Andrea Bentson
Hollister,CA
Summary
Seasoned nursing professional with 32 years of diverse experience in direct patient care, staff supervision, staff education and department operations. Skilled at multitasking, triaging and prioritizing patient needs and daily staff assignments under high stress situations. Expertise in emergency and critical care, with contributions to the profession as a well respected leader and mentor to future health care professionals. Quality-focused and efficiency-driven leader with excellent written and verbal communication skills and an ability to successfully collaborate with interdisciplinary teams with the focus on optimizing patient care and support. Eager to fulfill challenging new role in remote nursing.
Overview
32
32
years of professional experience
Work History
RN, Charge Nurse, Ambulatory Care
County of Santa Clara
01.2021 - 09.2024
- Supervised and managed daily scheduling, tasking, and administration in very busy specialty clinic for General Surgery, Cardiology, GI and Oncology seeing 32 patients a day.
- Managed patients recovering from medical or surgical procedures.
- Explained course of care and medication side effects to patients and caregivers in easy-to-understand terms.
- Contributed significantly towards Joint Commission accreditation compliance through regular audits, staff education and process improvement recommendations.
- Mentored and supervised junior nurses, fostering a supportive and professional work environment.
- Served as a liaison between nursing staff, physicians, and management, fostering open communication channels among all parties involved in patient care.
RN, Charge Nurse, Emergency Department
County of Santa Clara
03.2019 - 01.2021
- Managed high-stress situations effectively, providing leadership during critical incidents and medical emergencies.
- Performed triage on incoming patients and determined severity of injuries and illnesses in a very busy rural hospital seeing 140 patients a day.
- Demonstrated strong clinical reasoning skills when assessing patients' conditions, initiating appropriate interventions, and escalating concerns to physicians as needed.
- Acted as a resource for colleagues by sharing clinical expertise, participating in educational opportunities, and serving as a preceptor for new nurses joining the Emergency Department team.
- Educated patients, families and caregivers on diagnosis and prognosis, treatment options, disease process, and management and lifestyle options.
- Quickly responded to situations impacting safety and security to unit, actualizing crisis prevention interventions to control and de-escalate situations.
RN, Charge Nurse, Emergency Department
Saint Louise Regional Hospital
07.2005 - 03.2019
- Collaborated with fellow health care colleagues to develop a "Five Star" triage process for Saint Louise Regional Hospital to reduce patient wait times by efficiently triaging patients based on acuity levels and prioritizing urgent cases.
- Managed ER resources effectively, ensuring adequate staffing levels and proper distribution of medical resources in a very busy and dynamic emergency room.
- Assisted physicians in providing accurate diagnoses during high-pressure scenarios using expert clinical knowledge combined with exceptional problem-solving abilities.
- Delivered high level of quality care to diverse populations while overseeing patient admission and triaging based on acuity and appropriate department admission.
- Provided valuable support to families during critical situations by offering emotional support, answering questions, and assisting with decision-making processes related to their loved one's care.
- Acted as a resource for colleagues by sharing clinical expertise, participating in educational opportunities, and serving as a preceptor for new nurses joining the Emergency Department team.
- Participated in quality improvement initiatives aimed at enhancing the overall effectiveness and efficiency of emergency nursing care delivery within the department.
- Improved patient quality of care by working with a team of interdisciplinary health care professionals to develop the first Stroke, STEMI and Rapid Response programs for Saint Louise Regional Hospital.
RN, Charge Nurse, Medical/Surgical/Peds
Saint Louise Regional Hospital
10.2003 - 07.2005
- Maintained high standards of patient care during high-volume shifts, managing patient assignments to optimize nurse workload in a very busy department often functioning at capacity of 41 patients.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams for comprehensive patient care, resulting in improved overall health outcomes.
- Quickly responded to situations impacting safety and security to unit, actualizing crisis prevention interventions to control and de-escalate situations.
- Conducted health education sessions for families, leading to better at-home care and reduced readmission rates.
- Participated in quality improvement initiatives, contributing to development of best practices within department.
CNA, Medical/Surgical/Peds
Saint Louise Reginal Hospital
10.2001 - 05.2002
- Assisted patients with daily living activities, promoting independence and dignity.
- Enhanced patient satisfaction by providing compassionate and attentive care.
- Provided care to patients throughout lifespan with consideration of aging processes, human development stages and culture.
- Collaborated with healthcare teams to develop individualized care plans, enhancing patient outcomes.
Paramedic
AMR
09.1992 - 08.1998
- Delegated life-saving tasks to provide comprehensive treatment to triaged patients in emergency situations averaging 17 emergency calls in a 24 hour shift.
- Coordinated with other emergency services personnel such as police officers and firefighters during complex incidents for optimal scene management and resource allocation.
- Delivered compassionate care to patients with a variety of medical emergencies, including cardiac arrests, traumas, strokes, and respiratory distress.
- Trained new paramedics on proper procedures and protocols to maintain best practices and promote great patient care.
- ACLS, PALS, BTLS Instructor
- Burlingame Fire Fighter Paramedic Program Instructor
- CALSTAR flight nurse county evaluator for EMS certification.
Education
Associate of Science - Nursing
Excelsior College
Albany, NY03-2003
No Degree - Paramedicine
Cabrillo College
Aptos, CA05-1992
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration And Finance
San Jose State University
San Jose, CA12-1990
No Degree - Undergrad Studies
UCSD
La Jolla, CA03-1987
Skills
- Decision Making and Critical Thinking
- Excellent Communication and Organizational Skills
- Team Leadership
- Resource Allocation
- Broad and Diverse Clinical Knowledge
- Care Coordination
- Clinical Instruction
- Quality Improvement
- Healthcare Optimization
- BLS Certified
- ACLS Certified
- PALS Certified
Accomplishments
Daisy Award for Nursing Excellence
Paramedic of The Year Award
Dean's List San Jose State
Dean's List UCSD
Timeline
RN, Charge Nurse, Ambulatory Care
County of Santa Clara
01.2021 - 09.2024
RN, Charge Nurse, Emergency Department
County of Santa Clara
03.2019 - 01.2021
RN, Charge Nurse, Emergency Department
Saint Louise Regional Hospital
07.2005 - 03.2019
RN, Charge Nurse, Medical/Surgical/Peds
Saint Louise Regional Hospital
10.2003 - 07.2005
CNA, Medical/Surgical/Peds
Saint Louise Reginal Hospital
10.2001 - 05.2002
Paramedic
AMR
09.1992 - 08.1998
Associate of Science - Nursing
Excelsior College
No Degree - Paramedicine
Cabrillo College
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration And Finance
San Jose State University
No Degree - Undergrad Studies
UCSD
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