Kimberly Rice

Floor nurse responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Collaborated data with all levels of the Multi-disciplinary Treatment Team and other facility departments.
• Delivered treatments and direct nursing care according to physicians' orders in an inpatient environment.
• Uphold regulatory compliance within the nursing practice through adherence to state mandates, facility policies, Joint Commission readiness and established ethical guidelines.
• "Led by example", demonstrating strong work ethic and commitment to patient care, helping and inspiring staff to perform at their best.
• Collaboration with the multidisciplinary team to develop optimal Treatment Plans, resulting in improved patient outcomes.
• Boosted staff morale by fostering an inclusive work environment that valued teamwork and open communication amongst colleagues as well as educating staff with eating disorder specifics, but not limited to Feeding Tube Management.
• Established compassionate environment by providing psychological, emotional and spiritual support to patients and families.
• Nursing tasks include: Lab draws, Detox of patient with CIWA and COWS protocols, MTP weekly updates, ASAM documentation, Completing Admission Process of new pt arrivals, Medication Pass, Daily Assessments, DAP charting, Delegation of duties to BHT, Collaboration with DON on pt care needs as they arise, trauma awareness, ongoing SI/SH/HI Assessments and preceptorship of newly hired RN's.

Performing supervisory and managerial task appropriate to licensure; and perform related duties as required, including but not limited to performing the following services in a brand new adolescent treatment facility for young males 18 or younger;

• Collaboration with leadership and other departments for the delivery of evidence-based care to patients at a brand new facility for adolescent boys.
• Planning, directing, implementing and continuous improvement of nursing services within the organization and providing leadership and vision for all the nursing staff.
• Maintained accurate records of nursing employee performance evaluations and annual requirements, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.
• Rewrite and formulate new MBH policies in accordance with AZ State Regulations and Joint Commission standards of care for Adolescents.
• Maintain standards of patient care and compliance with organization policies and procedures as well as AZ State licensing regulations and Joint Commission standards.
• Oversaw and approved recruitment, hiring and orientation of new nursing staff.
• Direct supervisor to Registered Nurses and BHTS.
• Monitoring nursing staff performance and participated in Performance Improvement activities as directed by PI committee.
• Develop and implemented training programs for nursing staff.
• Ensure adequate staffing patterns in order to ensure continuous and timely availability of nursing services by covering on call for the Nursing Dept 24/7, and personally covering call offs when staff unavailable.
• Participate in DON Team weekly group interview process for Nursing and BHT candidates for MBH facility wide staffing needs.
• Reviewing and maintaining records for Annual EOC and Quarterly EOC for AZ State and Joint Commission regulations.
• Participate in managerial level duties including staffing hiring, budgeting, ordering and supervision of Nursing Department.
• Instrumental in creating an empowering and professional environment at TMAC as a new facility and directing how the department integrates into the entire MBH organization.
• Ensure that TMAC related policy and procedures were being followed.
• Managed Nursing Staff Budgets/FTE's effectively to ensure optimal use of resources while maintaining financial stability.
• Implemented innovative solutions to solve complex problems, resulting in increased productivity and streamlined operations.

• Leading and engaging employees to provide optimal patient care and achieve the goals of the organization.
• Monitored and evaluated nursing staff performance, providing feedback and guidance to support standards of care. Responsible for 60+ Annual Evaluations of both RN's and BHT’s.
• Review of the TMR Nursing Budget, finding multiple misallocations from other MBH campuses, allowing for the nursing budget to be balanced.
• On call coverage, every other week, including personally covering RN Shift call offs.
• Assist with Staff Moral during rebranding to "The Meadows Ranch."
• Monitoring nursing staff performance and participated in Performance Improvement activities as directed by PI Committee.
• Function as active member of the DON Team in weekly interview process for Nursing and BHT candidates.
• Responsible to Review and investigate causes/outcomes of Incident Reports and report to Risk management.
• Liaison between MBH Nursing Dept and the patients/family members/spouses and guardians.
• Clinical Oversight Documentation-meeting with BHT staff, and tracking compliance.
• Oversaw and approved recruitment, hiring and orientation of new nursing staff.

This ADON position offered unique opportunities for overlap to the DON responsibilities due to lack of DON attendance:

• Leading and engaging employees to provide optimal patient care and achieve the goals of the organization.
• Responsible for 60+ Annual Evaluations of both RN and BHT’s.
• Planned and assigned workload to 50 person nursing staff to direct patient care.
• Review of the TMR Nursing Budget, finding misallocations from other campuses, allowing for the nursing budget to be balanced.
• On call coverage, every other week, including personally covering RN Shifts.
• Monitoring nursing staff performance and participates in Performance Improvement activities as directed by PI committee.
• Function as active member of the DON Team in weekly interview process for Nursing and BHT candidates.
• Responsible to Review and investigate causes/outcomes of Incident Reports and report to Risk management.
• Liaison between MBH Nursing Dept and the patients/family members/spouses and guardians.
• Functioned as Interim DON while Don was out with long COVID.
• Clinical Oversight Documentation.

