Professional Experience
Children’s Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN 8/2014-present
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Neonatal Services
§ Clinical expert and consultant supporting 400 nurses, multiple medical providers, and interdisciplinary professional colleagues in the care of neonatal patients in a Level IV NICU, an infant medical/surgical step-down unit, and a LII Special Care Nursery
§ Facilitation of individualized care plans for neonatal patients based on clinical condition/diagnosis
§ Participation in systems level committees that support patient, nurse, and systems level goals
o Research and EBP Council
§ Evidence Based Practice Program - Faculty
o Vascular Access Council
o Clinical Procedures Council
§ Administrator-Lippincott Nursing Procedures software
o Clinical Practice Council
o Pharmacy & Therapeutics
o Maintenance of Certification Steering Committee
§ Participation in unit specific, and organizational, multi-professional quality improvement efforts for improved patient outcomes
o Neonatal Clinical Integration Team – Co-Lead
o Journey to Zero (Organizational Hospital Acquired Conditions (HAC) prevention group)
§ CNS Clinical Expert
· Peripheral IV Infiltrations and Extravasations – Chair
· Central Line Associated Blood Stream Infections
o NICU Safety Action Team
o Neonatal Prevent Infection Team (PIT)
Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Minneapolis, MN 1/2000-7/2014
Staff Nurse/Transport Nurse/Preceptor
§ Highly-skilled bedside care to complex neonatal patients, including assessment of clinical status, implementation of the provider plan of care, and quick recognition of clinical changes.
§ Attendance at high-risk deliveries and transport of neonates from outlying hospitals in collaboration with the interdisciplinary care team. Responsibilities include equipment preparation relative to the neonatal diagnosis, assistance with required procedures, resuscitative efforts, and safe transfer of the critically ill neonate to the neonatal intensive care unit for ongoing care.
§ Cultivated the growth and development of new neonatal nurses during orientation through clinical precepting experiences. Mentored novice nurses’ post-orientation through continued coaching and guidance.
§ Contributed to neonatal intensive care unit quality improvement by participation in the Vermont Oxford Committee. As a member of this committee our efforts led to a decrease in many neonatal morbidities, including bronchopulmonary dysplasia, severe retinopathy of prematurity, and late onset infection, for the very low birth weight infant.
§ Designed and implemented nursing educational opportunities through involvement in the Neonatal Education Council. Activities created include neonatal education days, “hot topics” in neonatology, and a cardiology conference for nurses which brought wide participation from nurses both inside and outside the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area.
Healthstaf/Intelistaf
Minneapolis, MN 10/1999-12/1999
Agency Staff Nurse
§ Agency nurse at multiple healthcare sites throughout the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area in the areas of post-partum, couplet care, Level II, and Level III neonatal intensive care.
§ Demonstrated ability to quickly and competently adapt to new situations based on the specific needs of the unit.
Valley Baptist Medical Center, Newborn Intensive Care Unit
Harlingen, TX 10/1995-08/1999
Charge Nurse/Staff Nurse/Preceptor
§ Charge nurse for busy Level II/III newborn intensive care unit. Responsibilities included coordination of appropriate staff assignments, anticipating and managing unit needs and changes, and attendance at high-risk deliveries as part of the interdisciplinary healthcare team.
§ Proficient bedside care to gravely ill newborns, including analysis of clinical condition, execution of the provider care plan, and prompt identification of health alterations.
§ Facilitated the development of novice neonatal nurses throughout orientation via bedside precepting encounters. Fostered new nurses’ post-orientation as a source of information and expertise.
Medical City Dallas Hospital, Pediatrics
Dallas, TX 7/1994-9/1995
Charge Nurse/Staff Nurse
§ Charge nurse for two busy pediatric units. Prepare staff assignments based on unit requirements and patient acuity.
§ Provided skillful care to patients on both units based on child’s diagnosis, procedure, clinical picture, and developmental level.
Education
· Doctor of Nursing Practice, Creighton University, 2020
· Master of Science in Nursing, Neonatal Clinical Nurse Specialist, Creighton University, 2014
· Bachelor of Science in Nursing, University of Minnesota, 1994
Certifications
· ACCNS-N, 2014-present
· Registered Nurse Certified, Neonatal Intensive Care, 1999-present
Publications
· Faculty, Small Baby Care Specialist™ Program, “Infection Prevention: Risks, Outcomes, and CLABSI Prevention”.
Presentations
· Oral
o “Lights, Camera, Action! Highlighting the CNS Role”, National Association of Neonatal Nurses Annual Conference, Anaheim, CA, September 2023.
o “Implementation of a Sedation Scale and its Effects on Sedation Administration in the NICU,” University of Minnesota Nursing Research Day, Minneapolis, MN, April 2021.
o “Defective Products: An Underappreciated Patient Safety Issue,” (co-presenter) Institute for Healthcare Improvement Patient Safety Congress, Houston, Texas, May 2019.
· Poster
o “Implementation of a Sedation Scale and its Effects on Sedation Administration in the NICU,”, National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists 2021 Annual Conference: Resurgence of the CNS, Virtual, March 2021.
Professional Organizations
· Member, National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists
· Member, National Association of Neonatal Nurses
· Member, Academy of Neonatal Nurses
· Member, American Association of Critical Care Nurses
· Member, Minnesota Affiliate, National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists
Professional Service
· 2023-present: National Association of Neonatal Nurses, Advances in Neonatal Care, Reviewer
· 2020-2021: National Association of Neonatal Nurses, Education Standards, Curriculum Guidelines, and Competencies for the Neonatal Clinical Nurse Specialist, Taskforce Member
· 2018: National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists: NACNS 2019 Annual Conference, Abstract Reviewer
· 2017: Small Baby Care Specialist™ Program, Content Expert Panelist
· 2016-2017: American Association of Critical Care Nurses, ACCNS-N Exam Development Committee