Karen Beth Knight

• Provided emergency response during shifts. Responsible for completion and collection of documentation.
• Coordinate with hospitalists to accept direct admit transfers from outlying hospitals.
• Schedules urgent to emergent surgeries and calling in appropriate on call OR, Cath lab Interventional radiology and PACU staff.
• Responsible for daily staffing, taking sick calls, obtaining appropriate staffing levels for each nursing unit for up to 60 healthcare personnel
• Proving real time reports to upper level leadership and directors.
• Collaborated with physicians regarding patient conditions, updates and necessary care changes.
• Fostered excellence by example by "setting pace" and being hands on mentor to clinical staff.
• Scheduled surgeries, managed pre-certifications and verified insurance coverage.
• I also pick up hours in utilization review helping to cover sick calls and scheduled days off.

• PACU
• Providing direct patient care to post operative patients for both scheduled and emergent surgeries
• Recovering adult and pediatric patients undergoing Robotic, General, Neurologic, Vascular, Orthopedic, urologic, plastic surgeries. Managing critical care post op pts to outpatient day surgeries
• Administered medications via oral, IV and intramuscular injections and monitored responses.
• Effectively prioritized assignments, executing care based on each patient's relative condition and delegating tasks to available personnel deliver safe and efficient care.
• Trained new nurses in proper techniques, care standards, operational procedures and safety protocols.
• Conferred with physicians to discuss diagnoses and devise well-coordinated treatment approaches.
• Minimized hospital stays with recovery-centered approaches, reducing average in-patient stay length.
• Coordinated with physicians to perform bedside procedures such as intravenous injections, vascular line insertions and bronchoscopies.
• My absolute favorite job I have ever had.

• Utilization Review RN contracted locally to Prominence Insurance in Reno
• Responsible for determining appropriateness and medical necessity of hospitalization by review of clinical indicators and treatment based Milliman criteria
• Working closely with the medical director for case review and referral
• Coordination of discharge planning with in hospital case manager.
• Evaluated medical guidelines and benefit coverage to determine appropriateness of services.
• Submitted cases to [Job title] for criteria failures and helped facilitate resolutions and approvals.
• Evaluated patient histories, complaints and current symptoms.
• My job ended when the company was bought out and did not continue their contract with Prominence which I was contracted to.

• Responsible for coordinating plan of care for in hospital patients including discharge planning, transfers, insurance utilization review and appeal of insurance denials.
• Effectively communicated with physicians regarding patient needs, performance, medications and changes.

• In PACU, Stages I and II in an ambulatory surgical center.
• Administered medications via oral, IV and intramuscular injections and monitored responses.
• Monitored patients' conditions and reported changes in physical presentation, appearance and behavior to discuss treatment with physicians.
• Implemented medication and IV administration, catheter insertion and airway management.
• Coordinated with physicians to perform bedside procedures such as intravenous injections, vascular line insertions and bronchoscopies.
• Employee health nurse for peri op services
• Procedure Room RN assisting MDs with moderate sedation and pain management procedures
• Provided post op teaching and wound care to the pts and familys.

I held many positions in different departments at Saint Marys.

I originally came to SMRMC in 2000 as a travel RN in the Emergency Department. I was asked to remain on as staff and quickly moved to lead shift nurse then supervisor. During that time I also worked per diem in the ICU to further my understanding of critically ill patients. In July 2006 I accepted the position of interim manager of the Emergency department and resigned that position in November.

I split time in the Emergency dept, ICU and Case Management until February 2008 going fulltime in PACU. I later came back to Saints PACU for 5 years starting in January 2018.

• In CCU/ICU and Case Management
• Managed critically ill patients. Vented, Pressors, TPN.
• Trained for post op day 0 open heart in CCU

• Monitored working environment, making sure it was always safe, positive setting for all employees.
• Provided constructive feedback to workers, which improved morale and boosted efficiency.
• Maintained high corporate standards at all times by ensuring that employees followed all company processes and procedures.
• Identified conflicts among employees and used interpersonal communication to find effective solutions.
• Established team priorities, maintained schedules and monitored performance.
• Supervised and performed human resource management functions for between 50-80 subordinates.
• Directed continuing education and required certification.
• Wrote policy and procedure.
• Developed and implimented yearly budget.

• Monitored patients' conditions and reported changes in physical presentation, appearance and behavior to discuss treatment with physicians.
• Performed various nursing interventions such as wound dressing, vital sign monitoring and specimen collection.
• Assessed physical, psychological, physiologic and cognitive status of patients.
• Educated patients, families and caregivers on diagnosis and prognosis, treatment options, disease process and management and lifestyle options.
• Collected blood, tissue and other laboratory specimens and prepared for lab testing.
• Trained new nurses in proper techniques, care standards, operational procedures and safety protocols.
• Conferred with physicians to discuss diagnoses and devise well-coordinated treatment approaches.
• Mostly caring for Critical patient requiring mechanical ventilation, pressors and frequent interventions.

• Through Professional Nursing Service.
• Level III trauma center
• Stroke and Cardiac certified

Provided Emergency nursing in Tuba City Az at a small Indian Health hospital in the Emergency department. The treatments, medications and facilities were 10 years behind anywhere I worked before. Cultural differences, bias and distrust of anyone not of Navaho heritage were difficult to navigate.

This experience opened me to respecting the different cultural practices and trying to tie them to modern western medicine

• In the adult and children, Department/Trauma Center.
• Collaborated with physicians to quickly assess patients and deliver appropriate treatment while managing rapidly changing conditions.
• Answered codes quickly and orchestrated efficient, skilled medical care.
• Trained new nurses in proper techniques, care standards, operational procedures and safety protocols.
• Teamed on trauma and emergency interventions involving serious head injuries, gunshot wounds and thoracic trauma.

• Administered medications via oral, IV and intramuscular injections and monitored responses.
• Reviewed post-operative orders and continuously monitored patients' post-operative vitals, set up PCA and fluids and oriented patients to unit.
• Managed both pediatric and adult emergencies.

• Emergency Department staff nurse and per diem staff nurse in ICU
• Emergency Department supervisor and member of management team in the Emergency Dept
• With shared responsibility for staffing, scheduling, disciplinary actions, competencies and continuing education of staff.

• Department through Medical Express agency while on leave from Baptist St Anthony’s
• Rotating through childrens ER, adult ER and trauma ER.