KARA SUTTON
SAN FRANCISCO,CA
Summary
Certified Nurse Practitioner with 20 years in critical care medicine, providing management for acute and chronic conditions. Delivers evidence-based patient and family education to improve treatment adherence. Applies clinical judgment and communication to resolve care-delivery issues and maintain continuity of high-quality care.
Overview
1
1
Certification
22
22
years of professional experience
Work History
Nurse Practitioner
Stanford Healthcare Neurosurgery
Palo Alto, California
05.2024 - Current
- Supported high-volume neurosurgical team across spine, vascular, and tumor service line.
- Provided patient care for complex medical needs to improve outcomes for critically ill patients with hypertension, diabetes, renal failure, cardiac disease, closed head injuries, spinal injuries, strokes, seizures, and tumors.
- Completed physical assessments, ordered lab tests, reviewed results, and managed medications.
- Responded to acute and emergency situations with timely interventions.
- Provided admission and discharge orders, plans, education and summaries for all patients.
ICU Charge/Staff Registered Nurse, MICU
Stanford Healthcare
PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA
08.2021 - 05.2024
- Executed diverse roles, including resource, FASST, preceptor, CRRT super-user, Cortrak user, and charge committee secretary, supported staff training and development.
- Managed multiple tasks simultaneously while maintaining quality standards of care.
- Demonstrated effective communication skills while interacting with patients, families, physicians and other healthcare staff members.
- Assessed diverse patient populations, including lung/liver transplant, sepsis, oncology, and neurologic cases.
Unit Educator/ICU Charge/Staff Registered Nurse, NICU
Stanford Healthcare
Palo Alto, California
10.2020 - 08.2021
- Educated staff through onboarding for new hires, lectures and equipment training for graduate nurses, staff meeting presentations, developed Advanced Neuro Assessment class for continuing education credits, and created educational materials for critical care region.
- Contributed to stroke and educator committees to enhance clinical practices and improve patient care.
- Assessed educational materials for clinical relevance and accuracy to ensure effective learning outcomes.
- Identified weakness and strengths to create strategic student/new graduate improvement plans.
- Provided feedback on work, behavior, and attitude toward learning.
ICU RN•Trauma/Surgical/Medical/Neuro ICU
Stanford Healthcare
Palo Alto, California
05.2013 - 10.2020
- Delivered high-quality patient care in critical and complex scenarios.
- Responded quickly and effectively to code blue situations for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and advanced cardiac life support.
- Acted as a resource, preceptor, CRRT provider, and lead Contrak user to enhance team capabilities.
- Authored and presented educational materials, improving staff knowledge and patient management.
- Contributed to various hospital committees, including Neuro champion (co-chair), SICU/trauma, Equipment, and Bioethics, to improve patient care.
ICU RN
American Mobile Healthcare
San Deigo & Palo Alto, CALIFORNIA
02.2012 - 05.2013
- Provided care to critically ill patients in a fast-paced environment.
- Worked in multiple ICUs caring for a wide variety of patient populations.
- Evaluated the effectiveness of nursing interventions through ongoing assessment of patient responses and outcomes.
- Adapted to new work environments, delivering evidence-based care tailored to diverse patient needs.
ICU RN • SICU/Neuro Unit
University of Minnesota Medical Center
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA
04.2010 - 02.2012
- Worked as a staff RN in a high acuity university ICU, delivering critical care to a diverse patient population.
- Experience with ventilator management, intracranial monitoring, advanced hemodynamic monitoring and interpretation, neuromuscular blockades, train of four, CRRT, and balloon pumps.
- Assisted during emergency procedures and critical interventions.
- Provided emotional support to families during critical situations, enhancing their coping mechanisms and overall experience.
ICU RN
American Mobile Healthcare
Denver, Colorado
11.2009 - 05.2010
- Travel RN in a mixed ICU population with a cardiac and ENT emphasis.
- Monitored patients' conditions regularly to track treatment progress, symptom changes, and emergency intervention needs.
- Supervised cardiac monitors, mechanical ventilators, alarms, and oxygen delivery devices to ensure patient safety.
- Supported patients and families during challenging situations, enhancing comfort and promoting recovery.
ICU RN, Mixed Population ICU
Presbyterian Hospital
Albuquerque, New Mexico
05.2004 - 11.2009
- Led nursing team in providing patient care in high-acuity environments. Roles included; Charge, MET (medical emergency team) nurse, preceptor and code team member in a mixed population high acuity community hospital.
