge, creativity, and effective interpersonal skills. I use those qualities to develop policies, advocate for changes to enhance patient outcomes, and support staff satisfaction. I also provide an expert level of clinical support to my NICU team, develop and deliver nursing education, interpret data and patient trends to execute quality improvement projects, and serve as a mentor.
What are you working on right now that excites or inspires you?: I am currently working on developing a neonatal Aquapheresis program here at Cook Children’s NICU. Since the NICU started offering this highly specialized therapy, several babies have been able to graduate from their NICU stay and go home to their parents. That is the inspiration behind the development of this program. Some of the tactics I’ve implemented to support this team are: serving as the main Aquapheresis educator, developing a team schedule to best support learning and professional growth, facilitating wet labs for the team to practice skills, and providing bedside support for my team.
What do you value most about your company’s or team’s culture? What sets it apart from other places you’ve worked?: The culture at Cook Children’s promotes such an authentic joy to be at work, even during the challenging days. One thing that stands out at Cook Children’s is that although a large medical center, it still feels like a small community. People smile and greet one another in the hallways. Employees from all over campus begin to recognize your face and learn your name, even the cafeteria staff! That says a lot about the values and principles we work by here at Cook Children’s.
What’s one thing you would want a candidate to know about what it’s like to work at your company?: I would like for an applicant to know that Cook Children’s makes an effort to cultivate a caring, supportive, and positive work environment. The campus wide employee cookout, ID&E initiatives, and annual holiday lights are some of the most memorable events hosted by Cook Children’s. Cook Children’s annual Christmas lights are a Fort Worth attraction during the holiday season!
How is your company committed to fostering an inclusive environment?: Cook Children’s has committed to improving patient outcomes by promoting a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for all walks of life. The nursing ID&E council helps ensure that the nursing team is as diverse as the city of Fort Worth. Our Employee Resource Groups (ERGS) and Intentional Diversity & Inclusion (IDE) training also help foster an inclusive environment.

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