Amy Kallas BSN, RNC-NIC, C-ONQS
McKinney,TX
Summary
Collaborative nursing communications leader who works with cross-functional teams to effectively accomplish shared objectives across the continuum of care. Over 26 years of nursing experience, including ten years of NICU Level III bedside, seven years of managing employee education, four years of patient navigation, and five years of program management. Proven ability to manage multiple projects with competing priorities while meeting organizational deadlines and maintaining stakeholder relationships. Successfully led Neonatal Levels of Care Designation for Level III NICU. Directly managed a team of 15 staff at a large academic medical center, including developing employee growth plans, daily assignments, budgeting, training, and human resource development. Advocate for patients, family, and staff to improve patient outcomes. Named “DFW Great 100 Nurses” in 2012.
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Neonatal Program Coordinator
Texas Health Presbyterian Dallas Hospital
08.2018 - Current
- Serves as Neonatal Program Manager For Neonatal Levels of Care Designation
- Successfully led Neonatal Level of Care Designation for Level III NICU
- Provides leadership and vision for Neonatal Program, including operations, services, and patient care, consistent with evidence-based best practices from admission to discharge
- Facilitates Neonatal QAPI Plan and multidisciplinary QAPI meetings
- Partners with Neonatal Medical Director in Neonatal Case Review
- Assists in the achievement of the provision of quality care to the neonatal patient population by staying abreast of current research and evidenced-based standards of practice, participating in data collection, evaluating data for trends, & identifying opportunities for improvement
- Collaborates with Obstetrical colleagues, including Maternal Medical Director and Maternal Program Manager, for care coordination of both complex maternal and neonatal patients
- Develops appropriate policies, procedures, and guidelines by collaborating with Neonatal team that are best practices and evidence-based to ensure effective, efficient, and high-quality care
- Participates in Regional Advisory Council meetings leading subcommittees when needed & develops relationships with other Neonatal Program Managers across North Texas
- Establishes and maintains collaborative partnerships with providers, staff, peers, and entire multidisciplinary team to support implementation and ongoing evaluation of care delivery
- Coordinates and facilitates educational opportunities for staff and providers to provide outreach and venue for follow-up with referral facilities
- Initiated and led Neonatal Coordinator meeting for THR system
- Member of Bioethics Committee
- Member of Leadership Development Institute Committee
Pediatric Nurse Navigator
Medical City Children's Hospital
12.2014 - 08.2018
- Coordinate consultations for patients prenatally specific to fetal anomaly and high-risk maternal conditions
- Provide individualized tours of Labor & Delivery, Post- Partum, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, & Congenital Heart Surgical Unit
- Organize & attend Neonatal Consultations, including Palliative Care Conferences
- Provide comprehensive discharge for medically fragile NICU patients, including appointment management
- Navigate barriers for patients by following up by phone and coordinating with community providers and resources
- Coordinate complex plans of care for NICU Level IV neonates by collaborating with entire multidisciplinary team while acting as an advocate for patient & family
- Served as Unit Practice Council Chair for Advanced Maternal Newborn Institute
- Collect and analyze data for Maternal Fetal Institute metrics
- Serve on Perinatal Navigation Steering Committee for HCA Division Corporate
- Instrumental in implementation of Navigation System software for department
- Establish and maintains relationships with key stakeholders, including referral providers, physicians, nursing staff, leadership, social work, case management, therapists, and community providers/resources
Manager of Nursing/Clinical
UT Southwestern Medical Center
09.2010 - 11.2014
- Responsible for ongoing educational needs for approximately 1,500 nursing services and ancillary staff, including imaging, lab, and therapies
- Oversaw onboarding for approximately 800 new clinical staff upon hire annually
- Coordinated training for 2,500 clinical staff members in preparation for t move to new William P. Clements J. University Hospital
- Coordinated with quality department, executive leadership, and physicians in quality assurance and performance improvement initiatives, including CLABSI, CAUTI, VAP, VTE, HAPU, and falls
- Managed Texas Nurse Association's continuing education providership for UT Southwestern campus
- Responsible for UT Southwestern nursing internship program; reorganized program in 2014 to meet evolving organizational needs
- Managed all nurse interns during their tenure in nursing internship at UT Southwestern, averaging 120 per year
- Reviewed quality data with NICU leadership to identify educational opportunities
