Carol J. Heaton
Leesville
Summary
A hardworking, dedicated, critical thinking, team player and an empathic, caring Registered Nurse, who has completed ACLS, PALS, critical care certification, and Nurse residency program.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
2021
2021
years of post-secondary education
1
1
Certification
Work History
Registered Nurse
Byrd Regional Hospital
11.2023 - Current
- Or circulator Patient Advocacy
- Maintaining a Sterile Environment
- Instrument and Supply Management
- Documentation
- Communication between the surgical team, the patient, and the patient's family, keeping everyone informed about the surgery's progress.
- Patient Safety.
- Facilitated orientation and training for new nursing staff.
- Monitored compliance with healthcare regulations and standards.
- Led training sessions on medical procedures and protocols.
- Supervised nursing staff to ensure quality patient care standards were maintained.
- Served as a preceptor for new nurses by providing orientation to unit policies and procedures, coaching on clinical skills, and mentoring on professional development issues.
- Delegated tasks appropriately among staff members according to their qualifications.
- Coordinated communication between physicians and other healthcare professionals regarding patient care.
- Responded quickly to emergent situations such as cardiac arrest or respiratory distress.
- Provided direct patient care, including assessments and treatments, to a variety of patients.
Registered Nurse, Charge Nurse for Endoscopic LAB
Cabrini Hospital
Alexandria
01.2020 - 12.2024
Weekend Supervisor and Wound Care Nurse
Matthew’s Memorial
11.2023 - 03.2024
- Schedule staff
- Ensure patients are properly cared for
- Wound treatments
- Deescalated issues/complaints from coworkers, family, and patients
- Ensure patients are transported to appointments
- Aided staff
- Supervised weekend staff to ensure smooth operational flow and adherence to protocols.
- Coordinated schedules for weekend shifts, optimizing staff coverage and efficiency.
Nurse Extern
Christus St. Francis Cabrini Hospital
Alexandria
07.2020 - 01.2021
- Duties- assisting with established nursing care procedures, routine patient care assignments, working in controlled patient situations, and assisting with/in therapeutic, rehabilitative and preventive activities under the direction of a Registered Nurse.
- Performs nursing duties, such as discontinuing intravenous access, urinary catheter and testing glucose levels.
- Assist with feeding patients and ensures that patients are kept clean and all the basic needs are met.
- Monitor patients vital signs and reports abnormalities to the on duty Registered Nurse immediately upon discovery.
Certified Clinical Hemodialysis Technician (CCHT III)
Leesville Dialysis Center
Leesville
03.2012 - 01.2018
- Provided in-patient care for 52 dialysis clients simultaneously focusing on providing clean, safe, and comfortable treatment environment.
- Inventoried, ordered, and restocked equipment and supplies needed for hemodialysis treatment performed routine quality control and safety checks on all equipment.
- Monitored each patient closely during treatment to check for any adverse reactions or change in condition and reported emergencies to attending nurses.
- Conducted equipment and safety checks on hemodialysis equipment and supplies.
- Sterilized, cleaned, and maintained dialysis machine and equipment.
- Explained dialysis procedures and hemodialysis machine operation to clients prior to treatment to ease anxieties.
- Started and ended reverse osmosis water systems and completed water quality monitoring tests.
- Explained dialysis procedures to clients and answered questions and concerns prior to starting dialysis.
- Followed directions when mixing dialysate and priming dialyzer with saline or heparinized solutions.
- Cleaned and connected to access sites, including fistulas, grafts, and catheters, by following infection control protocols.
- Provided consultation to clients on community support programs, ambulatory treatment options, or termination of treatment.
- Set up and operated dialysis machines for clients receiving treatment for kidney failure.
- Measured and recorded clients' pre-dialysis and post-dialysis vital statistics, including weight, temperature, blood pressure, pulse rate, and respiration rate.
- Maintained excellent attendance record, consistently arriving to work early.
- Leveraged feedback and process improvement opportunities to create safer and healthier environment and increase patient satisfaction.
- Quickly responded to situations impacting safety and security to unit, actualizing crisis prevention interventions to control and de-escalate situations.