- Developed strong relationships with interdisciplinary teams throughout hospital departments.
- Responded promptly to code blue situations, delivering cardiopulmonary resuscitation and advanced cardiac life support.
- Responded independently to emergencies, quickly assessing and performing emergency interventions while forming a plan of care.
Education
MASTER OF SCIENCE - NURSING
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO
San Francisco, CA06-2023
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE - NURSING
GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY
Phoenix, AZ05-2013
ASSOCIATE DEGREE - NURSING
CENTRAL NEW MEXICO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Albuquerque, NM05-2004
Skills
- Patient assessment
- Medication management
- Emergency interventions
- Treatment planning
- Care coordination
- Interdisciplinary collaboration
- Critical thinking
- Patient education
Certification
- AGACNP-BC, CCRN, ENLS, ACLS/BLS, Neurocritical Care Society, AANN, SSCM, AACN
LEADERSHIP, TEACHING, AND PUBLICATIONS
- PRESENTATIONS:
- George Lopez, MD PhD; Kara Sutton, BSN, RN; Theresa Human, PharmD; Henrikas Vaitkevicius, MD. "Crossroads Between Oncology and Neurocritical Care: CAR T-Cell Therapy. Pharmacology", Neurotoxicity, and Developing a Care Pathway in your NICU; Neurocritical Care Society Annual Conference, 2019
- Kara Sutton, BSN, RN. "ICANS take care of these patients - CAR-T therapy presentation", SF Bay Area Oncology Nursing Society, 2019
- Kara Sutton, BSN, RN. "ICANS take care of these patients - CAR-T therapy presentation", Medical Intensive Care committee, Stanford Healthcare, 2019
- Kara Sutton, BSN, RN. "NIHSS/Stroke", ValleyCare Medical 2017
- POSTER PRESENTATIONS:
- Darren Batara, BSN, MS; Honey Beddington BSN, RN, CCRN, CNRN; Karen G. Hirsch, MD; Elizabeth Kim, MSN, ACNS-BC, CCRN, FAHA; Kara Sutton, BSN, RN. "The Role of Neuroscience Champions in a Mixed Intensive Care Unit", Neurocritical Care Society Annual Conference, 2017
- Elizabeth Fox, MSN, AGACNP, ACNS, FAHA; Kara Sutton, RN, BSN; Cherwyn F. Nguyen, PharmD; Darren Batara, RN, BSN, MS; Christine Henley, MSN, CNL, TCRN, CCRN; Chitra Venkatasubramanian, MD. "Taking the Chill Off! - Design and Implementation of a Nurse Driven Shivering Protocol", Neurocritical Care Society Annual Conference, 2017.
- Kara Sutton BSN RN, Theresa Latchford RN MS CNS, Karen G. Hirsch, MD, Darren Batara BSN MS. "CAR-T: Driving a Pathway for Change", Stanford Healthcare, Neurocritical Care Society Annual Conference, 2018
- STAFF MEETING PRESENTATIONS:
- Massive transfusion protocol, Neurologic assessment, Stroke/NIHSS, Swallow screen/dysphagia, Moyamoya, CRRT, Liver transplant, C-spine injury/clearance, Therapeutic Temperature management (TTM), Shivering protocol, EVD, Belmont, CCO, Trans-radial band, esophageal temperature probe, EVD, CCO monitoring, Multimodal monitoring, PA catheters, etc.
Timeline
Nurse Practitioner
Stanford Healthcare Neurosurgery
05.2024 - Current
ICU Charge/Staff Registered Nurse, MICU
Stanford Healthcare
08.2021 - 05.2024
Unit Educator/ICU Charge/Staff Registered Nurse, NICU
Stanford Healthcare
10.2020 - 08.2021
ICU RN•Trauma/Surgical/Medical/Neuro ICU
Stanford Healthcare
05.2013 - 10.2020
ICU RN
American Mobile Healthcare
02.2012 - 05.2013
ICU RN • SICU/Neuro Unit
University of Minnesota Medical Center
04.2010 - 02.2012
ICU RN
American Mobile Healthcare
11.2009 - 05.2010
ICU RN, Mixed Population ICU
Presbyterian Hospital
05.2004 - 11.2009
MASTER OF SCIENCE - NURSING
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE - NURSING
GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY
ASSOCIATE DEGREE - NURSING
CENTRAL NEW MEXICO COMMUNITY COLLEGE