ASHLEY LEIGHLITER-SMITH
Oceanside,CA
Summary
Seasoned nursing professional offering proven clinical knowledge, natural interpersonal strengths and technical abilities. Knowledgeable about EMR charting, medication administration and interdisciplinary collaboration focused on optimizing patient care and support. Quality-focused and efficiency-driven leader. Compassionate Registered Nurse with progressive career history in direct patient care, triage and care coordination. Proven to remain calm under pressure and skillfully handle difficult patients and high-stress situations. Consistently developing strong relationships with patients and families through empathetic communication, respectful attitude and excellent customer service.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
REGISTERED NURSE
VA San Diego Medical Center
02.2022 - Current
- Oversees delivery of care for patients on medical-surgical unit, providing direct care, delegating nursing assignments and supervising team comprised of nurses, cna's, and unit clerks.
- Chemo certified and Tele-certified
- Managed care from admission to discharge.
- Monitored and recorded I & O's in patients with renal failure and cardiac conditions
- Maintained and managed patient's database in EMR software
- Maintained quality care and comfort for patients with heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, and other conditions.
- Collaborated with physicians to quickly assess patients and deliver appropriate treatment while managing rapidly changing conditions.
- Administered medications via oral, IV, and intramuscular injections and monitored responses.
- Help in creating schedules for nurses.
- Evaluates performances and gives suggestions to managers about subordinates on unit. Discusses if a new hire should be fully boarded or if the new hire should be reassigned to a different position all together.
- When needed discuss with subordinate personnel advice on different issues on the unit, counsel when things are not going well, or instruction on work matters when the nurses are struggling with certain patients or procedures.
- Consulted and resolve complaints of subordinates and if unable to correct at mid-level, it is then discussed with the manager.
- Recommends to manager when a disciplinary action needs to happen with nurses who are being unsafe as well as the cna's on the unit.
- Discuss and provides developmental and training needs of subordinates while on the unit.
- Conferred with physicians to discuss diagnoses and devise well-coordinated treatment approaches.
- Monitored patient condition by interpreting and tracking EKG readings, identifying irregular telemetry readings and updating team members on changes in stability or acuity.
- Participated in nursing simulation activities, evidence-based practice project implementation and competency development to further nursing education.
- Provided didactic and clinical instructions to orient new nurses and potential student nurses to achieve training outcomes.
- Followed all personal and health data procedures to effectively comply with HIPAA laws and prevent information breaches.
PACT Licensed Vocational Nurse
VA San Diego Oceanside CBOC
08.2017 - 01.2022
- Unit Based Practice Council Co-Chair
- Managed 2 Primary care teams consisting of > 1600 patients
- Lead LVN for team of 14 LVNs and resource for new and existing staff
- Master preceptor for incoming nurses and providers for outpatient clinic
- Member of Resource Reconciliation Committee creating care management strategies for Veterans with difficult behaviors
- Facilitated documentation template changes with nurse manager to improve efficiency of clinic throughput and quality metrics
- Assisted with daily schedule for clinic coverage for over 20 clinics
- Lab Champion for clinic
- Managed schedule for all clinic staff such as registered nurses and licensed vocational nurses to make sure all clinics were covered throughout week.
- Provided patient education on health care issues and prescribed medications.
- Delivered emotional support to patients and families during challenging times.
- Clearly and thoroughly explained diagnoses, treatment options and procedures to patients and loved ones, checking in to verify understanding.
- Assessed patients' temperature, pulse, and blood pressure and recorded in electronic medical records.
- Documented accurate and complete patient information to address patient problems and expected outcomes.
- Assisted with admissions, appointments, transfers, and discharges to and from local hospitals.
- Worked with multidisciplinary team to carry out successful treatment plans for diverse acute and chronic conditions.
- Used aseptic techniques to provide sterilized wound care and dressing applications.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary team of healthcare and social service providers to address patients' needs through effective intervention and care planning.
- Monitored, tracked, and conveyed important patient information to Provider to help optimize treatment planning and care delivery.
- Offered immediate assistance in emergency and routine paging situations to evaluate needs and deliver care.
Medical Assistant II
Intermountain
01.2015 - 01.2017
- Telephone triage using telephonic, email and face to face visits in accordance organization protocols
- Responsible to respond to emergency situations, maintain examination and treatment areas, complete intake processes and clinic throughput
- Assist provider with examinations, procedures, treatments and interventions, provides patient education, reports condition changes.
- Sanitized, restocked, and organized exam rooms and medical equipment.
- Directed patients to exam rooms, fielded questions, and prepared for physician examinations.
- Performed medical records management, including filing, organizing and scanning documents.
- Documented vital signs and health history for patients in clinic and hospital environments.
- Collected and documented patient medical information such as blood pressure and weight.
- Kept medical supplies in sufficient stock by monitoring levels and submitting replenishment orders before depleted.
- Assisted with routine checks and diagnostic testing by collecting and processing specimens.
- Collaborated with medical and administrative personnel to maintain patient-focused, engaging and compassionate environment.
- Verified patient insurance coverage and collected required co-payments.