- Oversaw and managed 8 clinical and support staff in patient care activities while maintaining high level of staff morale and professionalism.
- Promoted patient and family comfort during challenging recoveries to enhance healing and eliminate non-compliance problems.
- Strengthened training and knowledge by taking part in continuing education programs and workshops.
- Observed and documented patient factors such as diets, physical activity levels and behaviors to understand conditions and effectively modify treatment plans.
- Followed all personal and health data procedures to effectively comply with HIPAA laws and prevent information breaches.
- Provided skilled, timely and level-headed emergency response to critically ill clients.
- Trained new nurses and techs in proper techniques, care standards, operational procedures, and safety protocols to optimize performance and safety.
Telemetry/Step Down/Med-Surgical Nurse
Christus St. Francis Cabrini Hospital
Alexandria
- Duties- assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating patient care plans in consultation with health care professionals.
- Collaborated care with physicians of various specialties, and fellow nurses in the care of a 35-bed cardiac step-down unit/telemetry/med-surgical floor.
- Coordinated care for patients recovering from various cardiopulmonary surgeries including CABG, thoracotomy, valve replacements, Heart catheterization; just to name a few.
- Management of cardiac drips including Heparin, Cardizem, Milrinone, Dobutamine, Amiodarone, and Dopamine.
- Medication management and administration.
- Assistance with daily activities and education to patients on plan of care.
- Changing dressings, inserting urinary catheters, accessing intravenous access sites, as well as maintains high-flow oxygenation machines.
- Supervising the nursing support staff and using critical thinking skills in many different situations.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Nursing
Western Governors University
Salt Lake City, UT 02.2026 - 03.2026
Associate of Science - Nursing
Northwestern State University of Louisiana
Natchitoches, LACertification
- Louisiana RN License, 217855, 01/01/26
- BLS, 01/01/25
- ACLS, 03/01/26
- Critical Care Certification, 07/01/21
Professional And Community Service
- Faith Training Christian Academy, Educating 3rd and 4th graders on the importance of hydration.
- Lafayette Dance Center, Educating a multi-age group on the importance of hydration.
- Hicks High School, Educating kindergarten class on the main body systems.
- Youth Bible Study, Simpson Church of God
- Community support/service, Assisting elderly with chores, landscaping, and routine tasks.
Leadership Experience
- Charge RN (Gi Lab), Acts as a liaison between Surgical Services and the Department of Anesthesia to coordinate the surgery schedule as well as other emergencies., Serves as a communication liaison between staff, patients, physicians, and families., Assists Nurse Manager in control of the budget., Assumes area management responsibilities for shift as assigned., Ensures that policies are followed., Assists in directing unit activities in emergency/disaster situations., Coordinates daily activities and distribution of work in specific area assigned., Makes shift assignments taking into account patient acuity, area staffing needs, and staff qualifications., Initiates staffing as needed for next shift.
- CCHT III Preceptor (hemodialysis), Trained new nurses and techs in proper techniques, care standards, operational procedures, and safety protocols to optimize performance and safety., Provided in-patient care for 52 dialysis clients simultaneously focusing on providing clean, safe, and comfortable treatment environment., Oversaw and managed 8 clinical and support staff in patient care activities while maintaining high level of staff morale and professionalism.
Timeline
Bachelor of Science - Nursing
Western Governors University
02.2026 - 03.2026
Registered Nurse
Byrd Regional Hospital
11.2023 - Current
Weekend Supervisor and Wound Care Nurse
Matthew’s Memorial
11.2023 - 03.2024
Nurse Extern
Christus St. Francis Cabrini Hospital
07.2020 - 01.2021
Registered Nurse, Charge Nurse for Endoscopic LAB
Cabrini Hospital
01.2020 - 12.2024
Certified Clinical Hemodialysis Technician (CCHT III)
Leesville Dialysis Center
03.2012 - 01.2018
Telemetry/Step Down/Med-Surgical Nurse
Christus St. Francis Cabrini Hospital
Associate of Science - Nursing
Northwestern State University of Louisiana