Kimberly Croteau
Registered Nurse
Colorado Springs,CO
Summary
Highly adaptable RN with 28 years' experience in nursing. Have worked in various
fields of nursing such as perioperative nursing, long term care, hospice, chronic
pain management and home health nursing . Hold a compact state license with
Colorado being the issuing state. Currently work three areas of perioperative
nursing including preadmission, preop and PACU. Would be an asset to any
facility .
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Registered Nurse, PACU
Evans Army Community Hospital
Colorado Springs, CO
06.2020 - Current
- Managed care from admission to discharge.
- Implemented medication and IV administration, catheter insertion and airway management.
- Organized and managed care of patients undergoing various therapies and procedures.
- Advised patients and caregivers of proper wound management, discharge plan objectives, safe medication use and disease management.
- Maintained quality care and comfort for patients with heart failure, pulmonary hypertension and other conditions.
- Provided direct patient care, stabilized patients and determined next course of action.
- Secured controlled narcotics and distributed medication on schedule to meet patient needs and minimize misuse opportunities.
- Evaluated healthcare needs, goals for treatment and available resources of each patient and connected to optimal providers and care.
- Educated patients, families and caregivers on diagnosis and prognosis, treatment options, disease process and management and lifestyle options.
- Collaborated with physicians to quickly assess patients and deliver appropriate treatment while managing rapidly changing conditions.
- Collected blood, tissue and other laboratory specimens and prepared for lab testing.
- Audited charts and reviewed clinical documents to verify accuracy.
- Reviewed post-operative orders and continuously monitored patients' post-operative vitals, set up PCA and fluids and oriented patients to unit.
- Trained new nurses in proper techniques, care standards, operational procedures and safety protocols.
- Monitored patient reactions to drugs and carefully documented findings.
- Kept optimal supply levels in treatment rooms, triage and other areas to meet typical patient loads.
- Contributed substantially to successful department JCAHO accreditation by consistently operating to highest standards of care.
- Administered medications via oral, IV and intramuscular injections and monitored responses.
- Administered medications and treatment to patients and monitored responses while working with healthcare teams to adjust care plans.
- Updated patient charts with data such as medications to keep records current and support accurate treatments.
- Provided didactic and clinical instructions to orient new nurses and potential student nurses to achieve training outcomes.
- Monitored patient condition by interpreting and tracking EKG readings, identifying irregular telemetry readings and updating team members on changes in stability or acuity.
Registered Nurse
Audubon Surgery Center
Colorado Springs, CO
07.2011 - 04.2020
- Applied nursing expertise to meet needs of surgical patients in challenging operating room environment.
- Strengthened training and nursing knowledge by taking part in continuing education programs and skill builder workshops.
- Quickly responded to situations impacting safety and security to OR, actualizing crisis prevention interventions to control and de-escalate situations.
- Administered different therapies and medications in line with physician orders and treatment plan.
- Facilitated therapeutic communication, conflict resolution and crisis intervention by redirecting negative behaviors and helping patients and team members deal with high stress environment
- Used first-hand knowledge and clinical expertise to advocate for patients under care and enacted prescribed treatment strategies.
- Educated family members and caregivers on patient care instructions.
- Leveraged feedback and process improvement opportunities to create safer and healthier environment and increase patient safety. Kept supplies in operating rooms and other areas to meet typical patient loads. Assisted anesthesia in induction of anesthesia.
- Updated patient charts with data such as medications to keep records current and support accurate treatments.
- Verified patient information to make licensed staff aware of relevant health factors.
- Observed surgeon's body language, movements and demeanor during operations to anticipate needs.
- Collected, labeled and transported specimens and delivered to lab for testing.
- Prepped operating rooms by procedure and protocol to comply with environmental asepsis standards.
- Coordinated nursing care to be carried out according to facility guidelines and regulations.
- Trained new nurses in proper techniques, care standards, operational procedures and safety protocols.
- Provided direct support to surgical team during procedures by following protocols.
- Collaborated with members of patients' healthcare team to deliver appropriate level of care.
- Collaborated with members of patients' healthcare team to deliver appropriate level of care.
Registered Nurse, Medical-Surgical Unit
Shriners Hospital For Children
Shreveport, LA
10.1993 - 05.2011
- Monitored patient condition by interpreting and tracking EKG readings, identifying irregular telemetry readings and updating team members on changes in stability or acuity.
- Advocated for patients by communicating care preferences to practitioners, verifying interventions met treatment goals and identifying insurance coverage limitations.
- Collected blood, tissue and other laboratory specimens and prepared for lab testing.
- Organized and managed care of patients undergoing various therapies and procedures.
- Monitored patient reactions to drugs and carefully documented findings.
- Implemented medication and IV administration, catheter insertion and airway management.
- Provided direct patient care, stabilized patients and determined next course of action.
- Contributed substantially to successful department JCAHO accreditation by consistently operating to highest standards of care.
- Managed care from admission to discharge.
- Minimized hospital stays with recovery-centered approaches, reducing average in-patient stay length.
- Educated patients, families and caregivers on diagnosis and prognosis, treatment options, disease process and management and lifestyle options.
- Participated in nursing simulation activities, evidence-based practice project implementation and competency development to further nursing education.
- Collaborated with physicians to quickly assess patients and deliver appropriate treatment while managing rapidly changing conditions.
- Oversaw delivery of care for patients on medical-surgical unit, providing direct care, delegating nursing assignments, and supervising team comprised of nurses, LPNs, technicians and unit clerks.
- Taught patients how to improve lifestyle choices, dramatically reducing chance of symptom reoccurrence.
- Advised patients and caregivers of proper wound management, discharge plan objectives, safe medication use and disease management.
- Evaluated healthcare needs, goals for treatment and available resources of each patient and connected to optimal providers and care.
- Kept optimal supply levels in treatment rooms, triage and other areas to meet typical patient loads.
- Reviewed post-operative orders and continuously monitored patients' post-operative vitals, set up PCA and fluids and oriented patients to unit.
- Updated patient charts with data such as medications to keep records current and support accurate treatments.
- Administered medications via oral, IV and intramuscular injections and monitored responses.
- Trained new nurses in proper techniques, care standards, operational procedures and safety protocols.
- Administered medications and treatment to patients and monitored responses while working with healthcare teams to adjust care plans.
- Provided exceptional care to high-acute patients needing complex care such as ventilator management, extensive wound care and rehabilitation.
- Secured controlled narcotics and distributed medication on schedule to meet patient needs and minimize misuse opportunities.
- Provided didactic and clinical instructions to orient new nurses and potential student nurses to achieve training outcomes.
Education
Associate of Applied Science - Nursing
Kilgore College
Kilgore, TX05.1993
Skills
- Patient Examination
- Patient Care Assessment
- Surgical Preparation
- Medical Procedure Preparation
- Patient Condition Monitoring
- Accurate Documentation
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring Vital Signs
- Output Monitoring and Reporting
- Compassionate and Caring
- Blood Draw and Sample Collection
- Vital Signs Collection
- Medication Administration
- Electronic Recordkeeping
- Direct Patient Care
Accomplishments
I was voted Shriner's Hospital for Children
Nurse of the Year-1999. This is a peer based
recognition and there is no higher honor than to be
acknowledged by your peers facility wide.
Certification
- PALS ,ACLS,BLS
Timeline
Registered Nurse, PACU
Evans Army Community Hospital
06.2020 - Current
Registered Nurse
Audubon Surgery Center
07.2011 - 04.2020
Registered Nurse, Medical-Surgical Unit
Shriners Hospital For Children
10.1993 - 05.2011
Associate of Applied Science - Nursing
Kilgore College
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