Andrea M. Garcia
Summary
Accomplished nurse with a total of 20 years of experience including direct patient care, case management/utilization review, school nurse; clinical, lab and didactic instructor and quality assurance. I also started to pursue a master’s degree in nursing education that is focused on cultivating teaching and communication techniques intended to instruct and inspire future healthcare professionals. Skilled team player with strong background in interpersonal and interdisciplinary communication, avid and tactful participant in both clinical and classroom nursing dynamics in a constantly evolving and fast paced environment.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
Work History
Quality Assurance Nurse
St. Luke, Home Health
Meridian, ID
09.2022 - Current
- Complete chart reviews to ensure that the documentation provided by the field clinicians meet all the regulatory requirements
- The QA department is divided into zones and I am responsible for the oversight of the patients and corresponding clinicians that are assigned to that zone
- Participate in weekly interdisciplinary Zooms meetings to discuss the progress and the necessity of a renewal or discontinuation of the services rendered by the Home Health team.
Nursing Instructor
Carrington College
Boise, Idaho
09.2021 - 07.2023
- Participated in planning, implementing and evaluating assigned courses for continued development of nursing curriculum via Canvas learning management system
- Instructed courses such as Medical Terminology, Math and Medical Administration in the Practical nursing program to meet educational requirements stated in credit course outline and board of registered nursing regulations.
- Successfully integrated the usage of ATI (Assessment Technology Institute) to identify strengths and weaknesses improve test taking abilities and augment the learning process and comprehension of the material taught
- As the instructor for Fundamentals of Nursing skills lab, supervised and offered knowledgeable advice to students that were introduced to basic skills such as head to toe assessments, Foley catheter insertion, wound care and dressing change IV starts
- Served as clinical instructor for the first term LPN students where they practiced all the skills learned in. the Fundamentals lab.
- Committed passionately to student development through tutoring on specific subject matter during and outside of classroom hours.
Float Staff RN
Samaritan Clinic
Moses Lake, Washington
06.2020 - 08.2021
- Float RN between Urgent Care and Respiratory Evaluation Clinic
- My primary responsibility is to the Respiratory Evaluation Clinic where I triaged, interviewed, performed a brief assessment of patients with respiratory symptoms related to Covid 19, Influenza, Streptococcus and RSV
- Responsible to administer oral or IM medications, breathing treatments as well as EKG’s as indicated by the provider on staff
- Received training and spent a number of shifts in the Urgent Care unit where I interviewed and assessed patients of all ages and types of illnesses, injuries and medical conditions
- Performed EKG’s, Point of Care tests, (A1C, INR, UA, HcG, H.Pylori), administered PO meds, IM injections, steroids, change/insert Foley catheters, ear irrigation as well as the fitting and application of basic orthopedic devices/aids.
Adjunct Faculty Member
Big Bend City College
Moses Lake, WA
10.2020 - 12.2020
- Clinical nursing instructor for a group of 13 first-year nursing students
- Instructed and provided guidance to the first-year nursing students as they began their nursing experience
- Taught and supervised basic nursing skills such as Blood Glucose testing, administration of subcutaneous and Intramuscular medications, head to toes assessments, toileting, safe patient transfers using proper body mechanics and obtaining Vital Signs
- Responsible for grading their assignments/clinical papers and provide constructive feedback as well as improvement opportunities as indicated by the program directors
- Held weekly post- clinical discussions to allow for opportunities to discuss progress as well as any hindrances/obstacles that they encountered
Travel RN
Accountable Healthcare
09.2019 - 05.2020
- School nurse at Colusa and Williams school districts
- Applied basic first aid to school aged children (K –grade 12)
- Created individualized emergency care plans for the students with life threatening illnesses such as epilepsy/seizure activity, anaphylaxis/allergic reactions, diabetic management and asthma
- Educated and instructed staff and parents about these illnesses and the treatment measures that need to be implemented in case of an emergency
- Conducted mandated vision and hearing checks and further referral to an appropriate provider
- Participated and helped organize immunization/flu clinics and ensured that all the students had their immunizations up to date.
Patient Care Coordinator
Kaiser Oakland
Oakland, CA
02.2019 - 08.2019
- Facilitated patient discharge from various acute care units within the hospital to Skilled Nursing Facilities, home w HH and/or DME
- Daily concurrent inpatient reviews.
Travel RN
Onward Healthcare/AMN Healthcare, Kaiser Medical Offices
Walnut Creek, CA
10.2018 - 12.2018
- Performed daily peer reviews based on member complaints or department referrals.