• Supports the operations of the Nursing Department and the delivery of quality/best practice nursing services collaborating under direction of the Director of Nursing.
• Interim DON while DON on PTO/Sick Leave, which include 24/7 on call coverage, attendance daily Flash Meeting, attendance Med. Executive Meetings with review of Policies and covering staffing needs.
• Collaborate with DON on Annual Evaluations and meet with staff to review results.
• Assist DON with Clinical Oversight Documentation.
• Review of Policy and Procedures and recommended changes to the DON for Nursing Practice as well as meet and review with PCP, NP regarding multiple Diabetic Protocol updates.
• Provide “Indiana CPS Reviewer” data on two long term intensive adolescent patients.
• Diplomatic meetings with Sonora Quest Account Manager when customer service failed.
• Meeting with Covidien Sales Representatives for final determination of new “Joey” Tube Feeding Pumps.
• Organize and Teach Hospital Equipment Competencies/Medical Training for Remuda Ranch’s First Skills Fair 2016.
• Del Sol Campus oversight needs: Patient care, demonstration, access files, reports, supplies, delegate appropriate tasks to staff, rounding all units on Campus including adult units, and participation in crisis situations;
• Precepted new nurses in proper techniques, care standards, operational procedures, and safety protocols.
• Investigation/completion of Incident Reports.
• TIER Meeting for new EMR and recommendations specific to Remuda Ranch Del Sol Campus for Eating Disorder documentation needs and Adolescent ROI's/Consents.
• Actively participated in Performance Improvement data gathering for accreditation and licensure.
• Participate in the Joint Commission preparation.
• All responsibilities of Charge RN Sagebrush Adolescent House specific to eating disorder patients: Collaboration with physicians, Blood draws, MTP documentation, DAP Notes, NG Tube Care, NG Tube Insertions, CIWA assessments, Management of Diabetes and special care needs for pts with Diabulmia, liaison between adolescent pt families/guardians and Nursing Department/DON.
• Resolved conflicts among team members promptly and effectively, maintaining a harmonious work environment.

• Served as a leader to the nursing and medical tech staff by providing support, guidance and information.
• Provided all scheduling needs of the Nursing Department by formulated flexible staffing plans to operate within budgetary staffing and expense guidelines under direction of the Executive Director.
• Hired and supervised RN, LPN and BHT department staff.
• Working as the RN/BHT scheduler to cover all shifts and being responsible to cover call offs.
• Review of Incident Reports and collaboration with Risk Management.
• Performing as the Patient Advocate.

• Supports the operations of the Nursing Department and the delivery of quality/best practice nursing services under direction of the Director of Nursing.
• Worked extensively with Psychology Department overseeing data collection for “Red-C” Eating Disorder Research including collaboration with IT Department.
• Enhanced patient care quality by supervising and coordinating nursing staff activities across multiple departments.
• Undertake needs with campus change from RIo location to Del Sol on Vulture Mine oversight needs, but not limited to : Charge RN Sagebrush Adolescent House; preceptorship, demonstration, access files, reports, supplies, delegate appropriate tasks to staff, revamping exam rooms in four building (Sagebrush, Ocotillo, Cherokee and Mariposa) , order all medical and lab supplies and create Supply Room, and participation in crisis situations, investigation of Incident Reports.
• Assist staff with changes due to acquisition by Meadows Behavioral Health 2013.
• Participate in JCAHO Readiness.

• Collaborated data with all levels of the Multi-disciplinary Treatment Team and other facility departments specific to adolescent care of a 12 bed unit.
• Participated in "On Call" to support DON while on PTO/Sick leave.
• Assist DON with Investigation of Incident Reports.
• Assisted in preparation for inspections by state licensing and JCAHO review agencies.
• Rounded with DON during JCAHO inspection at Adolescent Center.
• carried out all responsibilities of RN Charge Nurse including Direct Patient care needs of Adolescents with eating Disorders and documentation responsibilities.
• Coordinated nursing care on unit through staff assignments, assisting and rounding with physicians, monitoring patient orders, and communicating with ancillary departments.

• Demonstrated expert knowledge by utilizing Certified Legal Nurse Consultant certification and format appeal cases based on Tammy Tipton Legal data base information, ERISA mandates, Administrative Hurdles, Department of Insurance Appeals, Plan Administrator Appeals, and appeals for recouping days authorized but unpaid thru use of excellent investigational and analytical skills.
• Proven verbal and written communication skills in report preparation as evidenced by recovered, Appeals Specialist/Manager, six million gross in five year time frame.
• Train/educate and precept appeals specialist in appropriate letter formats and debates to insurance carriers for medical necessity, legal viewpoints and administrative problems.
• Actively participate in ongoing quality assurance projects.
• Train/educate physicians in appropriate documentation.
• Approved appeal letters for Medical Director’s signatures.
• Assisted in identification and tracking of pay and overturn trends.

