Heather Higgs
Prescott,AZ
Summary
Dedicated and compassionate Registered Nurse with extensive experience in acute care and leadership roles, including recent position as Acute Care Charge Nurse. Demonstrated proficiency in patient care coordination, interdisciplinary collaboration, and discharge planning. Expert in navigating intricate healthcare systems, advocating for patients, and facilitating seamless transitions of care. Seeking to apply strong clinical judgment and communication skills in Referral Coordination Nurse role to improve veterans outcomes and access to essential care services.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Acute Care Charge Nurse, Med Surg/Telemetry
Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center West
06.2022 - Current
- Coordinated day-to-day unit operations for an 49 bed acute care unit, supervising a team of RNs, Tele Tech’s and CNAs to ensure safe and effective patient care delivery.
- Led multidisciplinary rounds and collaborated with physicians, case managers, and social workers to plan timely discharges and appropriate referrals.
- Facilitated transitions of care, including arranging follow-up appointments, specialty referrals, and home health services.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary healthcare team to deliver optimal patient outcomes including case management and social services.
- Managed patient flow, triaged admissions, and ensured optimal nurse-to-patient ratios.
- Conducted staff education on policy updates and quality initiatives to reduce patient safety and satisfaction.
- Serves as the frontline decision maker for clinical operations during a given shift and modifies staff assignments according to the changes in patient acuity and/ or volume.
- Lead staff in critical codes to coordinate stabilization treatments and restore vital functions.
- Promptly placed patients from all departments in proper assignments and rooms with attention to their specific details.
- Assisted managers with the hiring process, discussed interview's and qualifications of candidates that could contribute to our team.
- Mentored new nurses and charge nurses, joining the unit fostering a supportive learning environment that promoted professional growth.
- Interpreted information obtained from electrocardiograms (EKGs) and trained tele tec’s onboarding.
- Coordinated nursing care on unit through staff assignments, assisting and rounding with physicians, monitoring patient orders, and communicating with ancillary departments.
- Supervised patient admissions and discharges from hospital to home care, rehabilitative facility, or self-care.
- Assisted in development and implementation of new policies and procedures to improve the quality of care specifically within the Code Blue Committee.
- Led teams in driving successful patient outcomes by prioritizing standard of care and best practices.
- Collaborated with leadership to devise initiatives for improving nursing satisfaction, retention and morale.
Endoscopy Nurse, PRN
Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center West
05.2024 - 08.2024
- Responsible for preparing patients for endoscopy procedures, closely monitoring during and after sedation.
- Documented treatments delivered, medications and IVs administered, discharge instructions, and follow-up.
- Monitored patient reactions after administering medications and IV therapies.
- Continuously improved nursing knowledge in the field of endoscopy by participating in relevant conferences, workshops, and training sessions.
- Enhanced patient comfort by providing compassionate care and thorough pre-procedure assessments.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams for optimal patient outcomes during complex endoscopy procedures.
- Streamlined patient flow by effectively coordinating schedules with the endoscopy team, reducing wait times and increasing overall efficiency.
- Contributed to quality assurance initiatives through regular participation in audits reviewing policies and procedures related to endoscopy practice.
- Minimized risk of infection by adhering to strict infection control protocols for cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilizing endoscopic instruments and equipment.
- Optimized resources by managing inventory levels for supplies such as endoscopes, biopsy forceps, snares, polypectomy devices, needles, catheters, irrigation tubing sets for optimal procedural efficiency.
Acute Care Registered Nurse, Med Surg/Telemetry
Yavapai Regional Medical Center West
12.2016 - Current
- Responsible for a team of 5 patients on a daily basis with cardiac, neurological and acute/chronic conditions.
- Educate patients and their families about treatment plans, potential side effects and self-care, strategies, promoting active involvement in the care process.
- Streamlined discharge planning processes to ensure a smooth transition for patients returning home or transferring to long-term care facilities.
- Reduced hospital readmissions by developing individualized care plans and collaborating with interdisciplinary teams.
- Enhanced patient satisfaction through compassionate communication, advocacy, and comprehensive education on disease management.
- Ensured timely interventions for critical patients, utilizing strong clinical judgment and knowledge of evidence-based practices.
- Optimized patient safety through diligent assessment, accurate medication administration, and thorough documentation.
- Boosted team efficiency by mentoring new nurses, sharing best practices, and participating in unit-based committees.
- Trained and coached new graduates nurses on protocols and best practices to promote ideal patient outcomes.
- Mitigated risk factors associated with falls or pressure injuries by conducting regular skin assessments and implementing preventative measures tailored to each patient's specific needs.
- Demonstrated adaptability by floating to various units throughout the hospital as needed, providing high-quality acute nursing care in diverse clinical.
- Performed emergency medical procedures such as basic cardiac life support (BLS), advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) and other condition-stabilizing interventions.
- Participated in procedures such as intubation, central lines and chest tubes to address critical symptoms and prevent further deterioration in patient conditions.
- Preformed wound vac set ups, complex wound incision care and peritoneal dialysis.
- Resourceful and proficient with bedside skills including foley catheter, nasogastric tube, intravenous catheter placements.
Certified Nursing Assistant, Med/Surg Telemetry
Yavapai Regional Medical Center West
11.2012 - 12.2016
- Delivered individualized patient care by recording vital signs, documenting observations, administering treatments, and evaluating patient needs.
- Enhanced team efficiency by promptly responding to call lights and reporting changes in patient condition to nurses.
- Reduced fall incidents by implementing safety measures like bed alarms and proper positioning techniques.
Education
Associate Degree In Nursing -
Yavapai Community College
Prescott, AZ12.2016
Skills
- Acute & Transitional Care Management
- Interdisciplinary Team Collaboration
- Patient Education & Advocacy
- Discharge Planning & Care Coordination
- Chronic Disease Management
- Clinical Assessment & Triage
- Clinical Leadership
- Staff Management
- Planning and Prioritization
- EMR & Care Documentation (Cerner, etc)
- HIPAA Compliance
Certification
CPR/BLS Basic Life Support
Aug 2025
AHA/ACLS
Aug 2025
Additional Experience/ Volunteership
Active Board Member of Code Blue Committee
Active Participant in Unit Base Council
New Graduate Preceptor
Cross Trained to Progressive Care Unit
Proficient in the use of EMR, Cerner, Epic, Microsoft Office Word Excel PowerPoint Outlook
Timeline
Endoscopy Nurse, PRN
Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center West
05.2024 - 08.2024
Acute Care Charge Nurse, Med Surg/Telemetry
Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center West
06.2022 - Current
Acute Care Registered Nurse, Med Surg/Telemetry
Yavapai Regional Medical Center West
12.2016 - Current
Certified Nursing Assistant, Med/Surg Telemetry
Yavapai Regional Medical Center West
11.2012 - 12.2016
Associate Degree In Nursing -
Yavapai Community College
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