Jennifer Brechbuhler
Saint Louis
Summary
Dedicated Registered Nurse with extensive experience coordinating care for adult and pediatric patients, with a focus on quality outcomes. Skilled in facilitating multidisciplinary collaboration and implementing quality improvement initiatives to enhance operational efficiency. Strong communicator committed to patient education and advocacy.
Overview
23
23
years of professional experience
Work History
Stroke Program Clinical Nurse Navigator
SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital
St. Louis
12.2025 - Current
- Coordinate the continuum of care for acute ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients from admission through discharge, ensuring timely, evidence-based care.
- Monitored compliance with national stroke quality measures and regulatory standards, ensuring adherence to stroke core measures and certification requirements.
- Facilitated multidisciplinary stroke rounds, identifying barriers to care and enhancing discharge planning and transitions of care.
- Educated patients and families on stroke risk factors, medications, lifestyle modifications, warning signs, and secondary prevention strategies.
- Partner with physicians and hospital leadership to implement quality improvement initiatives that enhance clinical outcomes and operational efficiency.
Clinical Educator/Onboard Specialist-Orthopaedic Department, Clinical Spine Nurse Specialist
St. Louis University/SSM Health
Saint Louis
03.2024 - 12.2025
- Delivered clinical support for Orthopedic Spine Service, facilitating effective patient care.
- Developed and delivered educational programs for healthcare professionals.
- Mentored nursing staff and students, fostering professional development and clinical competency.
- Provided individualized support for new nurse hires to enhance their onboarding experience.
- I participate in the interview process and see them through to ensure they are prepared for success as they learn their respective clinical service.
Clinical Spine Nurse-Orthopaedic Department
St. Louis University/SSM Health
Saint Louis
02.2011 - 12.2025
- Coordinated care for patients with complex orthopedic spine conditions across the preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative continuum.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to enhance patient outcomes and deliver high-quality, patient-centered care.
- Provided comprehensive patient education and clinical support while managing triage, symptom assessment, and care coordination.
- Facilitated diagnostic testing, referral, surgical preparation, and postoperative follow-up.
- Ensured continuity of care through effective communication with providers, patients, rehabilitation services, and community resources.
- Contributed to quality improvement initiatives and upheld compliance with evidence-based practice and regulatory standards.
Staff Nurse Per Diem-Post Anesthesia Care Unit
Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital
Saint Louis
07.2010 - 12.2025
- Provided close medical supervision and intensive nursing care to immediate postoperative patients, ensuring safe recovery from anesthesia for transfer to appropriate nursing unit or home discharge.
- Monitored vital signs, managed pain levels, assessed airway, and evaluated for respiratory complications, collaborating with care team to deliver comprehensive patient care.
- Administered precise dosages of pain and nausea medications, contributing to effective patient recovery.
- Demonstrated safety and infection control practices in clinical settings.
- Initiate and maintain peripheral IVs.
Clinical Nurse Manager-Orthopaedic Department
St. Louis University/SSM Health
Saint Louis
01.2015 - 03.2024
- I currently function as a clinical nurse for an Orthopaedic Spine Surgeon, Hand Surgeon and 2 Orthopaedic Trauma Physicians.
- In addition, I also provide cross coverage for our Foot and Ankle Surgeon.
- Supervised 8 clinical nurses across 4 clinic sites, ensuring consistent support and quality patient care.
- Interviewed, hired, trained, and oriented clinical nurses to build a competent and effective nursing team.
- Provided cross coverage for services during medical leaves and vacancies.
- Educated patients in outpatient clinic, assisted physicians during consultations, and triaged patient care needs via phone and EPIC, managing patient messages, medication refills, surgical orders, clinic XR preparation, and requests from satellite nursing site supervisors.
- Evaluate results and monitor treatment plans under physician supervision, maintain medical records, patient care standards, assure patient care functions such as assessment, treatment and documentation are completed safely and effectively.
- Participated in educational in-services, conferences for health care providers, and multi-disciplinary team meetings for Orthopaedics.
- Coordinates patient care responsibilities under physician supervision.
Clinic Nurse Manager-St. Clare Location
St. Louis University/SSM Health
Saint Louis
08.2021 - 01.2022
- Hired, trained, and oriented support staff to ensure smooth clinic functionality.
- Managed daily clinical nurse responsibilities alongside clinical nurse manager duties.
- This required overseeing the operations of our Orthopaedic Outpatient Clinic at St. Clare and Fenton, MO.
- Facilitated team efforts in launching clinic operations.
- Launched clinic in June 2020.
- Attended clinics during operational hours.
- There are 5 support staff, 5 Attending Physicians and 2 Mid-Level Physician Assistants.
Staff Nurse-Emergency Department
St. Louis Children's Hospital
Saint Louis
07.2009 - 07.2010
- Conducted comprehensive nursing assessments, monitored vital signs, educated patients, administered medications, obtained bloodwork, placed peripheral IVs, and assisted in procedures requiring procedural sedation under ED Attending Physician supervision.
- Delivered quality emergency medical care to patients requiring acute and emergent intervention according to the Attending Physician Orders and nursing practice standards.
