CHRISTUS Children’s freestanding emergency department earns prestigious recognition

Emergencies can pop up at any time, especially when it comes to kids. As a parent, when these situations happen, you want to make sure your child receives the best care possible, as quickly as possible.

CHRISTUS Children’s Stone Oak Freestanding Emergency Department (FSED) is being nationally recognized for its exceptional and innovative emergency nursing care with the 2025 Emergency Nurses Association Lantern Award.

This award symbolizes excellence in leadership, practice, education, advocacy and research. This year, only 96 emergency departments across the country were selected, and CHRISTUS Children’s Stone Oak FSED is one of only 17 pediatric emergency departments recognized.

The freestanding emergency department is located at 1434 E. Sonterra Blvd. Suite 101 in San Antonio. It is open 24/7.

“This award is a testament to the passion, collaboration and dedication of every team member at Stone Oak FSED,” said Julie Vereen, administrative director of nursing for CHRISTUS Children’s Emergency Departments. “We are committed to setting the standard for pediatric emergency care excellence in our community. This recognition fuels our ongoing mission to deliver the highest quality care to every patient, every time.”

CHRISTUS Children’s has three emergency departments located throughout San Antonio: downtown at the main CHRISTUS Children’s campus, Stone Oak and Westover Hills. Now, all three emergency departments have received the prestigious Lantern Award.

“I am so proud of our nursing team across all of our emergency departments,” said Barbara Vazquez, chief nursing officer for CHRISTUS Children’s. “This is an incredible achievement, and they should all be so proud of this national recognition. Our team puts our patients first, and we want to ensure each parent that when they choose CHRISTUS Children’s for their child, they are choosing compassionate, dignified and high-quality health care, no matter the circumstances.”

To learn more about CHRISTUS Children’s Stone Oak Freestanding Emergency Department call (210) 686-8000.