KRISTIN KUHNS
Piedmont,SD
Summary
Driven registered nurse with 14 years of nursing experience caring for patients with a wide array of diseases and disabilities in several different healthcare settings. Proudly deliver comprehensive patient care and delegate tasks according to patient needs. Dedicated to providing top quality care and promoting patient advocacy within a multidisciplinary team environment. Seeking an opportunity to manage patient needs and concerns using a holistic approach to help patients achieve whole body health and wellness.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Outpatient Procedural Nurse
VA Black Hills Health Care System
Fort Meade, SD
11.2020 - Current
- Administered medications and monitored patient responses using moderate sedation to ensure optimal care.
- Countless IV starts within the pre-operative setting; administering antibiotics and overall fluid management.
- Working knowledge on setting up for and maintainingsterile technique/field.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to develop and implement individualized care plans following colonoscopies, cystoscopies & lesion outpatient procedures.
- Educated patients and families on health management, enhancing understanding of treatment protocols.
- Performed accurate documentation of patient assessments, interventions, and outcomes in compliance with regulatory standards.
- Administered oral and IV medications and monitored responses pre-operatively, intra-operatively and post-operatively.
- Remained calm during high-stress, critical situations, demonstrating focus and problem-solving skills.
- Educated patients on disease management, self-care techniques, and wellness strategies to improve long-term health outcomes.
- Improved patient satisfaction ratings by delivering compassionate and personalized care.
- Mentored new nursing staff members, fostering teamwork and improving unit efficiency.
- Assisted physicians in performing diagnostic tests and procedures to facilitate prompt diagnosis and treatment.
- Managed patients recovering from medical or surgical procedures.
- Monitored patient vital signs, documenting changes and reporting critical information to healthcare providers.
Registered Nurse- Endoscopy
MONUMENT HEALTH
Rapid City, SD
07.2020 - 11.2020
- Circulated endoscopy procedures in robust Endoscopy Unit with 5 procedure rooms. Eight procedures per day per room. Weekend on-call caseload average 10 procedures. Procedures include: colonoscopy, EGD, bronchoscopy, ERCP, EUS, and Peg-Tube Insertion
- Completed pre-procedure telehealth patient screening and assessments to include education to scheduled patients
- Assists team members in selecting and preparing supplies, instruments, and equipment for procedures to include proper PPE
- Assured patient safety through verification of procedure; appropriateness of procedural consent; identification of patient and allergies; completing time out procedure
- Annual competence for Moderate Sedation required.
- Assist Anesthesia oxygen therapy and airway management.
- Managed multiple tissue specimens for pathology.
- Established experience charting within the EPIC EMR.
Registered Nurse- Dermatology
FROMM DERMATOLOGY
Rapid City, SD
04.2019 - 07.2020
- Assessment of patient with particular emphasis on thorough history of skin conditions, their response to treatment modalities, medication side effects, and complications related to dermatological procedures.
- Collaborated with physician to monitor patient condition and establish a plan of care. Monitored lab work required for high risk biologics medications.
- Established telehealth follow-up and virtual clinic visits during the COVID crisis to maintain continuity of care.
- Provided patient education related to medical conditions, medications and side effects, healthy lifestyle choices to reduce re-emergence of painful or dangerous symptoms, post op wound care, chronic skin care strategies.
- Counseled patients and caregivers, providing emotional, psychological and spiritual support.
- Assisted with dermatological procedures and minor surgical procedures. Established and maintained sterile technique.
Registered Nurse – Pain Clinic
BLACK HILLS SURGICAL HOSPITAL
Rapid City, SD
08.2016 - 04.2019
- Utilize strong assessment skills to determine etiology of acute or chronic pain and appropriate nursing interventions. Identify patient’s cultural and psychological beliefs to identify non-verbal cues.
- Provided patient education to include: physical, psychological, and behavioral pain management techniques.
- Completed telehealth patient interview prior to scheduled treatments or procedures.
- Collaborated directly with physicians to establish and monitor pain management plan of care.
- Instruct patients on medication management and lifestyle changes to assist pain control.
- Assist physician with pain management treatments/procedures. Established/maintained sterile field for invasive spinal steroid injections, intrathecal and epidural injections along with non-invasive radiofrequency-neuro ablation and spinal cord stimulator procedures.
- Recovered patients receiving Monitored Anesthesia Care for procedures.
- Provided a safe environment for patients with limited mobility.
Registered Nurse – Progressive Care Step-down Unit
RAPID CITY REGIONAL HOSPITAL
Rapid City, SD
07.2012 - 07.2016
- Assessed patients that required a high intensity of nursing care and surveillance
- Prioritized nursing care for acutely ill patients with Nurse/Patio ratio 1:4. Delegated nursing care as appropriate to licensed and non-licensed nursing personnel.
- Managed emergency situations: Respiratory distress, Cardiac Arrest, Septic Shock
- Telemetry monitoring and applying interventions for cardiac arrhythmias.
- IV Therapy: Initiation and management of vasoactive IV medications, blood transfusions and TPN.
- Management of PICC lines, central lines and venous ports.
- Provided patient education to patients with a wide variety of both acute and chronic illnesses; i.e. respiratory failure, heart failure, renal failure, liver failure, DKA, and sepsis.
- Multidisciplinary and teamwork approach for care plan development.
- Leadership to nursing staff as resource for diabetic education, and wound care management/education.
- Oriented novice RN’s on Unit
- Quality Improvement project: monitoring of pressure ulcers and proper documentation
- Provided discharged teaching to patient/families
- Prepared patients for inpatient procedures; i.e. surgery, endoscopy, radiology
Education
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE - NURSING
Mount Marty College
Yankton, SD05-2012
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE - PSYCHOLOGY
South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD05-2009
Skills
- Professionalism
- Collaboration/Teamwork
- Patient Education/Counseling
- Time Management
- Critical Thinking
- Patient Assessment
- Patient Management
- Computer Technology
- Telehealth
- IV Therapy
- Endoscopy
- Sterile Technique/Minor Surgery
Accomplishments
• Injection Safety Champion (Ensure compliance with injection safety regulations.)
• Diabetic education champion (Resource for nurses providing education to diabetic patients upon discharge.)
• NDNQI Pressure Ulcer Training (Member of Pressure Ulcer Team)
• Galaxy Award (Given to pressure ulcer team for minimizing number of hospital acquired pressure ulcers.)
• Three-time DAISY Award nominee (An award given by patients after discharge to a nurse who provided exemplary care.)
• BLS/ACLS Certified
Certification
- Injection Safety Champion (Ensure compliance with injection safety regulations.)
- Diabetic education champion (Resource for nurses providing education to diabetic patients upon discharge.)
- NDNQI Pressure Ulcer Training (Member of Pressure Ulcer Team)
- Galaxy Award (Given to pressure ulcer team for minimizing number of hospital acquired pressure ulcers.)
- DAISY Award nominee (An award given by patients after discharge to a nurse who provided exemplary care.)
- BLS/ACLS Certified
Timeline
Outpatient Procedural Nurse
VA Black Hills Health Care System
11.2020 - Current
Registered Nurse- Endoscopy
MONUMENT HEALTH
07.2020 - 11.2020
Registered Nurse- Dermatology
FROMM DERMATOLOGY
04.2019 - 07.2020
Registered Nurse – Pain Clinic
BLACK HILLS SURGICAL HOSPITAL
08.2016 - 04.2019
Registered Nurse – Progressive Care Step-down Unit
RAPID CITY REGIONAL HOSPITAL
07.2012 - 07.2016
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE - PSYCHOLOGY
South Dakota State University
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE - NURSING
Mount Marty College