Brent is The Difference – leading with everyone’s best interest at heart.
When Texas Children’s Urgent Care Westgate opened in 2018, Nurse Manager Brent Bell and the team took the opportunity to get to know each other during downtime. They formed a bond as they grew from the first community clinic established in Austin.
The Urgent Care flourished from seeing a few patients a day to the busiest of Texas Children’s 20+ Austin community clinics. Brent transitioned from the first staff nurse hired, into his current role after two years. His dedication to making an impact on the lives of children as well as his team fuels their excitement to grow together and build a culture where everyone feels valued.
A common thread
Brent grew up on a farm in Oklahoma, where giving back to the community was second nature. This led him to join the Navy, based in Hawaii, and ultimately choose nursing as a career – all a continuation of doing things for others, but on a larger scale.
He leads a team of 16, who bring diverse skill sets, experiences, and aspirations to the table. Just as he made an impact on children’s lives as a staff nurse, Brent feels the way he’s able to make a difference every day as a leader on the other side of the bed is to be there for his team the way they need it most in the moments they need support. He enjoys being a resource for people and watching them grow, while ensuring they feel empowered to provide exceptional care for patients independently.
“Simply put, I’m a guiding hand, who has everyone’s best interest at heart, whether it be the patients, the team, the budget, everything, it’s all-encompassing.”
The culture is the difference
Like Brent, Dr. Geoffrey Jackman joined Texas Children’s Urgent Care Westgate to work for a world-class healthcare organization in Austin that puts children first. What he found was all that and more: “Texas Children’s administration’s proactive approach brings people together,” he explained. “What’s impressive about this facility is the tight-knit nature, our ability to adapt to situations, and to have Texas Children’s support.”
From physicians to nurses to the front desk and clinical specialists, the team’s close-knit culture spills into the care they provide for families. As one the few pediatric urgent care facilities in Austin, the clinic has grown almost 400 percent since opening, to see on average, 41 to 54 patients a day, depending on the season. Brent describes the environment as fast-paced, similar to an emergency room, with the opportunity to form connections with the patient families who rely on the clinic to complement their primary care.
“Our culture is infectious.”
“It’s impossible not to buy into it – everyone here wants to build each other up,” says Brent. “We truly enjoy working with each other and being there for each other.”
He shared a few examples: coworkers pitching in to pay for each other’s certifications, school supplies for kids, food following the loss of a family member or pet, baby and wedding showers, and toys as gifts for patients.
“One of my most prized possessions is a hand-drawn portrait of my dog that my team had made for me after he passed away in July.”
The clinic’s family culture doesn’t go unnoticed among patient families. According to Brent, he hears routinely that the difference in Texas Children’s Urgent Care Westgate and other Austin pediatric urgent care providers is that everyone looks like they enjoy their jobs.
Your work family at Texas Children’s awaits. See how you can put your unique experience to work to make a difference in the lives of our patients at TexasChildrensPeople.org.
Urgent Care FAQ
More than half of visits to emergency rooms for health care are for non-emergencies. With convenient urgent care locations in the greater Houston and Austin areas, Texas Children’s is growing to meet the needs of families experiencing urgent but non-emergency healthcare situations.
What is pediatric urgent care?
Texas Children’s pediatric urgent care clinics specialize in after-hours health care, while not replacing the need for children to have a general pediatrician. The clinics are designed to meet the needs of children and young adults through the age of 18. Some of the common conditions families seek treatment for include flu symptoms, allergic reaction, asthma, cough, or congestion, ear pain, sprains and minor burns. Urgent care providers then partner with primary care providers by sending brief summaries of medical evaluations for common procedures including antibiotic injections, breathing treatments, wound and fracture care and splinting.
What are Texas Children’s Urgent Care hours?
Most clinics are open during the following hours.
Monday – Friday 4 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Saturday – Sunday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Adjusted hours are 12:00 p.m. – 8 p.m. on holidays: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day and Labor Day.
Virtual visits are also available 8 a.m. – 11 p.m. Families may call 832-822-2222 to schedule.
Do urgent care clinics hire pediatric nurse practitioners?
Yes. Texas Children’s pediatric urgent care clinics hire Texas Children’s board-certified pediatricians, physician assistants, nurses and nurse practitioners, who specialize in pediatric care. Nurse practitioners and nurses at all levels at urgent care clinics and across the Texas Children’s system are at the forefront of patient care as part of multidisciplinary and leadership teams. More about nursing at Texas Children’s.
What is the difference between urgent care and pediatric clinics?
While urgent care clinics provide immediate, after-hours care, pediatric clinics partner with families from their child’s first well check to adolescent physicals. Texas Children’s network of expert pediatricians provides full-service, compassionate and comprehensive health care families can rely on as their child grows, including prenatal consultations, well-child visits, preventative health care, and school and sports physicals.
