Christine Paris

• Worked in the Behavioral Health Clinic. Client age groups 24-85
• Monitored patient vital signs and reported changes to healthcare team.
• Provided emotional support and counseling to patients during treatment sessions.
• Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to ensure comprehensive patient care.
• Admitted veterans to inpatient drug and recovery unit.
• Ordered admission labs, consults for chaplain services
• Held daily sick call from 7:30- 9:00 for veterans admitted to the drug and recovery unit
• Worked in the outpatient clinic which primarily consisted of geriatric clients.
• Administered medications such as vaccinations following CDC guidelines.
• Updated TB testing for inpatient and outpatient settings utilizing Quantiferon testing method.
• Evaluated veterans reporting to the clinic with elevated BAC levels, hydrated, provided food, and monitored until BAC level decreased to acceptable level
• Collaborated with BH providers and hospitals for detox admission. Arranged transportation and called report to the accepting facility. Worked closely with the VAPD and VAFD.
• Completed audits: Handwashing, Quantiferon testing, environmental rounds, electronic documentation on DOM and outpatient veterans.
• Worked closely with BH providers, Social Workers, ADPNS, Risk Management, Infection Control, Grand Rounds
• Implemented evidence-based interventions tailored to each patient''s unique needs, promoting optimal recovery outcomes.
• Enhanced patient safety by conducting regular environmental assessments to identify and mitigate potential risks within the behavioral health unit.
• Prevented escalation of psychiatric crises by recognizing early warning signs and intervening promptly with appropriate de-escalation techniques.
• Provided crisis intervention and stabilization for acute behavioral health situations, ensuring patient safety and proper treatment implementation.
• Documented treatments delivered, medications and IVs administered, discharge instructions, and follow-up care.
• Provided skilled, timely and level-headed emergency response to critically-ill patients.
• Followed all personal and health data procedures to effectively comply with HIPAA laws and prevent information breaches.
• A PowerPoint presentation entitled: 911: Are You in Danger? Stress, Burnout, or Both was developed and presented to all nursing staff in the outpatient clinic, as well as other VA employees who were interested in this training.
• Observed and documented patient factors such as diets, physical activity levels, and behaviors to understand conditions and effectively modify treatment plans.
• Documented patient progress and interventions in electronic health records accurately.
• Maintained a safe and supportive environment for patients throughout treatment processes.

• Served as off-tour nursing supervisor and NOD for VA facility.
• Responsible for 5 client care units (medical surgical unit, rehab unit, Geropsychiatric unit, Inpatient rehab unit) in addition to ancillary staff such as housekeeping, suicide call center, equipment and supply
• Responded to all emergency calls on veteran units.
• Completed NOD reports, and sent the reports electronically to senior leadership.
• Gave shift change report s to GEC Leadership.
• Triaged phone calls from outside sources such as veterans and notification of ER treatments, as well as hospitals requesting veteran information.
• Transported deceased veterans to the morgue and contacted funeral directors to arrange for deceased veteran pick up.
• Completed incident reports according to facility policy and procedures.
• Evaluated staff when they have had an injury and filled out the appropriate paperwork for workers' compensation.
• Responded to all BERT responses whether from veterans or staff and documented following policy and procedure.
• Recertified staff for BLS and AED

