KALEIALOHA CHAVEZ
Tucson
Summary
Compassionate and dedicated registered nurse with over 20 years of healthcare experience in a variety of medical settings and roles to include intensive care units on military installations both stateside and in deployed field environments, surgical and family practice outpatient clinics, acute dialysis in the hospitals and nursing homes, home hemodialysis and home peritoneal dialysis clinics. Skilled in providing exceptional care and committed to rendering patient-centered care to diverse patient populations ranging from pediatrics to geriatrics of various national backgrounds and cultures.
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
2
2
Certifications
Work History
Home Hemodialysis/Peritoneal Dialysis Nurse
DaVita
Tucson, Oro Valley, and Sells
07.2015 - Current
- Executes pre and post dialysis patient assessments, ensuring thorough evaluation of treatment and accurate documentation of medication administration using established protocols
- Collects and evaluates patient assessments and laboratory data; identifies abnormal values and formulates responses while informing physicians in ongoing patient management plans
- Evaluates necessary skills for performing surveillance on dialysis access to recognize early signs of failure or infection and implements sterile technique to access, prepare, and cannulate patient vascular access for aseptic connection to dialysis equipment.
- Drove growth of home program with strategic use of resources and management tools.
Managed daily responsibilities of patient care technicians, ensuring quality patient support. - Engages in the preparation of Facility Health Tool and meetings guided by facility's Medical Director, reviews clinical outcomes, and collaboratively develops strategies for positive health results.
- Reviewed and documented infectious trends alongside vaccination statuses in accordance with policy.
Oversaw monthly audits for infection control, ensuring strict adherence to established practices.
Strengthened infection control initiatives, leading to improved care quality and lower infection rates.
Acute Hemodialysis Nurse
DaVita
Tucson
01.2014 - 07.2015
- Served as the Charge Nurse for a 6 bed inpatient dialysis unit
- Delegated tasks to all direct patient care staff to assess daily patient care needs and develop appropriate patient care assignments
- Performed the initiation and discontinuation of real replacement therapies, emergency management, and bedside clinical care under the direction of the nephrologist
- Communicated with other hospital departments, outside agencies and dialysis facilities to ensure optimal dialysis treatment and continuity of care
- Integrated values and language preferences into healthcare delivery through a culturally sensitive process
- Educated patients as well as family members and answered questions on health conditions and treatment
Acute Hemodialysis Nurse
DaVita
Sacramento
10.2012 - 12.2013
- Collaborated with physicians to quickly assess patients and deliver appropriate treatments while managing rapidly changing conditions
- Prepared dialysis machines for treatments which include cleaning, disinfecting, and priming
- Monitored patient conditions including interpreting telemetry readings and updating team members on changes in patient stability or acuity
Aerospace Medical Services Technician-Craftsman
Department of Defense-United States Air Force
Travis Air Force Base
08.2000 - 07.2011
- Obtained National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians certification and deployed to multiple Middle East locations rendering emergency medical care to local nationals and American soldiers in support of Operation Enduring and Iraqi Freedom
- Provided exceptional care as a highly skilled medical technician for critically ill patient in medical and surgical intensive care units
- Trained and proficient in performing nasogastric, urinary catheter, and intravenous line insertions, performing and interpreting EKG readings, feeding/lifting/bathing/transferring immobile patients, obtaining vital signs and fluid intake and output levels
- Assisted physicians with examinations and special procedures including mechanical ventilation, cardiovascular and neurovascular procedures, and dialysis in an ICU setting
- Performed hemodialysis machine maintenance and water treatment system component maintenance in accordance with Advancement of Medical Instrumentation and local policy standards
- Assisted providers with post surgical examinations, therapeutic measures, and procedures including endoscopies, colonoscopies, and lipoma/cyst removals in a surgical outpatient clinic
- Administered I.V. fluid therapy, oral medications, intravenous/subcutaneous/intradermal injections as ordered by the provider in a family practice clinic setting
Education
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) - Nursing
Pacific Union College
Angwin, California12.2011
Skills
- Critical thinking and analysis
- Patient assessment
- Care coordination
- Aseptic technique
- Medication administration
- Automated peritoneal dialysis
- Laboratory test interpretation
- Patient education
- Compassionate care
- Electronic medical records
Certification
Arizona Registered Nurse, #183288
Personal Information
Title: REGISTERED NURSE, BSN
Timeline
Home Hemodialysis/Peritoneal Dialysis Nurse
DaVita
07.2015 - Current
Acute Hemodialysis Nurse
DaVita
01.2014 - 07.2015
Acute Hemodialysis Nurse
DaVita
10.2012 - 12.2013
Aerospace Medical Services Technician-Craftsman
Department of Defense-United States Air Force
08.2000 - 07.2011
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) - Nursing
Pacific Union College