Emma Payne

I currently am a clinical instructor for a practical nursing program. I have always strived to be a resource and an educator to young nurses coming into the field so this has been an amazing experience for me. I believe I was led to this position to hone my educational skills so that when in a clinical setting as a naturopathic doctor I have set a foundation on how to educate patients and those around me clinically. I believe this is a stepping stone to help mold the provider I want to be. It has also opened my eyes to the gap in care and education we are lacking in the allopathic medical world as we are in acute long term care facilities so I am seeing in real time the failures or weaknesses in traditional medicine that has led these patients to lifetimes of suffering.

In this role I have:

• Developed and implemented curriculum for clinical experience for practical nursing students.
• Provided immediate and constructive feedback to students individually and as group.
• Facilitated hands-on learning experiences to enhance student engagement.
• Evaluated student performance using standardized assessment tools.
• Mentored aspiring healthcare professionals through practical instruction and feedback.
• Instructed students on how to perform head-to-toe assessments on patients and how to intervene in medical emergencies.
• Provided nursing skill demonstrations for medication administration, dressing changes and clinical logs.
• Promoted critical thinking among nursing students by introducing complex cases and patients to their clinical workflow.
• Maintained a supportive learning environment, addressing individual student needs and concerns throughout the course.

My current position is a bedside registered nurse who's passion for the last 10 years has been in the Burn Center. Here I have been taking care of burn victims of all ages as we are one of the only burn centers in the midwest that takes care of pediatric all the way through geriatric patients.

It is a unique setting not only in the sense that burns is a specialty in itself but because we act as our own Emergency Room and triage our own patients, we have an outpatient clinic, we take care of ICU critical patients as well as medical-surgical patients. The variety of acuity and ranges in age and population has contributed to making me more well rounded and has exposed me to so many patients from different walks of life. This is where my curiosity for naturopathic care first began, I knew a piece was missing in the care of these patients as not only are they severely injured, but mentally, emotionally, and physically their care is usually more complex.

Here I was able to:

• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to optimize treatment plans and enhance patient outcomes.
• Deliver comprehensive patient care in fast-paced pediatric and adult environment.
• Conduct thorough assessments, ensuring accurate documentation of patient conditions and interventions.
• Manage complex cases with compassion, providing emotional support to patients and families during critical situations.
• Enhance patient satisfaction by providing compassionate, holistic nursing care that addressed physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.
• Assist in the training and mentorship of new nursing staff members, contributing to a positive work environment and high-quality patient care.
• Initiate a research project in using red light therapy on wounds and burns. My passion for the more natural and holistic approach really guided me to start this project and present the idea.
• Research into the types of tube feed/supplements patients are receiving as I truly believe food is medicine and burn victims in particular require the extra caloric and protein needs.

In this role I worked as a Registered Nurse at a medical spa where we provided aesthetic services as well as IV vitamin therapy and wellness protocols. Duties included facials, customer service, blood draws, IV insertion and removal, assessment of vital signs, and procedures including lasers and PRP treatments.

I also was the leader in our wellness department. I constructed a project of 8 patients and designed a wellness protocol for them based on their current concern. I worked with a dietician and nurse practitioners and used my knowledge in functional nutrition to help patients become well, focusing mainly on nutrition, exercise, sleep and mental health, and drawing labs in order to correct any deficiencies.

In this project I used a holistic approach and created individualized treatment plans for our patients. This included weekly check-ins, exercise plans, nutrition guidelines based on their goals and lab values, and education on various topics including the importance of faith, exercise, sleep, sunshine, minerals, organic, whole foods, water quality, and helping to identify any toxin overloads, mold toxicity, and electrolyte imbalances.

In this setting I was really able to have the freedom to use what I had learned through a functional nutrition coarse on actual patients and start to build my knowledge on the naturopathic world of medicine and care.

Additional skills:

• Administered patient assessments to develop tailored care plans and ensure optimal treatment outcomes.
• Educated patients on post-treatment care, promoting adherence and enhancing recovery processes.
• Led regular team meetings to discuss case management strategies, improving communication and collaboration among staff members.
• Observed and documented patient factors such as diets, physical activity levels, and behaviors to understand conditions and effectively modify treatment plans.
• Equipped patients with tools and knowledge needed for speedy and sustained recovery.

I worked as travel RN. I completed a total of 5 assignments over the course of 2.5 years, ranging from Burn ICU, COVID ICU, COVID Med/Surg, Telemetry floors, Medical ICU and Pre-op/PACU areas. I started travel nursing in the height of COVID 19. I believe I was meant to be in this unique position during that trying time in our medical world because it led me to a lot of different places, patients, and standards of care during an uncertain time. I was able to see extreme gaps in patient care, and this led to questioning and research. This is where my hunger for naturopathic care was born and I have not looked back since.

Additional skills:

• Delivered high-quality patient care in diverse clinical settings across multiple states.
• Demonstrated adaptability when assigned to different units or shifts as needed, seamlessly integrating into diverse healthcare teams while maintaining exceptional performance levels.
• Prevented complications in critical situations by promptly recognizing symptoms and initiating appropriate interventions.
• Elevated patient trust by establishing strong rapport and effectively addressing concerns related to their care plans or overall health status.
• Increased patient satisfaction by consistently providing compassionate, empathetic care during hospitalizations.
• Contributed to higher standards of care within the facility by mentoring new nurses and sharing best practices from prior experiences in various clinical settings.
• Reduced stress among patients and their families by offering clear communication and support throughout treatment process.

In this role I worked as a patient care technician on a medical urology floor to gain experience during nursing school. Assisted nurses with vitals, assessments, intake and outputs, blood sugars, and basic care needs for the patients on this inpatient floor. This is where my journey began!

Additional skills:

• Assisted in monitoring vital signs and documenting patient conditions to ensure comprehensive care.
• Supported nursing staff by preparing equipment and maintaining a sterile environment for procedures.
• Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to enhance patient care strategies and outcomes.
• Advocated for patient needs, ensuring effective communication between patients and medical staff.
• Enhanced patient satisfaction by providing compassionate and attentive care.