Cody Kawczynski, RN, MSN

Select Specialty Hospital is a 90-bed critical care recovery hospital.

As a acute care inpatient case manager, I have consistently demonstrated my ability to provide comprehensive care coordination within the critical recovery setting. While carrying a 11-20 patient assignment, I ensure each patient's needs are met by collaborating closely with medical teams, patients, and their families. My role involves conducting thorough assessments, developing discharge plans, and facilitating communication among various healthcare professionals in and out of our organization. I am skilled in addressing complex medical and psychosocial issues and advocating for necessary resources in a fiscally responsible way. My commitment to patient-centered care and strong communication skills have allowed me to effectively support patients on their journey to recovery while adhering to medical and payor guidelines.

• Manage diverse population of medically and socially complex critical care recovery patients
• Conduct patient assessments, utilization reviews, and ensure optimal resource allocation.
• Collaborate with medical staff, nursing, and other healthcare professionals to develop and execute comprehensive care plans for diverse and medically complex patients.
• Coordinate effective interdisciplinary rounds, facilitating communication and streamlined care coordination.
• Conduct weekly interdisciplinary team meetings
• Provide conflict resolutions and negotiation to assure best overall outcomes
• Develop discharge plans, arrange appropriate level post-acute care services, and ensure smooth transitions to support continuity of care.
• Advocate for patients and families, address concerns, and foster their engagement in care decisions.
• Provide conflict resolutions and negotiation to assure best overall outcomes
• Utilize EHR systems to document assessments, interventions, and outcomes securely.
• Participate in quality improvement initiatives, leading to improved processes and patient outcomes.

The Hawaii Laborers' Union Health and Welfare Fund is a 8,000+ plus participant self-funded health plan providing health and welfare benefits to Laborer Union members and their families.

As the DHCM, I spearhead a two-year pilot program to improve the health of its members while finding ways to decrease medical costs. I soon launched the Funds' first Patient Advocate Program that became permanent and invaluable to company. The program I developed, focused on improving acute care visits and recovery, chronic disease management, narcotic abuse. monitoring, emergency room diversion, wellness, and improving relationships between patient and doctors. This position is now a vital resource to the Board of Trustees' who look for the DHCM to help guide them in making decisions regarding plan design and wellness initiatives for their union members and families.

• Decreased re-admission rates
• Increase in urgent care and same day visit by nearly 75%, saving thousands in ER costs
• Chronic disease management program success allowed for growth into an entire team to serve more members.
• Data analysis reviews and suggestions grew into partnership to form a population health dashboard to provide in-depth analysis of health status, utilization of plan benefits, and program effectiveness.

Trained medical oncology nurses in intensive care skills on a clinical trial unit.

• Supervised nursing staff on administering investigational medications.
• Lead resource RN for nurses with clinical trial and intensive care patients, as well as for other units in hospital.
• Stepped in as charge nurse when core staff was unavailable.
• Floated to trauma, medical, and neuro ICU when needed.

Good Samaritan is a 650-bed, Magnet teaching hospital, offering the highest level of care to the most critically ill patients in Arizona and the southwest. I obtained my Critical Care Registered Nursing Certification(CCRN) and lead the units shared leadership council. I motivated others to speak up against nurse “bulling”, which led to new positive relationships and unified culture.

• Care of Level one trauma/surgical patients in the critical care setting
• Rotating charge nurse role
• Shared leadership council
• Scheduling coordinator of 16 bed trauma ICU staff
• Pain Champion
• Cerner/Personal patient identification device super user (PPID)
• End of life care liaison

Thunderbird was a 561-bed hospital that offers a comprehensive heart care as well as treatment for those suffering from an array of neurological injuries and conditions such as brain tumors, aneurysms, epilepsy and stroke. During my seven years at this hospital, I became an expert level nurse in multiple areas. I lead the preceptor program for new grads and advancing nurses in cardiac care. After discovering some disconnects with our life support withdrawal procedures, I partnered with administration to write policies and procedures for end of life care.

• Advanced career by providing immediate post-op care to open heat surgical patient and other major cardiac conditions
• Provided care to medical/surgical/ and neuro patients
• Staffing coordinator for 40 bed ICU unit
• Headed the rapid response and Code Blue team, hospital wide
• Cerner super user
• Shared leadership council
• Certificate in End of Life Nursing Care