Elizabeth Hitzel
Katy,TX
Summary
Compassionate emergency room nurse with experience in critical care and fast-paced trauma centers. Strengths include leadership skills, communication, time management, team building and interdisciplinary collaboration. Demonstrated skills in triage, patient care, and prioritization have consistently resulted in improved patient outcomes and department efficiency. Have made meaningful contributions to protocol development and staff training initiatives hospital wide.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
RNIIB—Emergency Room Nurse
Houston Methodist West
Katy, Texas
08.2023 - Current
- Currently employed as an RNIIB in a 40-bed ED unit at a Magnet Hospital featuring Primary Stroke Center and Cardiac Interventional Center designations.
- Collaborating with multidisciplinary team to optimize patient outcomes and deliver effective, patient-centered care.
- Teaching (Education Department) PALS, ACLS, BLS, Port-a-Cath insertion, US-guided PIV, and arterial line.
- Initiating protocol orders, including CVA, STEMI, sepsis, DKA, hypoglycemia, drug overdose, febrile seizure, and other emergencies.
- Administering critical care medications such as Cardene, Dobutamine, Epinephrine, TKA, TPA, Naloxone, Propofol, Insulin, Atropine, Amiodarone, Fentanyl, Esmolol, and more.
- Proficient in conducting EKGs, inserting urinary catheters, inserting NG tubes, chest tube setup, etc.
- Serving on unit-based committees, like the Unit Council and Morale Committee, as well as hospital-based committees, like the Evidence-Based Practice Committee.
- Played a critical role during the application and securement of prestigious ENA Lantern award for department.
CN II—Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Nurse
Rady Children's Hospital
San Diego, California
08.2019 - 07.2020
- Patient load varied by acuity with 1-2 bed assignments
- Provided comprehensive care for critical care patients with multi organ system dysfunction, sepsis, hypothermia, shock, airborne illnesses, trauma, post-operative care, and endocrine disorders.
- Managed airways with assistance in bronchoscopy, ventilator weaning, emergent intubation, oscillator management, oxygen titration, and heliox therapy.
- Documented admissions, codes, assessments, plan of care, discharges, procedures, and more; using EPIC charting system
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary care team from a wide range of specialties
- Titrated intravenous drips including inotropic agents, vasopressors, sedatives, antihypertensives, anticoagulants, antiarrhythmics, and insulin.
- Managed patients with central lines, tracheostomies, gastric tubes, pulmonary artery catheters, chest tubes, ventilators, temporary epicardial pacemakers, and continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT)
- Gained proficiency with a wide range of ventilators (Hamilton, Phillips) and advance respiratory machines (CPAP, BIPAP, NAVA) set-up, titration and trouble shooting
- Assisted with design and evaluation of Clinical Resource Guide and New-to-PICU Manual for RNs and RTs
- Employed as an RN in a 24 bed PICU with gold level beacon award of excellence
CN II--Emergency Room Nurse
Rady Children's Hospital
San Diego, California
01.2019 - 07.2020
- Cared for patients and families from a wide variety of backgrounds and ethnicities. Patient load 1-4 bed assignment per acuity
- Treated patients with emergent problems such as: respiratory distress, bronchiolitis, head injuries, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), seizures, Kawasaki Disease, serum sickness, acute hemoncology patients, allergic reactions, social concerns, suicidal ideation, post-op complications, fractures, urinary tract infections, laceration repair, etc.
- Performed nurse led procedures like peripheral IV catheterization, urinary catheterization, NG tube insertion, enemas, splinting (various forms), and point of care testing (blood sugar; urine; strep; etc.)
- Gained charge nurse, flow nurse and clinical resource leader experience
- Achieved TNCC and TNTL certifications
- Employed as an RN in a 40+ bed, level 1 trauma, pediatric emergency room
Emergency Room Nurse
Holy Cross Hospital (HCH)
Silver Spring, Maryland
02.2015 - 07.2017
- Initiated stroke, STEMI, sepsis, DKA, hypoglycemia, drug overdose, febrile seizure, and other emergent protocol orders
- Administered (and titrated) a wide variety of drugs including: TPA, Propofol, Insulin, Levophed, Atropine, Nitroglycerin, Amiodarone, Cardizem, Fentanyl, etc.
- Triaged, assessed and cared for a diverse group of patients including children, adults and seniors. Patient load varied from 1- 6 bed assignments
- Proficient in starting IVs, conducting EKGs, inserting urinary caths, inserting NG tubes, chest tube setup and maintenance, conscious sedation, in-line suction etc.
- Provided care for intubated and ventilated patients on a daily basis
- Assisted in emergent surgical procedures including surgical airway, ventriculostomy, thoracotomy, pericardiocentesis, emergency cesarean section, suprapubic catheter insertion, central venous access, gastric lavage, etc.
- Designated code/stat team member with proficiency in all roles including: lead, medication administration, CPR/AED admin, and recorder
- Gained charge nurse, sort nurse, ems triage and front end charge experience
- Charted using the following software: Cerner, Oracle, Power Chart, and EPIC
- Worked as an RN in the 60 bed ED unit with adult, pediatric, geriatric, and express care sub units, with the following designations: Trauma Center, Primary Stroke Center and Cardiac Interventional Center
Education
Bachelor of Science - Nursing, BSN
Georgetown University
Washington, D.C.01.2014
Master of Public Health - MPH
University of Texas Health Science Center
Houston, TX01.2011
Bachelor of Science - Psychology
Texas State University
San Marcos, TX01.2008
Skills
- Critical care
- Multidisciplinary collaboration
- Emergency protocol initiation
- Patient assessment
- Patient-centered care
- Patient education
- Airway management
- EKG interpretation
- Advanced life support
- Pediatric care
- Ventilator management
- Patient triage
- Charting and clinical documentation
- Trauma nursing
- Emergency triage
- Advanced cardiac life support
- Pediatric advanced life support
- Excellent communication
- Health education
- Crisis prevention intervention (CPI)
- EPIC; Power Chart; Cerner
Certification
• AHA PALS, ACLS & BLS Instructor
• TNCC
• ENPC
• US Guided PIV Insertion
• CPI
• CEN
• Texas RN License, 1076534
• TNCC
• ENPC
• US Guided PIV Insertion
• CPI
• CEN
• Texas RN License, 1076534
Timeline
RNIIB—Emergency Room Nurse
Houston Methodist West
08.2023 - Current
CN II—Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Nurse
Rady Children's Hospital
08.2019 - 07.2020
CN II--Emergency Room Nurse
Rady Children's Hospital
01.2019 - 07.2020
Emergency Room Nurse
Holy Cross Hospital (HCH)
02.2015 - 07.2017
Bachelor of Science - Nursing, BSN
Georgetown University
Master of Public Health - MPH
University of Texas Health Science Center
Bachelor of Science - Psychology
Texas State University