- Obtained and documented patient medical history, vital signs and current complaints at intake.
- Answered telephone calls to offer office information, answer questions, and direct calls to staff.
- Completed EKGs and other tests based on patient presentation in office.
- Prepared lab specimens for diagnostic evaluation.
- Explained procedures to patients to reduce anxieties and increase patient cooperation.
- Oriented and trained new staff on proper procedures and policies.
- Updated inventory, expiration and vaccine logs to maintain current tracking documentation.
- Collected pertinent data and calculations to aid physician in interpreting results.
- Measured patient spirometry.
- Followed appropriate procedures to minimize patient's exposure to radiation.
Night Shift Lead Nurse
VA San Diego Healthcare System
01.2011 - 09.2014
- Provided case reviews with providers to decide what patients would benefit from dedicated programs.
- Observed each team member to carry out duties and provided constructive criticism.
- Managed communication between associates and management, addressing key issues and needs.
- Trained staff members to perform inventory management, customer service and maintenance.
- Assisted customers with complaints, questions and concerns.
- Assigned each member of 4 person team with specific daily tasks and responsibilities for day and night shift.
- Organized evening meetings to set operations for following day and next shift crew.
- Upheld federal safety standards and environmental disposal protocols.
- Used problem-solving and issue-resolution skills to promptly and successfully address problems.
- And if we could not provide what they needed I helped show them different programs that would work best for them
- Provided care reviews with other nurses and providers to make sure patients were progressing through designated programs and not getting worse.
- We made sure their care plans were completed in a timely manner according to how the patients were doing and what the patient wanted their outcome to be at the end of the program
- Experienced working on the locked Psychiatric ward 2 South for two years. Provided care to Veterans ages nineteen to a hundred and two.
- Designated and participated with personnel for a crisis management team.
- Preceptor to nurses and provided education on how to use bladder scanners and EKG's.
- Worked on the inpatient SARRTP unit, which is a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program. Provided TB clinics on Tuesdays and Thursdays to the veterans.
- Helped start a new program for the brand new Domiciliary/Aspire Center that opened February 2014. It is a 40-bed residential treatment facility aimed at promoting recovery in Service members, particularly those returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Center provided temporary housing for Veterans who do not need inpatient care, but would benefit from rehabilitation services for an average of 60-120 days. We provide treatment for psychotherapy, Occupational therapy, Medication Management, PTSD, and TBI.
- While being the night shift lead nurse I was in charge of the schedules for the nurses. As well as being in charge of a Teamlet , which was another group of nurses.
- Participated in a shared governance committee that helped with making the policies and procedures for the Aspire Center.
- Educated Veterans on learning how to use the SMM (Safe medication management) system.
- Innovated a system on the night shift to help the nursing staff be able to work more productively and efficiently.
- Certified to lead a PAIRs training for the Veterans and their spouses.
- Participated in a shared governance committee that helps keep nurses and supervisors working together on the safety of patients and scheduling of nurses.
Education
Master of Science - Veteran And Military Health Care
University of Colorado Denver
Aurora, CO01.2025
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE - NURSING
West Coast University
Anaheim, CA2022
Pre-requisites -
National University
Kearny Mesa, CA2019
CAOHC -
Providence St. Joseph's Hospital Orange (ICU
DOU, Springville, Springville, UT2019
Director of Staff Development - Staff Development
Joshua Tree Private School
Joshua Tree, CA12.2016
Licensed Vocational Nurse Degree - Nursing
Stanbridge College
Irvine, CA02.2009
Skills
- Shared Governance
- Staff Supervision
- Patient Assessments
- Acute and Rehabilitative Care
- IV Drug Therapy Management
- Medical Records Management
- Mental Health Care
- Microsoft Office
- Team Coordination
- Strong Clinical Judgment
- Oncology
- Disease Management Programs
Accomplishments
- LVN of the Year for 2020
- Daisy award 2019
Additional Information
- References provided upon request.
Certification
- Nurse Manager Certification from Sigma Theta Tau
- Oncology Certification from OCN
- ACLS/BLS from American Heart Association
- IV Therapy/ Blood Withdrawal from American Heart Association
Timeline
REGISTERED NURSE
VA San Diego Medical Center
02.2022 - Current
PACT Licensed Vocational Nurse
VA San Diego Oceanside CBOC
08.2017 - 01.2022
Medical Assistant II
Intermountain
01.2015 - 01.2017
Night Shift Lead Nurse
VA San Diego Healthcare System
01.2011 - 09.2014
Master of Science - Veteran And Military Health Care
University of Colorado Denver
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE - NURSING
West Coast University
Pre-requisites -
National University
CAOHC -
Providence St. Joseph's Hospital Orange (ICU
Director of Staff Development - Staff Development
Joshua Tree Private School
Licensed Vocational Nurse Degree - Nursing
Stanbridge College
- Nurse Manager Certification from Sigma Theta Tau
- Oncology Certification from OCN
- ACLS/BLS from American Heart Association
- IV Therapy/ Blood Withdrawal from American Heart Association
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