Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Certification
Additional Information
Timeline
Generic

Brenda Blanco

San Antonio,TX

Summary

Compassionate, highly qualified Registered Nurse with 12 years of experience providing high-quality care to diverse patient populations in rehabilitation and behavioral care units. Reliable leader and collaborative team member effective at contributing and guiding nursing teams toward successful patient outcomes through hard work, attention to detail and excellent organizational skills. Committed to improving patient satisfaction and patient safety by continuously implementing Healthcare Quality Improvement Initiatives.

Overview

12
12
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Rehabilitation/ Behavioral Health Registered Nurse

Methodist Specialty And Transplant Hospital
2019.05 - Current
    • Collaborate with interdisciplinary rehabilitation team to meet patients' goals.
    • Floated to transplant, medical-surgical and behavioral health units when needed.
    • As a Behavioral Health Nurse, focused on increasing patient satisfaction by establishing trust and rapport through compassionate listening and empathetic communication.
    • Thoroughly assessed the physical and mental health needs of all patients and provided them a structured and safe therapeutic environment.
    • Ensured patient safety by closely monitoring behaviors, administering medications as prescribed, and intervening during incidents of aggression or self-harm.
    • As a Rehabilitation Nurse, focused on teaching rehabilitation nursing techniques to help patients and their families learn self-care skills to return to their previous level of independence.
    • Educate patients and caregivers to appropriately manage acute and chronic illnesses.
    • Involved in ongoing teaching with patients and their families regarding home care including proper wound care management, discharge plan objectives, safe medication use and disease management.
    • Provide exceptional care to patients recovering from medical or surgical procedures, performing ostomy care, wound care, tracheostomy care, PEG (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy) tube care, pressure ulcer management and prevention, and pain management.
    • Managed high-quality care for patients with various health conditions, including end-stage renal and liver disease, heart failure, stroke, orthopedic injuries, multiple traumas, limb amputation, and liver, pancreas, or kidney transplant.
    • Skilled with wound care management for pressure ulcers, vascular ulcers, surgical wounds and wound-vacs.

Rehabilitation Registered Nurse

Methodist Texsan Hospital
2014.04 - 2019.05
    • Acted as relief charge nurse: coordinated patient assignments in a 30 bed unit, assisted nursing staff and provided administrative support and guidance to help maintain excellent patient quality care.
    • Collaborated with interdisciplinary rehabilitation team to meet patients' goals.
    • Focused on teaching rehabilitation nursing techniques to help patients and their families learn self-care skills to return to their previous level of independence.
    • Participated in the Texsan Professional Practice Council Committee (TPPC) developing nursing strategies to improve patient care quality and safety using evidence-based practice.
    • Precepted new and upcoming nurses and educated them on current policies and procedures, hands-on skills and management of unit equipment.
    • Educated patients and caregivers to appropriately manage acute and chronic illnesses.
    • Involved in ongoing teaching with patients and their families regarding home care including proper wound care management, discharge plan objectives, safe medication use and disease management.
    • Provided exceptional care to patients recovering from medical or surgical procedures, performing ostomy care, wound care, tracheostomy care, PEG (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy) tube care, pressure ulcer management and prevention, and pain management.
    • Managed high-quality care for patients with various health conditions, including end-stage renal disease, stroke, orthopedic injuries, multiple traumas, limb amputation, as well as debilitated patients after left ventricular assistive device (LVAD) implantation and heart transplants.
    • Provided education to patient and families on proper sterile technique of LVAD dressing changes and management of equipment.
    • Managed high quality care for patients that required Life Vest wearable defibrillator devices and long term use of Primacor drips.
    • Skilled with wound care management for pressure ulcers, vascular ulcers, surgical wounds and wound-vacs.
    • Floated to the orthopedic unit when needed.

Psychiatric Registered Nurse

Methodist Specialty And Transplant Hospital
2012.07 - 2014.04
  • Administered variety psychotropic medications and treatments, monitored their response and effectively formulated and implemented treatment plans with healthcare team.
  • Responded to numerous volatile situations and implemented crisis interventions using SAMA (Satori Alternatives to Managing Aggression) de-escalation techniques to restore the safety and security of patients and staff.
  • Collaborated with the interdisciplinary team to meet patients' goals and help them return safely to the community.
  • Explained useful coping methods to relieve depression and anxiety.
  • Provided direct quality care to patients by monitoring, recording and evaluating psychiatric conditions.
  • Oversaw care of suicidal patients and acted swiftly to reduce risk of harm to themselves or others.

Education

Bachelor of Science - Nursing

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Lubbock, TX
05.2015

Associate of Applied Science - Nursing

San Antonio College
San Antonio, TX
05.2012

Skills

  • Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills
  • Computer skills: Meditech/Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Outlook
  • Pyxis/eMAR medication administration system.
  • Bilingual- English and Spanish.
  • Patient Assessment
  • Psychiatric assessment
  • Preventive Health
  • Chronic disease management
  • Patient and Family education
  • Direct Patient care
  • Critical Thinking
  • Precepting
  • Infection Control
  • Phlebotomy
  • IV therapy- maintenance care of central lines (PICCs, CVCs) and midlines.

Certification

Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers, August 2022

Additional Information

Member of Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital Staffing Effectiveness Committee

Timeline

Rehabilitation/ Behavioral Health Registered Nurse

Methodist Specialty And Transplant Hospital
2019.05 - Current

Rehabilitation Registered Nurse

Methodist Texsan Hospital
2014.04 - 2019.05

Psychiatric Registered Nurse

Methodist Specialty And Transplant Hospital
2012.07 - 2014.04

Bachelor of Science - Nursing

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

Associate of Applied Science - Nursing

San Antonio College

Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers, August 2022

Brenda Blanco