Dawn Brustkern
Washburn ,IA
Summary
Dynamic Registered Nurse with extensive experience at Pillar of Cedar Valley, excelling in medication administration and patient advocacy. Proven ability to enhance patient satisfaction through compassionate care and effective communication. Skilled in complex problem-solving and infection control, contributing to improved outcomes in diverse healthcare settings. Committed to ongoing professional development and team collaboration.
Dedicated and compassionate Registered Nurse (RN) with progressive career history in direct patient care, triage and care coordination in fast-paced environment. Proven to remain calm under pressure and skillfully handle difficult patients and high-stress situations. Consistently developing strong relationships with patients and families through empathetic communication, respectful attitude and excellent customer service.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
Work History
Registered Nurse
Pillar of Cedar Valley
08.2022 - Current
- Utilized critical thinking skills to prioritize nursing interventions based on patients'' acuity levels and individual needs.
- Prevented the spread of infections by consistently adhering to strict infection control protocols and educating patients on proper hygiene practices.
- Administered medications safely according to established guidelines while closely monitoring for side effects or adverse reactions requiring intervention.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to develop comprehensive treatment plans for complex patients with multiple comorbidities.
- Conducted thorough patient assessments to identify changes in condition, promptly notifying physicians and initiating appropriate interventions when necessary.
- Enhanced patient satisfaction by providing compassionate, holistic nursing care that addressed physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.
- Provided support for patients'' families during difficult medical decisions or end-of-life care, serving as a liaison between the healthcare team and loved ones.
- Skillfully managed challenging patient situations using de-escalation techniques, crisis intervention strategies, and therapeutic communication skills.
- Advised patients and caregivers of proper wound management, discharge plan objectives, safe medication use, and disease management.
- Assisted in the training and mentorship of new nursing staff members, contributing to a positive work environment and high-quality patient care.
- Participated in ongoing professional development opportunities to stay current on best practices in nursing care and emerging trends in healthcare delivery.
- Contributed to interdisciplinary team meetings by presenting relevant clinical data about patients'' progress toward reaching established goals of care.
- Served as a preceptor for nursing students during their clinical rotations, providing valuable real-world experience and guidance to foster professional growth.
- Documented treatments delivered, medications and IVs administered, discharge instructions, and follow-up care.
Assistant Nurse Manager
New Aldaya Lifescapes
09.2021 - 07.2022
- Supervised, directed, and motivated high-quality performance from nursing staff.
- Evaluated staff performance regularly, providing constructive feedback and support for professional development opportunities.
- Maintained open lines of communication with patients'' families to ensure their needs were met and concerns addressed promptly.
- Enhanced staff competency by developing and delivering targeted training programs, resulting in improved patient outcomes.
- Communicated with members of medical staff and department heads during weekly update meetings.
- Performed real-time chart audits for patients ensuring accuracy and completeness of information while capitalizing on opportunities for process improvement.
- Verified facility remained up-to-date and compliant with laws and regulations.
- Promoted a positive work environment by fostering open communication, teamwork, and professional growth opportunities for nursing staff.
- Streamlined nursing operations for efficiency and quality improvement by conducting regular audits and addressing areas of concern.
- Improved patient safety through close monitoring of infection control practices within the department.
- Developed departmental goals and objectives to improve satisfactory rating with patients.
- Resolved conflicts among staff members by employing effective communication techniques and seeking mutually beneficial solutions when issues arose.
- Increased patient satisfaction by implementing individualized care plans and coordinating with interdisciplinary teams.
- Established and continuously optimized unit schedules and individual work assignments.
- Developed and implemented quality improvement initiatives to provide best possible patient care and identify and address areas of concern.
- Evaluated skills of nursing personnel and verified staff certifications for validity.
Registered Nurse
Unity Point Family Practice
03.2013 - 08.2021
- Monitored patient reactions after administering medications and IV therapies.
- Explained course of care and medication side effects to patients and caregivers in easy-to-understand terms.
- Used first-hand knowledge and clinical expertise to advocate for patients under care and enacted prescribed treatment strategies.
- Delivered high level of quality care to diverse populations while overseeing patient admission and triaging based on acuity and appropriate department admission.
- Followed all personal and health data procedures to effectively comply with HIPAA laws and prevent information breaches.
- Offered exceptional care and support to individuals recovering from acute incidents and dealing with chronic conditions.
- Provided skilled, timely and level-headed emergency response to critically-ill patients.
- Performed triage on incoming patients and determined severity of injuries and illnesses.
- Utilized critical thinking skills to prioritize nursing interventions based on patients'' acuity levels and individual needs.
- Administered medications safely according to established guidelines while closely monitoring for side effects or adverse reactions requiring intervention.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to develop comprehensive treatment plans for complex patients with multiple comorbidities.
- Enhanced patient satisfaction by providing compassionate, holistic nursing care that addressed physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.
- Skillfully managed challenging patient situations using de-escalation techniques, crisis intervention strategies, and therapeutic communication skills.
- Participated in ongoing professional development opportunities to stay current on best practices in nursing care and emerging trends in healthcare delivery.
- Served as a preceptor for nursing students during their clinical rotations, providing valuable real-world experience and guidance to foster professional growth.
- Documented treatments delivered, medications and IVs administered, discharge instructions, and follow-up care.
Education
Nursing
Hawkeye Community College
Waterloo, IA06-2012
Skills
- Medication and IV administration
- Complex Problem-solving
- Patient education and counseling
- Patient discharge
- Documentation and charting
- Diabetes and nutrition education
- Infection control measures
- Clinical judgment
- Patient counseling
- Direct patient care
- Compassion and empathy
- Feeding assistance
- High level of autonomy
- Patient assessment
- Data collection
- Strong clinical judgment
- Nursing staff leadership
- Lab result interpretation
- Taking vitals
- Team coordination
- EMR / EHR
- Vaccine administration
- Patient assessments
- Care plan development
- Emergency procedures
- Physical assessments
- Patient management
- Seizure management
- Indirect patient care
- Precepting
- Diabetes management
- Medication administration
- Collecting vitals
- Patient and family advocacy
- Patient care
- Geriatric nursing
- Hospice care
- Procedure preparations
- Chest pain management
- HIPAA education
- Wound care
- Removing sutures
- Setting up referrals
- Patient monitoring
- Proper catheter insertion/removal
- Long-term care
- Chronic disease management
- Professional bedside manner
- Mental health nursing
Timeline
Registered Nurse
Pillar of Cedar Valley
08.2022 - Current
Assistant Nurse Manager
New Aldaya Lifescapes
09.2021 - 07.2022
Registered Nurse
Unity Point Family Practice
03.2013 - 08.2021
Nursing
Hawkeye Community College
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