Alicia Garcia BSN, RN

Delivered advanced critical care in a 6-bed ICU and 15-bed Emergency Department at a rural acute care hospital, managing high-acuity patients with limited specialty backup, requiring strong clinical autonomy and rapid prioritization.

• Assisted anesthesia and emergency providers with intubation, extubation, and rapid sequence induction (RSI); managed post-intubation sedation, airway stability, and ventilator adjustments.

• Responded to critically ill patients with ARDS, septic shock, GI bleeds, DKA, polytrauma, and cardiac arrest, including post-resuscitation sedation and transfer preparation.

• Interpreted hemodynamic trends and lab results in real-time to guide interventions; collaborated with respiratory therapy and intensivists to optimize respiratory and circulatory support.

• Maintained seamless patient transitions between ER and ICU, often assuming continuity of care across both units.

• Function in a high-acuity ICU setting across two Wichita hospitals, providing focused, one-on-one nursing care to critically ill patients with complex respiratory, metabolic, and cardiac conditions.

• Routinely care for patients requiring mechanical ventilation, sedation, and hemodynamic support, integrating real-time data from invasive monitoring and labs to guide bedside interventions.

• Partner with CRNAs and intensivists to facilitate airway procedures, including assisting with intubation, extubation, and ongoing ventilator optimization.

• Maintain readiness for rapid deterioration by staying proficient in ACLS algorithms, preparing RSI medications, and leading bedside preparation for emergent interventions.

• Skilled in managing ICU therapies such as vasopressor infusions, sedation protocols, insulin drips, and frequent ABG evaluation to track gas exchange and metabolic status.

• Contribute to the procedural environment by setting up for and supporting central line placement, arterial lines, and bedside thoracotomies, while anticipating physician needs in critical moments.

• Flex between units as needed, demonstrating reliability and confidence in a per diem float capacity while upholding care standards in both hospital systems.

• Provide perioperative care for adult urology patients in a fast-paced outpatient setting, focusing on post-anesthesia recovery and close monitoring during the immediate post-op phase.

• Collaborate directly with CRNAs and anesthesia providers, assisting with airway support, emergence monitoring, and pain management in PACU.

• Monitor for anesthesia-related complications, including PONV, airway obstruction, and hemodynamic instability, intervening promptly and escalating concerns to the anesthesia team.

• Participate in pre-op assessments, preparing patients for surgery and ensuring readiness for anesthesia, including IV placement and medication reconciliation.

• Utilize this role to shadow CRNAs in the perioperative setting, gaining first-hand insight into anesthesia workflows, patient selection, and post-op recovery strategies.

• Rotated across Level I to Level III trauma centers, adapting to diverse patient populations and acuity levels across Medical ICU, Neuro ICU, and Cardiothoracic ICU settings.
• Managed post-op CABG, sepsis, ARDS, traumatic brain injuries, and multi-organ failure in critically ill patients requiring complex interventions.
• Assisted with intubations and extubations, coordinated sedation and paralytic infusions, and participated in perioperative transitions alongside anesthesia and surgical teams.
• Titrated vasoactive drips (norepinephrine, vasopressin, propofol, cisatracurium), and interpreted ABGs, ICP trends, and hemodynamic data to inform care.
• Supported patients with EVDs, CRRT, IABPs, and ventilators (AC/VC, SIMV, APRV), and collaborated in bedside procedures including chest tube placement and central line insertions.
• Provided leadership support during travel assignments by rapidly integrating into high-acuity units and maintaining high standards across multiple EMR systems (Epic, Cerner, Meditech).
• Promoted continuity of care through thorough documentation, patient advocacy, and interdisciplinary collaboration in fast-paced, variable environments.

• Directed shift operations for a high-acuity 10-bed ICU, coordinating critical care delivery and leading rapid interventions for high-acuity patients.
• Served as a primary resource nurse for ventilated patients with ARDS, Septic Shock, and Multi-organ failure; independently managed titration of critical drips.
• Managed 2-4 ventilated patients per shift, with responsibility for airway management, ventilator weaning protocols, and continuous sedation titration using RASS and BIS.
• Interpreted invasive hemodynamics (CVP, MAP, PAP, CVP, SvO2), guided fluid resuscitation, vasopressor selection, and shock state differentiation, adjusting care plans accordingly.
• Oversaw rapid responses and code blues, demonstrating leadership in high pressure resuscitation efforts.
• mentored new ICU nurses and precepted senior nursing students in advanced critical care workflows, including central line management, ABG interpretation, and RSI prep.
• Collaborated closely with respiratory therapy during intubation and extubation procedures, providing airway support, sedation management, and post-extubation monitoring.

• Delivered emergency care to a diverse patient population in a rural critical access facility with limited specialty resources, requiring autonomous decision-making and rapid triage under pressure.

• Stabilized critical patients presenting with polytrauma, stroke, STEMI, sepsis, overdose, and airway compromise, initiating ACLS protocols, RSI preparations, and collaborating with transport and trauma teams.

• Performed primary and secondary trauma surveys, assisted with intubations, and managed patients through emergent procedural sedation, post-resuscitation stabilization, and ongoing critical monitoring.

• Titrated emergency medications including vasopressors, anticonvulsants, sedatives, and antihypertensives based on dynamic patient conditions and provider orders.

• Obtained and interpreted 12-lead EKGs, ABGs, and point-of-care testing to guide immediate interventions.

• Demonstrated leadership in mass casualty drills and multi-patient trauma activations, balancing simultaneous care demands and effectively allocating resources.

• Floated as needed to ICU for continuation of care post-resuscitation, including ventilated patients, invasive lines, and transfer coordination.

• Utilized Epic EMR for documentation, order entry, and rapid communication with interdisciplinary teams during high-acuity events.

• Collaborated with physicians to quickly assess patients and deliver appropriate treatment while managing rapidly changing conditions.
• Teamed on trauma and emergency interventions involving serious injuries, overdoses and cardiac arrest events, amputations, seizures, and strokes.
• Offered exceptional care and support to individuals recovering from acute incidents and dealing with chronic conditions.
• Case Management Experience
• Clinical Documentation Improvement