Karina Cruz
Nurse Practitioner
Punta Gorda,FL
Summary
Compassionate Director of Nursing and Nurse Practitioner dedicated to maintaining the highest standards in nursing practices and policies. Demonstrated leadership and mentorship capabilities have significantly improved staff development and community engagement. Expertise in regulatory compliance has led to successful outcomes in managerial roles. Committed to leveraging this experience to enhance patient care and operational efficiency within a progressive healthcare organization.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Director of Nursing
Charlotte Endoscopy Surgery Center
Port Charlotte, Fl
09.2018 - Current
- Introduced and maintained nursing protocols to enhance patient care.
- Provided clinical guidance and direction to nursing staff to ensure quality care was provided in a timely manner.
- Oversaw the daily operations of the nursing department including staffing, scheduling, budgeting, and resource allocation.
- Conducted performance evaluations for all nursing staff members and made recommendations for improvement when necessary.
- Ensured compliance with state regulations regarding nurse-to-patient ratios and other safety guidelines.
- Implemented strategies for improving patient satisfaction scores in the nursing department on an ongoing basis.
- Assisted with recruitment efforts by interviewing potential employees and making hiring decisions when appropriate.
- Maintained accurate records of staff certifications, licensure, continuing education credits.
Nurse Manager
Memorial Same Day Surgery
Miramar, FL
02.2015 - 08.2018
- Developed and implemented nursing policies and procedures.
- Provided guidance to staff on patient care, clinical practice, and professional development.
- Monitored quality assurance activities for compliance with standards of care.
- Participated in the recruitment, interviewing, selection, orientation of new employees.
- Collaborated with other departments to ensure quality patient outcomes.
- Evaluated performance of individual nurses against established standards.
- Conducted regular meetings with staff to discuss concerns or issues related to nursing practices.
- Reviewed patient charts for accuracy and completeness of documentation.
Motility Procedure Nurse
University of Pennsylvania
Miami, Fl
04.2014 - 09.2016
- Motility procedure nurse/ In charge of the motility department
- Collaborated with other healthcare professionals to develop individualized plans of care for each patient.
- Educated patients on their medical condition, treatment plans, and self-care management techniques.
- Developed health promotion programs designed to educate the community about disease prevention strategies.
Preop/PACU Registered Nurse
Coral Gables Surgery Center
Miami, Florida
07.2007 - 03.2014
- Assisted with patient preparation for surgery, including providing preoperative instructions and administering premedication.
- Monitored vital signs, administered medication, and documented changes in patient condition.
- Performed assessments of the physical and psychological well-being of patients following surgical procedures.
- Utilized effective communication skills to educate patients and family members on side effects from both surgery and anesthesia.
- Monitored patient pain levels and administered medication to diminish patient discomfort.
- Collaborated with physicians and other healthcare professionals to develop individualized plans of care for each patient.
- Educated patients on proper self-care techniques after discharge from the PACU.
- Maintained accurate records of patient care services provided in accordance with hospital policies and standards of practice.
- Identified potential risk factors associated with anesthesia use and took appropriate action to reduce risks when necessary.
GI Procedure Nurse
Bayside Ambulatory Surgery Center
Miami, FL
02.2004 - 06.2007
- Assessed and monitored patient health conditions, including vital signs such as temperature, pulse rate and blood pressure.
- Administered medications and treatments in accordance with physician orders.
- Collaborated with other healthcare professionals to develop individualized plans of care for each patient.
- Ensured that all documentation was accurate and up-to-date according to established guidelines.
- Collected lab specimens, ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests and lab results.
Education
DNP - Doctoral Level of Study
Chamberlain College of Nursing
10-2024
Master of Science - Nurse Practitioner
University of Phoenix
Tempe, AZ05-2021
Master of Science - Leadership And Administration
University of Phoenix
Tempe, AZ11-2017
Bachelor of Science - BSN
University of Phoenix
Tempe, AZ07-2015
Skills
- Clinical staffing
- Multitasking Abilities
- Quality improvement initiatives
- Team building
- Business operation management
- Patient care management
- Clinical care oversight
- Nursing recruitment
- Problem-solving aptitude
- Clinical operations
- Care coordination
- HIPAA protocol adherence
- Risk management appointee
- Policy and procedure compliance
Languages
English
Native/ Bilingual
Spanish
Native/ Bilingual
Certification
ARNP
BLS
ACLS
SGNA of SWFL
APIC
Presentations
"Improving the Quality of Colonoscopy Bowel Preparation Prediction Model and the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale"
"Preventing Falls in an Outpatient Surgery Center"
"Cardiovascular disease in the Hispanic population"
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Director of Nursing
Charlotte Endoscopy Surgery Center
09.2018 - Current
Nurse Manager
Memorial Same Day Surgery
02.2015 - 08.2018
Motility Procedure Nurse
University of Pennsylvania
04.2014 - 09.2016
Preop/PACU Registered Nurse
Coral Gables Surgery Center
07.2007 - 03.2014
GI Procedure Nurse
Bayside Ambulatory Surgery Center
02.2004 - 06.2007
ARNP
BLS
ACLS
SGNA of SWFL
APIC
DNP - Doctoral Level of Study
Chamberlain College of Nursing
Master of Science - Nurse Practitioner
University of Phoenix
Master of Science - Leadership And Administration
University of Phoenix
Bachelor of Science - BSN
University of Phoenix
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