Karen Sammons
Charleston,WV
Summary
Pioneered individualized care strategies, significantly boosting treatment outcomes and patient retention rates in a dynamic medical environment. Streamlined holistic care protocols, effectively managing acute and chronic conditions while strengthening patient-practitioner communication. Engineered patient education modules, fostering a 25% growth in patient engagement and trust through empathetic and detailed care strategies. Compassionate Registered Nurse recognized for productive and efficient task completion. I am skilled in patient assessment, emergency care, and pain management. Possess strong communication skills, adaptability to high-stress environments, and ability to work effectively in team settings. Excel in providing exceptional patient care through empathy, patience, and active listening.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Registered Nurse
Thomas Hospital
South Charleston, WV
08.2025 - Current
- Administered medications and treatments following established protocols and guidelines.
- Monitored patient progress, documented changes, and communicated with healthcare team members.
- Guided nursing staff in adopting best practices for patient care and safety.
- Improved patient admission processes to enhance efficiency and care experience.
- Supported junior nurses by fostering a collaborative environment for their development.
- Applied critical thinking skills to prioritize nursing interventions based on patient acuity and individual needs.
- Conducted comprehensive patient assessments to identify condition changes, promptly notifying physicians and initiating interventions.
- Administered medications safely per established guidelines while monitoring for side effects or adverse reactions.
- Boosted patient satisfaction through compassionate, holistic nursing care addressing physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.
- Mitigated infection risks by adhering to strict infection control protocols and educating patients on hygiene.
- Served as a preceptor for nursing students during clinical rotations, providing real-world experience and guidance.
- Informed patients and caregivers on proper wound management, discharge plans, safe medication use, and disease management.
- Educated family members and caregivers on patient care instructions.
CLINICAL MANAGER
Mountain State Health and Wellness
Charleston, WV
02.2024 - Current
- Conducted performance evaluations and initiated professional development plans that fostered a culture of continuous improvement and employee engagement.
- Implemented a comprehensive staff training program that resulted in a 15% reduction in medical errors and enhanced team performance.
- Streamlined the patient triage process, which increased clinic throughput by 15% without compromising quality of care.
- Spearheaded a patient education initiative on chronic disease management, resulting in a 35% improvement in patient compliance and health outcomes.
- Provided exceptional patient care by maintaining a compassionate and professional demeanor, as evidenced by a 98% approval rating in patient satisfaction surveys.
OPERATING ROOM REGISTERED NURSE (OR RN)
Charleston Surgical Hospital
Charleston, WV
01.2019 - 02.2024
- Successfully coordinated and managed over 200 surgical procedures annually, ensuring adherence to safety protocols and efficiency measures, resulting in a 15% reduction in surgery times.
- Played a key role in the hospital's surgical services accreditation process by rigorously maintaining and updating surgical instruments and equipment, contributing to a successful audit outcome.
- Streamlined the pre-operative and post-operative patient care processes, enhancing patient satisfaction scores by 30% through improved communication and thorough patient education.
WOUND CARE NURSE
Sanit Francis Wound Care Center
Charleston, WV
08.2018 - 01.2019
- Identified potential patient safety issues and assisted in developing initiatives that increased safety.
- Successfully reduced patient wound healing time by 30% through the implementation of innovative treatment plans and advanced wound care techniques.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to create individualized care plans, achieving a 92% patient satisfaction rate in wound care management.
- Played a key role in the accreditation process for the hospital’s wound care program by ensuring compliance with industry standards, contributing to successful certification.
Nursing Supervisor
Arc Of The Three Rivers
Charleston, WV
02.2014 - 09.2015
- Supervise nursing staff to ensure high-quality patient care and compliance with protocols.
- Implement training programs for new nurses, enhancing team skills and performance standards.
- Develop and maintain nursing schedules to optimize staff coverage and patient needs.
- Coordinate interdisciplinary meetings to discuss patient care strategies and address concerns.
- Monitor patient outcomes, identifying areas for improvement in service delivery.
- Lead quality assurance initiatives to uphold regulatory standards and improve care quality.
- Promoted interdisciplinary collaboration by fostering strong relationships with physicians, therapists, and other healthcare professionals.
- Mentored new nursing staff members to promote adherence to established best practices and foster professional growth.
- Followed all HIPAA rules and regulations regarding patient confidentiality.
- Delegated tasks and provided leadership for 9 nurses and support personnel.
- Discussed patient care and treatment with care team members to optimize intervention plans and care delivery.
- Answered questions and addressed concerns from employees via email, phone and in person.
- Managed staffing needs efficiently by creating flexible schedules that maximized coverage during peak times without exceeding budget constraints.
- Provided direct nursing care to patients when personnel was short-staffed.
- Ensured compliance with regulatory standards through regular audits of documentation, policies, and procedures.
- Maintained proper staff levels within budget parameters to deliver high levels of care to every patient.
Hospice Registered Nurse
Kanawha Couty Hospice Care
Charleston, WV
02.2013 - 06.2013
- Administered medications and treatments as prescribed, ensuring patient comfort and compliance with care plans.
