Caitlin Gallagher
Registered Nurae
Beaver Dam,WI
Summary
Driven Registered Nurse with about 10 years of experience caring for patients within long-term care, rehabilitation and psychiatric care. Proficient in comprehensive patient care and delegation of tasks according to patient needs and personnel skillsets. Dedicated to providing top quality care within a multidisciplinary team.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
Work History
Child/Adolescent Psych Registered Nurse
Roger’s Behavioral Health
03.2024 - Current
- Provided bedside nurse care to child/adolescent patients admitted to acute psychiatric unit diagnosed with ADHD, ADD, ODD, aggression, substance abuse, autism, anxiety, depression, OCD, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, hallucinations, paranoia, and delusions
- Completed admission assessments with initiation of care plan and appropriate interventions
- Passed medications, assessments and documentation of ongoing and new behaviors with intervention, plan and response
- Verbal de-escalation of combative, agitated, or aggressive patients
- Hands on physical holds and seclusion as needed for medication administration, patient safety and staff/peer safety
- Updated Providers as needed with changes in condition
- Followed through on delegated tasks and orders from providers and supervisors
- Delegated and prioritized assignments and nursing tasks based on individual staff strengths and expertise
- Directed patient care activities and provided guidance and training to RNs and CNAs during shift while delegating assignments and providing treatment
- Maintained patient and staff safety with environmental rounding
- Effectively addressed rapid response situations by strategically organizing and delegating tasks
- Effectively communicated changes in condition, treatment progress and discharge planning to patients and family members
- Assessments of new and ongoing medical conditions with updates to providers and initiation of medical interventions
- Discussed with House Nursing Supervisor regarding unit status, patient changes in condition, staffing concerns
- HIPPA compliance
- NCI certificate
- Decreased the risk of patient self-harm through continuous monitoring and creating a safe environment.
- Managed complex caseloads while maintaining high levels of organization and efficiency in daily tasks.
- Documented patient progress thoroughly and accurately, facilitating effective communication among healthcare team members.
- Developed strong rapport with patients, establishing trust that facilitated open communication and successful treatment outcomes.
- Demonstrated strong crisis management skills by effectively deescalating volatile situations involving agitated patients.
- Enhanced therapeutic communication skills by actively listening and empathizing with patients during their recovery process.
- Assessed patients'' mental status regularly, allowing for timely interventions when necessary.
Charge Registered Nurse, Senior Behavioral Health Unit
Watertown Regional Medical Center
01.2021 - 03.2024
- Provided bedside nurse care to geriatric patients admitted to acute psychiatric unit diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, dementia with behavioral disturbances, anxiety, depression, OCD, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, schizoaffective disorder, hallucinations, paranoia, delusions alongside their complex co-existing medical diagnoses
- Assessed referral documentation and discussed with provider based on policy for admittance or declination of referred patient
- Completed admission assessments with initiation of care plan and appropriate interventions
- Passed medications, assessments and documentation of ongoing and new behaviors with intervention, plan and response
- Verbal de-escalation of combative, agitated, or aggressive patients
- Hands on physical holds and nylon limb restraints as needed for medication administration, patient safety and staff/peer safety
- Updated Providers as needed with changes in condition
- Followed through on delegated tasks and orders from providers and supervisors
- Delegated and prioritized assignments and nursing tasks based on individual staff strengths and expertise
- Directed patient care activities and provided guidance and training to RNs and CNAs during shift while delegating assignments and providing treatment
- Maintained patient and staff safety with environmental rounding
- Effectively addressed rapid response situations by strategically organizing and delegating tasks
- Effectively communicated changes in condition, treatment progress and discharge planning to patients and family members
- Assessments of new and ongoing medical conditions with updates to providers and initiation of medical interventions such as IV insertion and therapy, wound care, medication administration, EKGs, lab/radiology orders
- Discussed with House Nursing Supervisor regarding unit status, patient changes in condition, staffing concerns
Clinical Nursing Manager/Infection Preventionist
Hillside Manor
10.2019 - 12.2020
- Provided leadership to 140 person team comprised of RNs, LPNs and ancillary staff regarding infection control/prevention education, competencies and audits
- Monitored, recorded infection surveillance data, implemented action plans, provided education and auditing if infection trends noted
- Worked closely with Medical Director, Pharmacy, Director of Nursing, and PCPs regarding a robust antibiotic stewardship program
- Maintained CMS compliance with staff and patient immunizations and documentation
- Provided full leadership to 50 person team comprised of RNs, LPNs and ancillary staff on PM shift and NOC shift
- Organized and managed care of patients undergoing various therapies on PM shift and NOC shift on the LTC wings and the more acute TCU
- Managed care from admission to discharge, including patient assessments, care planning, health educations and discharging to provide comprehensive care to over 60-100 patients daily
- Managed patients recovering from medical or surgical procedures, including facilitating wound care, ostomy care, pressure ulcer prevention and pain management
Charge Registered Nurse
Hillside Manor
09.2014 - 10.2019
- Collaborated with doctors and staff members to ensure quality care
- Administered wound care, medications, and any necessary treatments
- Worked with patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, congestive heart failure (CHF), cerebrovascular accidents (CVA), diabetes, or sepsis to assess needs and determine the best options for care
- Delegated and prioritized assignments and nursing tasks based on individual staff strengths and expertise
- Directed patient care activities and provided guidance and training to RNs, LPNs and CNAs during shift while delegating assignments and providing treatment
- Effectively addressed rapid response situations by strategically organizing and delegating tasks
- Documented patient vitals, behaviors and conditions and communicated concerns to on call providers, PCPs and families
Staff Registered Nurse
Hillside Manor
05.2014 - 09.2014
- Monitored and administered patient medications, obtained and monitored vital signs, and provided wound care tracking responses to note changing conditions
- Monitored patients' body systems and placed patients on monitoring and updating appropriately due to assessment findings
- Updated patient charts using ECS, including adding new and existing medications, to keep records current and support accurate treatments
- Vaccinated patients to protect individuals from measles, pneumonia, influenza and other illnesses of concern
- Tested patients for various GI, Respiratory and skin illness with proper technique of obtaining sample, labeling sample, providing sample to lab, and updating patient and PCP of results
Education
ADN -
Moraine Park Technical College
Beaver Dam, Wisconsin05.2014
Skills
- Patient-focused care
- Patient evaluation
- Verbal de-escalation techniques
- Medication administration
- Physical and Mechanical patient restraints
- Regulatory compliance
- Infection control measures
- Data collection
- Charting and clinical documentation
- Specimen collection
- Process improvement
- Catheter insertion/removal
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Excel
- Lab result interpretation
- Confidentiality
- Strong clinical judgment
- IV setup
- Patient education
- Patient advocacy
- Family communication
Achievementsandrecognition
Daisy Award, 06/01/18, Honored to receive the Daisy Award after nominations from family of a patient and staff.
Timeline
Child/Adolescent Psych Registered Nurse
Roger’s Behavioral Health
03.2024 - Current
Charge Registered Nurse, Senior Behavioral Health Unit
Watertown Regional Medical Center
01.2021 - 03.2024
Clinical Nursing Manager/Infection Preventionist
Hillside Manor
10.2019 - 12.2020
Charge Registered Nurse
Hillside Manor
09.2014 - 10.2019
Staff Registered Nurse
Hillside Manor
05.2014 - 09.2014
ADN -
Moraine Park Technical College
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