Alex Sikes RN, BSN, CCRN

• Deliver safe, high quality, patient centered care in 8-10 bed intensive care units: CCU, CVRU, MICU, SICU/NSICU, ICU; while utilizing evidence based practices, critical thinking, and effective interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Demonstrate advanced critical thinking while managing 2-3 high acuity patients with complex conditions, including sepsis, multi-organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), acute and chronic respiratory failure, AKI/CKD, acute coronary syndrome (ACS), cardiopulmonary arrest, 2-3 day post operative CABG, post operative/trauma, CVA, TBI, DKA, and acute psychosis.
• Perform comprehensive patient assessments with continuous monitoring for subtle changes in condition, promptly initiating interventions and communicating effectively with the treatment team in order to optimize patient outcomes.
• Titrate vasoactive infusions, analgesics, sedatives, and anticoagulants per protocol in order to maintain adequate hemodynamic stability.
• Manage mechanically ventilated patients working alongside respiratory therapists and intensivists to optimize ventilator support based on patient assessment, vital signs, arterial blood gasses (ABGs) and ventilator parameters.
• Manage advanced hemodynamic devices including continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), impella, chest tubes, temporary pacemakers, and surgical drains.
• Perform critical care skills such as PIV/USGPIV insertion, arterial line and swan-ganz setup, monitoring, and troubleshooting, central line maintenance, endotracheal tube care and suctioning, nasogastric/orogastric tube insertion, foley catheter insertion and management, and blood product administration, etc.
• Assist the primary intensivists with bedside procedures such as central venous line insertion, arterial line insertion, endotracheal intubation, percutaneous tracheostomy insertion, bronchoscopy, chest tube insertion, etc.
• Adhere to infection control practices including central line care, foley care, and VAP prevention.
• Effectively collaborate with the multidisciplinary team including RT, PT, OT, SLP, Case management, etc.
• Actively participate on the Rapid Response and Code Blue team for emergencies throughout the hospital.
• Act as charge nurse, coordinating daily unit operations, patient assignments, and staff support to ensure safe, efficient patient care.
• Act as a nurse preceptor, orienting and mentoring nurses while fostering critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and safe patient care.
• Demonstrate emotional resilience while supporting patients and families through critical illness.

• Assisted nursing staff in patient care activities and daily operations in the ICU and inpatient surgical services.

Assisted nursing staff while gaining hands on experience in the MICU.