• Led nursing staff to optimize patient care and improve service delivery.
• Developed and implemented training programs to enhance team competencies and performance.
• Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to ensure coordinated care and effective treatment plans.
• Streamlined operational processes to improve workflow efficiency and reduce patient wait times.
• Monitored compliance with healthcare regulations, ensuring high standards of safety and quality care.
• Advocated for patient needs while fostering a compassionate environment within the unit.
• Led staff meetings to keep team informed of departmental changes and provide opportunities for nurses to share ideas and concerns.
• Conducted performance evaluations and provided constructive feedback to support professional growth of nursing staff members.
• Managed staff scheduling and time off to adequately staff nursing floors and allow nurses earned time off.
• Supervised, directed, and motivated high-quality performance from nursing staff.
• Developed and implemented quality improvement initiatives to provide best possible patient care and identify and address areas of concern.
• Ensured regulatory compliance by maintaining accurate records and staying up-to-date on industry standards.
• Served as a key point of contact between nursing staff, physicians, administration, and other healthcare professionals.
• Investigated and independently resolved complaints from staff, physicians, and patients by leveraging clinical judgment and unit management expertise.
• Managed 30 nurses, LPN, NA and nursing activities in 32 -bed hospital by providing comprehensive nursing guidance and maintaining outstanding patient satisfaction and care standards.
• Evaluated skills of nursing personnel and verified staff certifications for validity.
• Fostered improvement in staff development, personnel training, and standards of patient care.
• Monitored clinical outcomes closely, identifying areas for improvement and implementing corrective actions.
• Oversaw infection control procedures to protect patients from infections and keep nursing departments compliant with state regulations.
• Advocated for patients'' rights and ethical considerations in all aspects of care delivery.
• Established strong relationships with patients'' families, providing support and education throughout the treatment process.
• Worked at least 20 hours per month as floor nurse to maintain clinical proficiency.
• Quickly responded to situations impacting safety and security to unit, actualizing crisis prevention interventions to control and de-escalate situations.
• Sustained quality standards by performing routine medication audits and upholding internal and industry best practices.
• Collaborated with leadership to devise initiatives for improving nursing satisfaction, retention and morale.
• Facilitated therapeutic communication, conflict resolution and crisis intervention by redirecting negative behaviors and helping patients regain or improve coping abilities.
• Reported findings to quality departments after conducting routine restraint audits and worked with team to devise corrective actions for deficiencies.
• Followed all personal and health data procedures to effectively comply with HIPAA laws and prevent information breaches.
• Implemented the process of evaluation and assessment of veteran skin condition on bath and shower days. Developed the Skin Integument template for purposes of documentation.

• Detailed to a Geropsychiatric Unit to evaluate veteran care after a veteran developed a severe skin condition that compromised his health. A sentinel event report was made. The unit was decreased from a census of 30 to 20. A comprehensive report was completed with recommendations for improvement. This report was presented to upper management. All recommendations were implemented beginning with the initiation of skin inspections completed on shower and bath days. A new template was developed for the purpose of documenting the skin integument and was entitled Skin Integument.
• Coordinated patient care plans, ensuring adherence to clinical guidelines and regulatory standards.
• Facilitated multidisciplinary team meetings to enhance communication and collaboration among healthcare providers.
• Implemented quality improvement initiatives, resulting in improved patient satisfaction and care outcomes.
• Developed training programs for nursing staff, focusing on best practices and compliance protocols.

• Covered PCC/NOD for vacation and holidays or weekends off
• Filled in as Nurse Educator when Nurse Educator was on leave or attending college classes.
• BLS, Heartsaver AED trainer/educator
• New hire orientation trainer
• Developed training packets for RN, LPN, and NA new hires
• Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to facilitate comprehensive care coordination across various departments.
• Trained new staff members on office procedures and protocols, ensuring consistency in patient care delivery.
• Trained new staff on patient care coordination best practices, enhancing team effectiveness and patient support.
• Trained new staff on filing, phone etiquette and other office duties.
• Developed and delivered educational programs for nursing staff to enhance clinical competencies.
• Mentored novice nurses, fostering professional growth through tailored training sessions.
• Evaluated nursing education strategies, implementing improvements to increase effectiveness and engagement.
• Conducted assessments of staff knowledge gaps, creating targeted learning opportunities for skill enhancement.
• Established a supportive learning environment by providing guidance and mentorship to nursing staff.
• Consistently received positive feedback from both students and colleagues, reflecting a commitment to excellence in teaching.
• Ensured that staff were appropriately trained in:

Bladder scans, ear irrigations, eye drop

application, use of doppler, MRSA swabs, TB tine

test, subcutaneous injection, IM injection, sterile

and nonsterile dressing changes