Kristen Skinner

Medical Missions Volunteer through Samaritan's Purse, working in the Neonatal/NICU department. Participated in daily rounds on unit, completed full daily assessments and charted on several patients/day with a variety of diagnoses including prematurity, oxygen dependence (NC, CPAP), hyperbili, multiple anomalies, and infection. Performed blood draws and IV starts, monitored/calculated/mixed IVF, inserted NG tubes. Brought several donated flow-inflating (Ambu) bags and demonstrated their use to staff. Created and presented a lactation in-service (which included a developmental care component) to staff.

1990-2021 Staff Nurse in Special Care Nursery/Level II NICU, included caring for preterm and sick newborns and providing delivery room care/resuscitation routinely for >32 weekers. Participated in multiple committees and education involving developmental care, safe sleep, car seat testing/safety. Was a "super user" when our unit transitioned to EPIC charting.

-1993-2021 NRP certified

-1998-2021 NRP instructor, including several years of administrating the NRP program for the Maternal-Child department

2004-2021 IBCLC, included providing lactation support to full-term infants/mothers (Mother-Baby Unit), premature/sick infants (SCN), older infants (Pediatric Unit), and lactating mothers admitted to the hospital. Also included being an active member of the Breastfeeding Committee, and was involved in creating feeding policies for newborns, training staff in new policies/practices, and was part of the process in getting our hospital Baby Friendly certified.

Staff Nurse, Pediatric Unit - provided medical-surgical nursing care for full range of pediatric patients, commonly including respiratory, infectious, and GI illness, orthopedic procedures/surgeries, appendectomies and T&As. Also provided med-surg care for adult patients of all ages including oncology care/chemotherapy, HIV/AIDS, and end-of-life care as our unit functioned as an over-flow unit.

RN, Home-care program. Provided block hours of care for ventilator dependent children with g-tubes and tracheostomies in the home setting.