ED Case Manager
Fountain Valley hospital
05.2017 - 09.2018
- Transfer Center responsibilities included determining the stability of patients who needed repatriation (out of network) and ensure that there was an accepting physician and bed availability (coordinated with the house supervisor)
- As the ED Case Manager, I assessed and anticipated the discharge needs once the patient
- Securing DME (Durable Medical Equipment) or setting up Home Health for those who were discharged straight from the ED
- Collaborated with Social Work for the homeless, IV drug users, ETOH abusers
- Monitored and tried to avoid readmission of patients who were discharged in less than 30 days
Case Manager
Fountain Valley Hospital
08.2014 - 04.2017
- Performed a focused Adult Transition Evaluation (ATE) either with the patient or with the family at the bedside to determine and anticipate discharge needs
- Communicating with the insurance companies when patients needed direct transfer out of the SICU to a tertiary hospital for higher level of care and set up transport to the designated facility via land or air ambulance
- Lateral transfers such as repatriation of patients to their contracted facilities (for the out of network IPA's)
- Set up and coordinated discharges to Long Term Acute Care (LTAC), SNF (Skilled Nursing Facility), home with HH a (home health) agency or hospice services
- Clear and concise documentation in form of daily clinical reviews to the corresponding insurance company via Allscripts (electronic charting system) summarizing the reason for the hospitalization, the different diagnostic procedures that patients underwent that justified the need for their continued stay
- Floated to the neighboring units including: intermediate care, telemetry, surgical and orthopedics where I was faced with similar tasks and responsibilities.
Travel Nurse/Registry
Healthcare Pros/Registry, Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, Healthcare Travel Agency
Los Angeles, CA
06.2014 - 08.2014
UCLA Medical Center
Santa Monica, CA
11.2012 - 05.2013
Palomar Medical Center
Escondido, CA
08.2012 - 10.2012
John Muir Medical Center
Walnut Creek, CA
06.2011 - 07.2012
Clinical Nurse II
Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital
Santa Barbara, CA
08.2009 - 05.2011
John Muir Medical Center
Walnut Creek, CA
03.2009 - 06.2009
Registry
Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital
Santa Barbara, CA
12.2008 - 02.2009
Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center
Los Angeles
08.2008 - 11.2008
Huntington Memorial Hospital
Pasadena, CA
04.2008 - 07.2008
Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital
Santa Barbara, CA
11.2007 - 03.2008
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
05.2007 - 09.2007
Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center
Los Angeles, CA
08.2006 - 04.2007
Brotman Medical Center
Culver City, CA
03.2005 - 07.2006
Cedars Sinai Medical Center
Beverly Hills, CA
08.2004 - 02.2005
HcGHoag Memorial Hospital
Newport Beach, CA
04.2004 - 06.2004
Staff Nurse
Health Sciences Center
Winnipeg, Canada
10.2001 - 12.2003
Education
Bachelor of Science - Nursing
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba05.2001
Master of Science - Nursing - Education
Western Governor’s University
Skills
- Student Evaluation Abilities
- Performing Physical Assessments
- Clinical Instruction
- Curriculum Development
- Tutoring and Coaching
- Inpatient and Outpatient Care
- Patient Assessment and Care
- Medication Administration
- Nursing Staff Leadership
- Wound Management
- Patient Care and Education
- Precepting
- Electronic Health Records Management
Interests
Foreign Languages:
Fluent: Romanian, Hungarian
Proficient: Spanish
Additional Information
- Licenses: Idaho RN license # 69591 – Active & valid until 08/2025
- California RN license #639576 – valid until 02/2024 (Inactive)
- Washington RN license #61065689 - expired 01/28/2023
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Quote
The price of inaction is far greater than the cost of a mistake
Meg Whitman
Timeline
Quality Assurance Nurse
St. Luke, Home Health
09.2022 - Current
Nursing Instructor
Carrington College
09.2021 - 07.2023
Adjunct Faculty Member
Big Bend City College
10.2020 - 12.2020
Float Staff RN
Samaritan Clinic
06.2020 - 08.2021
Travel RN
Accountable Healthcare
09.2019 - 05.2020
Patient Care Coordinator
Kaiser Oakland
02.2019 - 08.2019
Travel RN
Onward Healthcare/AMN Healthcare, Kaiser Medical Offices
10.2018 - 12.2018
ED Case Manager
Fountain Valley hospital
05.2017 - 09.2018
Case Manager
Fountain Valley Hospital
08.2014 - 04.2017
Travel Nurse/Registry
Healthcare Pros/Registry, Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, Healthcare Travel Agency
06.2014 - 08.2014
UCLA Medical Center
11.2012 - 05.2013
Palomar Medical Center
08.2012 - 10.2012
John Muir Medical Center
06.2011 - 07.2012
Clinical Nurse II
Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital
08.2009 - 05.2011
John Muir Medical Center
03.2009 - 06.2009
Registry
Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital
12.2008 - 02.2009
Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center
08.2008 - 11.2008
Huntington Memorial Hospital
04.2008 - 07.2008
Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital
11.2007 - 03.2008
University of California Los Angeles
05.2007 - 09.2007
Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center
08.2006 - 04.2007
Brotman Medical Center
03.2005 - 07.2006
Cedars Sinai Medical Center
08.2004 - 02.2005
HcGHoag Memorial Hospital
04.2004 - 06.2004
Staff Nurse
Health Sciences Center
10.2001 - 12.2003
Bachelor of Science - Nursing
University of Manitoba
Master of Science - Nursing - Education
Western Governor’s University