Jennifer Johnson
Coon Rapids,MN
Summary
Dedicated Registered Nurse with 20 years of experience delivering high-quality care to patients in Surgical Services units. Proven leader effective at uniting and guiding nursing teams toward achieving patient care goals, improving satisfaction and continuously supporting wide-spread healthcare system improvements. Focused on continuously advancing expertise in patient safety while driving innovation. Highly organized and proactive in managing patient needs. Versatile health care professional with experience solving adaptive and technical challenges. Experience in global health initiatives.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
Work History
Operating Room Nurse Manager
Hennepin Healthcare
Minneapolis, MN
05.2025 - Current
- Oversaw daily operations of surgical services to ensure optimal patient care and safety.
- Managed staff scheduling and resource allocation for efficient workflow in operating rooms.
- Implemented quality improvement initiatives that enhanced patient outcomes and reduced complications.
- Developed training programs for nursing staff to promote best practices in surgical procedures.
- Collaboration with Infection Prevention to maintain safe standards across all service lines.
- Increased first case on time starts from 38% to 76% from Q3 2025-Q1 2026.
- Built relationships with 40+ surgeons to remove scheduling barriers to improve throughput.
- Reduced team implant charging errors and supply waste to save the organization an average of $20,000 per month.
RN Staff Nurse
VA Medical Center
Minneapolis, MN
12.2023 - 05.2025
- Neurosurgery coordinator- liaison between neurosurgeons and team to ensure appropriate team, supplies, vendor reps and preferences are utilized.
- Administered medications and monitored patient responses for effective pain management.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to develop and implement individualized care plans.
- Conducted comprehensive assessments to identify patient needs and establish priorities for care.
- Implemented infection control protocols to maintain a safe healthcare environment for patients and staff.
- Circulated ortho, neuro, ENT, general and urology surgical cases
Perioperative Charge Nurse
Health Carousel Staffing
Flagstaff, AZ
05.2023 - Current
- Trained new nurses in proper techniques, care standards, operational procedures, and safety protocols.
- Coordinated nursing care on unit through staff assignments, assisting and rounding with physicians, monitoring patient orders, and communicating with ancillary departments.
- Conducted daily shift briefs to inform staff of changes in patient care assignments.
- Supervised and managed daily scheduling, tasking, and administration.
- Monitored nursing care, patient assessment processes, and treatment implementations.
Travel RN
Triage Healthcare
Phoenix, AZ, Tucson AZ
11.2021 - 05.2023
- Updated patient charts with surgical case details
- Communicated with healthcare team members to plan, implement and enhance treatment strategies.
- Prepared surgical suite according to surgery and surgeon preference
- Collaborated with the surgical team to ensure the highest safety and surgical standards for the patient.
- Adhered to AORN standards of perioperative practice.
Perioperative Supervisor
M Health Fairview
Minneapolis, MN
11.2020 - 10.2021
- Applied strong leadership talents and problem-solving skills to maintain team efficiency and organize workflows to meet any daily demand.
- Oversee and optimize work of 40 Registered Nurses and Surgical Technologists performing high quality orthopedic and complex spinal surgical cases
- Set overall vision and provided team leadership
- Charged with staffing, performance management and reviews, coaching, mentoring, salary development and budget allocations
- Measured effectiveness of customer success by defining operational metrics, tracking systems and reporting to executive team
- Interview, hire and train new employees for Registered Peri-operative Nursing and Surgical Technologist positions
- Focused on innovation to ensure patient safety and positive patient outcomes
Patient Care Facilitator
Maple Grove Hospital
03.2010 - 11.2020
- Circulated and scrubbed over 10,000 cases for a busy community-based hospital operating room. Primary surgical cases include Ortho (total joint), GYN, General, DaVinci Robot, ENT, Plastics and Urology
- Anticipated surgeon needs for scheduled cases including coordination of specialized equipment, appropriately trained staff, and instrumentation needs
- Provided documentation and charting via EPIC
- Instituted "smoke-free" policy in the OR
- Prepared OR by ensuring asepsis protocols were followed, as well as pulling, organizing, and counting surgical supplies required for each procedure
- Acted as a hospital steward to avoid waste and unnecessary expenses during procedures
- Assisted with hiring, daily staffing, staff reviews, disciplinary actions, and staff education needs
RN, Service Leader
Maple Grove Hospital Surgical Services
03.2017 - 03.2019
- Responsible for 6 OR facility Specialties included Ortho, Spine, GYN, General, Plastics, and Urology
- Managed nursing care within the OR by observing the surgical team from a broad perspective and assisted the team in creating and maintaining a safe, comfortable environment while ensuring patient safety
- Developed team communications and information for SCIP protocol
- Evaluated and coordinated trials of new supplies and equipment while working within budget and contract parameters
- Collaborated with physicians, medical device representatives and staff to educate on new surgical procedures
- Provided for smooth day to day operation of all surgical specialties
- Supported the nursing team in exceeding patient care goals and fostering continuous improvement
- Utilized evidence-based practice to educate surgeons and staff in order to transition OR to a smoke-free environment
Associate Nurse Manager
Methodist Hospital
01.2007 - 03.2010
- Responsible for daily staffing of 30 operating rooms
- Service lead over GYN and Neuro/Spine specialties performing over 800 cases per year
- Educated and trained staff
- Ensured appropriate equipment and supplies were available for cases
- Liaised between materials department, Sterile Processing Department and operating room teams, ensuring availability of requisite instruments and equipment, including loaned and specialty devices
- Collaborated with vendors for speedy procurement of services and equipment
Surgical Technologist
Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital
01.2002 - 12.2006
- Provided scrubbing surgical assistance and support to surgeons during general, gynecology, genitourinary, orthopedic, neurosurgery and plastic surgery procedures
- Gathered and set up equipment, tools, and supplies and arrange instruments according to surgeons' preferences or instruction
- Introduced new staff members to training protocols regarding operating room procedures, infection control, safety standards and overall facility policies
- Maintained high infection control standards
Education
Doctor of Nursing Practice - Nursing
Wake Forest School of Medicine
Winston-Salem, NC08.2023
Master of Science - Healthcare Innovation
Arizona State University
Phoenix, AZ12.2020
Bachelor of Science - Nursing
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ2018
Associates Degree - Nursing
St. Catherine University
St. Paul, MN2006
Skills
- Perioperative Nursing
- Self-motivated
- Team leadership
- Strong verbal communication
- Conflict resolution
- Process implementation
- Global Health
Additional Information
- License: MN Nursing License 1771985 Arizona Nursing License 265082
- Certification: BLS, ACLS, and PALS Life Support, American Red Cross
Timeline
Operating Room Nurse Manager
Hennepin Healthcare
05.2025 - Current
RN Staff Nurse
VA Medical Center
12.2023 - 05.2025
Perioperative Charge Nurse
Health Carousel Staffing
05.2023 - Current
Travel RN
Triage Healthcare
11.2021 - 05.2023
Perioperative Supervisor
M Health Fairview
11.2020 - 10.2021
RN, Service Leader
Maple Grove Hospital Surgical Services
03.2017 - 03.2019
Patient Care Facilitator
Maple Grove Hospital
03.2010 - 11.2020
Associate Nurse Manager
Methodist Hospital
01.2007 - 03.2010
Surgical Technologist
Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital
01.2002 - 12.2006
Associates Degree - Nursing
St. Catherine University
Doctor of Nursing Practice - Nursing
Wake Forest School of Medicine
Master of Science - Healthcare Innovation
Arizona State University
Bachelor of Science - Nursing
Arizona State University