Alicia Dennis

I currently work with children and young adults experiencing a variety of respiratory, gastrointestinal, and cardiac disorders. Tasks performed include care plan implementation, diabetes management, and assistance with activities of daily living.

I shadowed nursing staff in the surgical ICU, medical ICU, catheterization lab, operating room, TEE/cardioversion unit, recovery room, and medical-surgical units. Tasks that I performed in collaboration with my preceptors included medication administration, COVID testing, head-to-toe assessments, tracheostomy care, ostomy care, chest tube care, admission interviews, discharge teaching, vital signs, telemetry monitoring, I&O documentation, and wound care.

I collaborated with nurse preceptors and other medical staff to provide patient care, prepare medications, maintain IVs, assess vital signs, and monitor telemetry. Other activities included shadowing wound care, catheterization lab, and operating room nursing staff, as well as attending weekly lectures on topics related to the cardiopulmonary and cardiovascular systems.

In collaboration with an assigned nurse, I continued to develop clinical skills in the care of medical surgical patients with an emphasis on assessment and therapeutic interventions. Duties that I performed included: head-to-toe assessments, administration of IV/Sub Q/IM/PO medications, NG tube care, ostomy care, patient and family education, obtaining vital signs, documentation in the EMR, feedings, bed baths, and linen changes.

Here I began to develop clinical skills in the care of patients with mental health alterations with an emphasis on therapeutic communication and interventions. In addition to speaking with patients, I attended community meetings, treatment team meetings, and performed direct patient care as needed across voluntary and involuntary units.

During this weeklong spring intercession clinical, I performed direct and non-direct patient care duties under the supervision of nursing staff on a medical-surgical unit. These duties included obtaining vital signs and assisting patients with ADLs, such as bathing, toileting, grooming, and eating.

In this course, I began to develop clinical skills in the care of children from infancy to adolescence. Emphasis was placed on assessment, therapeutic interventions and medication administration. Skills reviewed included nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal suctioning, tracheostomy care, and emergency interventions.

In this course, I began to develop clinical skills in the care of childbearing families with an emphasis on the birth process, women's health needs, and care of newborns. Skills reviewed included assessing cervical dilation and labor status, emergency interventions (pre-eclampsia, PIH, prolapsed cord, etc.), and medication administration.

In this course, I received an introduction to basic nursing concepts and skills. Areas covered included safety, wound care, asepsis, head-to-toe assessment, catheter insertion, and medication administration.

Under the training and direction of the NJ Office of the Ombudsman, I visited this long-term care facility weekly to assist residents with understanding their individual rights within the nursing home. I collaborated with staff, including the facility director, registered nurses, and social workers, to address residents' questions and quality-of-life concerns. Utilizing knowledge of available state and federal resources, I also assisted residents with obtaining relevant support and provided monthly reports on my activities to the Office of the Ombudsman.