• Obtained Certified Legal Nurse Consultant Certification;
• Excelled in formulating appropriate written debates to challenge payor’s determinations by understanding and utilizing clinical information, criteria including peer reviewed articles and journal publications;
• Interfacing with patients, family members, insurance and review companies under stringent deadlines;
• Detective work to research hidden levels of appeals;
• Broke staff record and recovered 2.2 million in one year in insurance appeal overturns;
• Provide feedback, education and training to the multi-disciplinary treatment team on industry standards of APA Guidelines criteria as well as specific nurse training in appropriate documentation;
• Led team in capitalizing Tammy Tipton legal data base to increase overturn rate;
• Respond to customer inquiries regarding appeals process and educate on specific needs to increase likelihood of positive responses;
• Served as liaison between Remuda’s claims processors, patient’s, patient’s family members, mental health review companies, insurance companies and outside legal counsel;
• Assisted family members and their attorneys in court cases or settlements against insurance companies and researched medical reference databases and journals for technology assessments.

• Organized the expansion of a new community for the chronic and severely low body weight patients suffering with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa on Rio Campus;
• Maintained competent, professional staff with turnover rate
• Prepared for JCAHO survey with no recommendations from Remuda Ranch internal survey team and
• All duties of Charge Nurse.

• Assessing, directing, planning, evaluating, and documenting quality care at Rio's 52 bed facility, a free standing, acute care hospital that treated eating disorders, anxiety-related diagnoses, and co-morbid diagnoses; this facility also included a 12 bed adolescent facility serving the same purpose.
• Assisted in preparation for inspections by state licensing and JCAHO review agencies.
• Collaborated data with all levels of the Multi-disciplinary Treatment Team and other facility departments.
• Assisted with education and orientation of personnel and patients.
• Resolved management problems within the nursing department.
• Obtained adequate report on all patients on medical, clinical conditions, diagnoses, and scheduled therapeutic diagnostic procedures for patients.
• Interacted effectively and therapeutically with patients, their families, and staff.
• Participated in and responded to quality management activities.
• Understood and complied with HIPPA regulations and patient and staff confidentiality.
• Hands on nursing care for female children/adolescents/adults (age 8 to adulthood).

• First Registered Pool Nurse, to work internally, in history of Remuda Ranch staffing needs.
• Fulfilled duties and worked rotating RN shifts in in all of the following Remuda Ranch Eating disorder facilities: Adult Acute Care “Vista” (for extreme low-weight patients), Adult Care “Rio”, and "Del Sol" Children/Adolescent Care Centers.
• Performed accurate documentation of patient assessments, interventions, and outcomes in compliance with regulatory standards.

• Traveled coast to coast as a Traveling Registered Nurse with licensure in the following states: Arizona, California, Delaware, New York, North Carolina and Texas.
• Promoted a safe working environment in the Intensive Care Units, Post CABG, by adhering to infection control policies and regularly reviewing safety protocols in the following assigned departments: Intensive Care Unit, Trauma Intensive Care Unit, Post Anesthesia Unit, Post Coronary Artery Bypass Unit, Pre Surgical Care Unit and Emergency Room.
• I worked at the following hospitals as a Travel Registered Nurse: Tucson Medical Center, Kingman Regional Hospital, Saint Helena Hospital, Scottsdale Healthcare Osborne, Kent General Hospital, kaiser Redwood City, Scottsdale Healthcare (Osborne), Kaiser Oakland Medical Center and Good Samaritan Hospital.
• Administered medications and treatment to patients and monitored responses.
• Worked at Level I Hospitals with trauma and cardiac patients. Pt care not limited to: Level I Trauma with MVA’s, multi-system organ failures, ventilator management, CHF, AAA, rule out MI’s; 24 hr. post CABG, pre/post Cardiac Cath. Lab. Troubleshooting arterial lines and CVP monitoring. Neurological patients with closed head injuries, spinal surgery and halo traction. Bedside assistance to anesthesiologists with epidural blood patch and epidural pain control.

• Telemetry - Patient care including but not limited to: post pacemaker insertion, pre/post electrophysiology studies, 24 hours post CABG, pre/post cardiac catheterization lab with sheath removal, rule out & post myocardial infarction, and cardioversion.
• Float ICU - Patient care including but not limited to: post thoracotomies, overdose, gastrointestinal bleeds, diabetic ketoacidosis, and ventilator management.
• Displayed flexibility and Floated to Emergency Room assignments to assist with staff to patient ratios.

• Medical-Surgical Unit - Post surgical care, GI Bleeds, extensive wound care and AIDS patients.
• Orthopedic Rehabilitation - Hip, knee, and other joint replacements.
• Geriatric population - Alzheimer’s Disease, end of life comfort, pronouncing death.