M7 Vascular Surgery, Registered Nurse, 07/2005
to Current
University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital – Birmingham,
AL
Primarily provide care for preoperative and postoperative patients undergoing vascular surgery and various diagnostic procedures. More recently have provided care for an increasing influx of medical-surgical patients. Provision of care for these patients includes initial and ongoing physical assessments,monitoring of blood glucose levels and implementation of glycemic protocols, administration of pharmacological treatments and blood products and continual evaluation of the response to these therapies and wound assessments and dressing changes. Serve as staff nurse and charge nurse on intermittent basis. Have served as preceptor for numerous nursing students and oriented and trained many newly hired nurses. I have been the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization Unit Champion for the last three years. I conduct periodic unit surveys using JCAHO tracer tools to survey the environment of care and to audit charts and electronic medical records to ensure compliance. I educate nurses on standards which they must meet to keep them and the unit compliant with the standards set forth by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. For the last two years I have served as a member of the Unit Nursing Practice Congress. As a member of this Congress I have been part of a team which meets periodically and reviews concerns and recommendations related to nursing practice submitted by the nurses and other ancillary staff involved in patient care. We then respond by collaborating to develop and implement policy which address these concerns. I have submitted two proposals to the Nursing Congress, one of which was approved and implemented. The second of which is currently under review.
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit; Cardiac Step Down Unit, Registered Nurse, 07/2001
to 07/2005
St. Vincent's Hospital – Birmingham,
AL
Cared primarily for patients undergoing cardiac events such as myocardial ischemia, dysrhythmias and congestive heart failure exacerbations. Monitored pt's pre-procedure and post-procedure who underwent cardiac ablations, cardiac catheterizations and cardiac stress tests. Served as charge nurse on intermittent basis.
Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Registered Nurse, 02/1999
to 07/2001
University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital – Birmingham,
AL
Worked as a registered nurse in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit. Provided care for high acuity surgical patients for numerous surgical services including but not limited to renal and hepatic transplant, thoracic, plastics, vascular, surgical oncology, urology, ears nose throat, trauma and general surgery. Duties included airway management, hemodynamic monitoring with invasive monitoring devices and drug titration to maintain optimal hemodynamics.