- Oversaw 5-patient care pod in 29-bed emergency department, ensuring optimal patient monitoring and care.
- Coordinated planning and implementation of patient care interventions, enhancing patient outcomes in emergency department.
- Addressed the queries and problems regarding patient and family needs.
Staff Nurse-Emergency Department
Akron Children's Hospital
Akron
03.2008 - 07.2009
- Delivered quality emergency medical care to patients requiring acute and emergent intervention according to the Attending Physician Orders and nursing practice standards.
- Managed 3-patient care pod in 19-bed emergency department, ensuring timely and effective care delivery.
- Completed comprehensive nursing assessments, vital signs, participated in patient education, administered medications, obtained bloodwork, placed peripheral IVs, participated in procedures that required procedural sedation while under supervision of the ED Attending Physician.
- Coordinated planning and implementation of patient care interventions, enhancing patient outcomes in emergency department.
- Addressed patient and family inquiries, providing support and solutions to meet their needs promptly.
Staff Nurse-Transitional Care Unit (TCU)
Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital
Saint Louis
05.2003 - 11.2008
- Functioned as a staff nurse for patients admitted under orthopaedics, neurology, neurosurgery, trauma/general surgery, cardiac, and multi-organ transplant services.
- Directed and executed patient care for high acuity population, ensuring safety and quality standards.
- Provided direct patient care by taking on nursing responsibilities and managing patient caseloads.
- Coordinated nursing operations by managing daily tasks and patient assignments, evaluating staff requirements and organizing floor assignments for 20-bed unit.
- Completed comprehensive nursing assessments, vital signs, participated in patient education, administering medications, coordinating care between service lines.
- Participated in the hospital float pool, providing nursing care in the NICU, PICU, ED, ICU step-down, same-day surgery, and general medicine.
- Advocated for patients by providing support to families in coping with their child's illness, enhancing overall patient experience.
- Often requiring a high level of motivation and dedication by providing the most consistent care while achieving optimal patient outcomes.
Education
Master of Science - Nurse Executive Leadership
Chamberlain University
Chicago, IL09-2027
Bachelor of Science - Nursing
Maryville University
St. Louis, MO01-2003
Skills
- Stroke care coordination
- Quality improvement
- Multidisciplinary collaboration
- Patient advocacy
- Administrative experience
- Multitasking skills
- Communication skills
Publications
Analysis of Cervical Angiograms in Cervical Spine Trauma Patients, Does It Make a Difference?, Dreger, T, Place HM, Mattingly T, Piper, C, Brechbuhler JL, Journal of Spinal Disorders and Techniques, 08/01/14, 250891
Academic Papers
- The Pelvis and the Spine A Dynamic Relationship, Hayden AM, Place HM, Hayes AM, Israel H, Brechbuhler JL, 09/01/16
- Measuring Pelvic Tilt Is The PALM Palpation Meter A Valid Tool!?, Hayes, AM, Place HM, Hayde A, Brechbuhler JL, Poster Presentation, APTA Combined Sections Meeting, Anaheim, CA, 02/01/16
- The Use of the PALM Palpation Meter for Measuring Pelvic Tilt and Its Correlation with Radiographic Measures., Hayes AM, Place HM, Hayden A, Brechbuhler JL, Poster presentation, APTA Combined Sections Meeting, Anaheim, CA, 02/01/16
- The Pelvis and the Spine: A Dynamic Relationship., Hayden AM, Place HM, Hayes AM, Israel H, Brechbuhler JL, Presentation at Applied Sciences and Arts (ASA) Multidisciplinary Research Symposium, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Carbondale, IL, 11/01/15
- Lumbopelvic Parameters: Do Positional Changes Correlate with Radiographic Measures?, Hayes AM, Place HM, Hayden A, Brechbuhler JL, Poster presentation, First Annual Interprofessional Scholarship Day, Center for Interprofessional Education and Research, St. Louis, MO, 09/22/15
Timeline
Stroke Program Clinical Nurse Navigator
SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital
12.2025 - Current
Clinical Educator/Onboard Specialist-Orthopaedic Department, Clinical Spine Nurse Specialist
St. Louis University/SSM Health
03.2024 - 12.2025
Clinic Nurse Manager-St. Clare Location
St. Louis University/SSM Health
08.2021 - 01.2022
Clinical Nurse Manager-Orthopaedic Department
St. Louis University/SSM Health
01.2015 - 03.2024
Clinical Spine Nurse-Orthopaedic Department
St. Louis University/SSM Health
02.2011 - 12.2025
Staff Nurse Per Diem-Post Anesthesia Care Unit
Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital
07.2010 - 12.2025
Staff Nurse-Emergency Department
St. Louis Children's Hospital
07.2009 - 07.2010
Staff Nurse-Emergency Department
Akron Children's Hospital
03.2008 - 07.2009
Staff Nurse-Transitional Care Unit (TCU)
Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital
05.2003 - 11.2008
Master of Science - Nurse Executive Leadership
Chamberlain University
Bachelor of Science - Nursing
Maryville University