- Conducted comprehensive assessments to evaluate patient conditions, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams for optimal care.
- Educated patients and families on end-of-life care options, fostering understanding and support during challenging times.
- Managed symptom relief strategies, enhancing quality of life through effective pain management techniques.
- Developed individualized care plans based on patient needs, preferences, and clinical guidelines to ensure holistic support.
- Provided education on disease processes, medication administration, and self-care techniques for both patients and families.
- Improved patient comfort by providing compassionate end-of-life care and addressing individual needs.
- Facilitated smooth transitions between home-based or facility settings while maintaining continuity of care throughout the hospice journey.
- Demonstrated strong communication skills while working closely with interdisciplinary team members and maintaining open lines of dialogue with patients'' families.
- Developed strong relationships with local hospitals to expedite referrals and streamline admission processes for hospice candidates.
- Conducted regular clinical assessments of assigned patients, identifying any changes in condition that may necessitate modifications to the care plan.
- Participated in ongoing training sessions to remain current on best practices in palliative care delivery methods and regulatory guidelines.
- Served as patient advocate during care conferences with physicians, therapists, social workers, and other team members.
Trauma Registered Nurse
Charleston Area Medical Center Health System Inc.
Charleston, WV
01.2010 - 02.2013
- Delivered high-quality patient care in fast-paced trauma environment.
- Assessed and triaged patients to prioritize critical interventions.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to develop comprehensive treatment plans.
- Administered medications and treatments per established protocols and guidelines.
- Educated patients and families on post-trauma recovery and ongoing care needs.
- Implemented process improvements that increased efficiency in trauma response procedures.
- Provided exceptional emergency care to victims of motor vehicle accidents, gunshot wounds, stabbings, falls, burns, and other traumatic injuries while maintaining a calm demeanor under pressure.
- Promoted a culture of safety through active reporting and investigation of adverse events, implementing corrective actions when necessary to prevent future occurrences.
- Aided in reducing hospital readmissions by providing thorough discharge planning education for both patients and caregivers on self-care management strategies post-trauma event.
- Developed a reputation for clinical excellence within the trauma nursing community by regularly attending professional development conferences and staying abreast of new research findings in the field.
- Reduced medical complications by collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to develop comprehensive care plans for critically ill patients.
- Administered medications and treatments as prescribed by physicians.
- Treated patients requiring stabilization and resuscitation for variety of illnesses and injuries.
- Detected, monitored and attempted to prevent complications associated with health situations or treatment plans.
- Maintained and upgraded knowledge, skills, nursing practice and competencies affecting quality of nursing care and re-licensure.
- Provided skilled, timely and level-headed emergency response to critically-ill patients.
- Used first-hand knowledge and clinical expertise to advocate for patients under care and enacted prescribed treatment strategies.
- Promoted patient and family comfort during challenging recoveries to enhance healing and eliminate non-compliance problems.
- Facilitated therapeutic communication, conflict resolution and crisis intervention by redirecting negative behaviors and helping patients regain or improve coping abilities.
- Equipped patients with tools and knowledge needed for speedy and sustained recovery.
Education
Master of Science -
Walden University
Minneapolis, MN02-2025
Bachelor of Science in Nursing - undefined
Capella University
Minneapolis, MN01-2021
Associate Degree Nursing - undefined
BridgeValley Community and Technical College
South Charleston, WV07-2010
Skills
- Medication and IV administration
- Medication administration
- Direct patient care
- Patient assessments
- Documentation and charting
- Patient assessment
- Strong clinical judgment
- Patient education and counseling
- Clinical judgment
- Infection control measures
- Wound care
- Compassion and empathy
- IV setup
- Intravenous therapy
- Professional bedside manner
- Patient management
- Patient evaluation
- Licensed RN
- Advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) certification
- Medication distribution
- Precepting
- Team coordination
Certification
- Registered Nurse, West Virginia Compact license
- Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS), American Heart Association
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), American Heart Association
Affiliations
- Sigma Alpha Pi | Mar 2023 - Present
- American Nurses Association | Apr 2020 - Present
- Phi Beta Kappa | Jul 2024
- National Student Nurses Association | 2000 – 2004
Timeline
Registered Nurse
Thomas Hospital
08.2025 - Current
CLINICAL MANAGER
Mountain State Health and Wellness
02.2024 - Current
OPERATING ROOM REGISTERED NURSE (OR RN)
Charleston Surgical Hospital
01.2019 - 02.2024
WOUND CARE NURSE
Sanit Francis Wound Care Center
08.2018 - 01.2019
Nursing Supervisor
Arc Of The Three Rivers
02.2014 - 09.2015
Hospice Registered Nurse
Kanawha Couty Hospice Care
02.2013 - 06.2013
Trauma Registered Nurse
Charleston Area Medical Center Health System Inc.
01.2010 - 02.2013
Bachelor of Science in Nursing - undefined
Capella University
Associate Degree Nursing - undefined
BridgeValley Community and Technical College
Master of Science -
Walden University