- Reviewed Epic workflows and assisted in creation of Reporting Workbench reports for quality and efficiency
- Reviewed event reports in collaboration with Patient Safety department and unit leadership
- Managed affiliation agreements with various clinical programs and placement of 200 undergraduate, graduate, and high school students per semester
- Collaborated with Performance Improvement leaders on FMEA project to identify barriers to timely notification of critical results
- Advisor to multidisciplinary, shared governance Educational Council
- Collaborated with Accreditation department to address compliance issues with certification programs including primary and comprehensive stroke, transplant, bariatric, AABB, CAP, and TJC
- Collaborated with department leaders to meet educational needs related to new systems, patient care needs, and regulatory/accreditation requirements
- Responsible for American Heart Association-Community Training Center for UT Southwestern campus
- Tracked and monitored financial reports according to available resources to stay within budget parameters
- Consulted in development and revisions of policies and procedures
- Advised leadership and staff regarding nursing practice questions
- Maintained high employee engagement with top box scores in 3 categories
- Educated nursing leadership and staff on 3 Day Teach Back methodology with emphasis on health literacy
- Promoted from Clinical Nurse Educator (2010)
Clinical Nurse Educator
UT Southwestern Medical Center
06.2007 - 09.2010
- Developed and implemented Neonatal ICU internship program
- Instrumental in developing standardized guidelines and procedures that contributed to significant reduction in the VAP and CLABSI rates in the NICU
- Revised Labor & Deliver internship in collaboration with departmental leaders and increased employee engagement by mentoring preceptors
- Assisted in developing scope of services for NICU, Labor Delivery, Post-Partum, Newborn Nursery, and Kidney/Pancreas/Liver transplant units
- Coordinated with hospital leadership for TJC department-specific tracers
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary team of nursing managers, medical directors, transplant coordinators, social workers, and pharmacists to open a new Kidney/Liver/Pancreas transplant unit
- Responsible for continuing education AACN providership for UT Southwestern
- Planned and developed education for staff in-services
- Served on best-practice committees for Women's Services, Transplant Services, and others
- Provided ongoing education for Post-partum/Well Baby department
Registered Nurse II
UT Southwestern Medical Center
10.1997 - 06.2007
- Served as level III NICU staff nurse; cared for medically complex, extremely low birth weight to term infants, including attendance of high-risk deliveries
- Planned and coordinated discharge needs with multidisciplinary team and family; provided education
- Recognized for exceptional assessment skills per provider feedback
- Served as preceptor for new employees, students, and graduate nurses
- Served as charge nurse for 30-bed level III NICU
Registered Nurse
Texas Health Resources
08.2003 - 01.2005
- Served as level III NICU staff nurse; cared for medically complex extremely low birth weight to term infants, including attendance of high-risk deliveries
- Planned and coordinated discharge needs with multidisciplinary team and family; provided education
- Served as preceptor for new employees, students, and graduate nurses
Education
Master of Science - Nursing Administration
The University of Texas At Arlington
Arlington, TX08.2023
Bachelor of Science - Nursing
Carroll University
Waukesha, Wisconsin05.1997
Skills
- Cross Functional Team Leadership
- Project Management
- Patient Safety
- Process Improvement
- Educational Program Planning
- Staff Development
- Interdepartmental Coordination
- Patient Navigation
- Electronic Health Record
- Data Abstraction and Analysis
- Policy Development
- Advocacy
Additional Information
- City Rewards Program, Medical City Children's Hospital, February 2018
- DFW Great 100 Nurses , April 2012
- Meritorious Service Award, UT Southwestern Medical Center, June 2009
- Excellence in Education Award, UT Southwestern Medical Center, May 2008
Certification
- Registered Nurse, Texas Board of Nursing
- Basic Life Support Provider, AHA
- Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse-NCC
- Neonatal Resuscitation Program Instructor-AAP/AHA
- Obstetric & Neonatal Quality & Safety -NCC
- S.T.A.B.L.E Instructor
Timeline
Neonatal Program Coordinator
Texas Health Presbyterian Dallas Hospital
08.2018 - Current
Pediatric Nurse Navigator
Medical City Children's Hospital
12.2014 - 08.2018
Manager of Nursing/Clinical
UT Southwestern Medical Center
09.2010 - 11.2014
Clinical Nurse Educator
UT Southwestern Medical Center
06.2007 - 09.2010
Registered Nurse
Texas Health Resources
08.2003 - 01.2005
Registered Nurse II
UT Southwestern Medical Center
10.1997 - 06.2007
Master of Science - Nursing Administration
The University of Texas At Arlington
Bachelor of Science - Nursing
Carroll University
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