Laura Simpkins

Work History

Relief Divisional Charge Nurse

UK Healthcare, Kentucky Children's Hospital

10.2021 - Current

Manage patient bed planning in EPIC Hyperspace for 175 bed children's hospital . Units include: PICU, NICU, neonatal absence unit, progressive care, medical/surgical, oncology, post-op, and behavior health.
Supervise and manage scheduling, tasking, and administration of nursing staff.
Document appropriate pay codes and unit cost centers into Kronos operations.
Actively participate in daily huddle meetings with hospital administration and unit managers
Attend all rapid response, code blue, and staff assist alerts for critical decompensation of patient condition or staff safety concern.
Streamline nursing workflows for increased efficiency and improve patient outcomes.
Optimize patient satisfaction through timely response to concerns and effective communication among staff members.
Manage staffing schedules, ensuring adequate coverage while minimizing overtime expenses.
Serve as a liaison between nursing staff, physicians, and management, fostering open communication channels among all parties involved in patient care.
Coordinate nursing care on unit through staff assignments, assisting and rounding with physicians, monitoring patient orders, and communicating with ancillary departments.
Conduct daily shift briefs to inform staff of changes in patient care assignments.
Supervise patient admissions and discharges from hospital to home care, rehabilitative facility, or self-care.
Quickly respond to situations impacting safety and security to unit, actualizing crisis prevention interventions to control and de-escalate situations.
Facilitate therapeutic communication, conflict resolution and crisis intervention by redirecting negative behaviors and helping patients regain or improve coping abilities.
Collaborate with leadership to devise initiatives for improving nursing satisfaction, retention and morale.
Investigate and resolve issues affecting hospital operations and patient care.

Registered Nurse

UK Healthcare, Kentucky Children's Hospital

10.2015 - Current

Provide excellent evident-based bedside care to all pediatric aged patients and families in pediatric intensive care, neonatal intensive care, medical/surgical, progressive care, oncology, post-op, outpatient sedation, endoscopy, and neonatal abstinence units.
Collaborate with other healthcare team members including attending physicians, residents, medical students, nurses, occupational and physical therapists, speech pathologists, child life specialists, Radiology, Laboratory, and pastoral care to provide cohesive family centered care.
Skillfully manage challenging patient situations using de-escalation techniques, crisis intervention strategies, and therapeutic communication skills.
Accurately document and communicate in the electronic health record, EPIC Hyperspace, to effectively meet patient care needs and outcomes.
Perform procedures and use equipment to the full extent of license.
Ensure HIPPA compliance, verbally and electronically, during all patient interaction, healthcare team collaboration, and documentation.
Evaluate patient response to treatment and interventions and, if needed, revised the plan of care.
Administer medications, injections, and IV treatments as needed.
Assist in emergency nursing procedures necessary for prompt control of rapid changes in patient's physical condition.
Prepare patients for OR and recovery patient directly from OR for post-op care and monitoring.
Complete admission assessment and history of patient and family to determine immediate and future needs, goals, and outcomes.
Prepare patient and family for discharge, utilizing established clinical care plan, multiple educational platforms, and teach-back methods.
Maintain an empathetic approach to patient care and readily answer patient and family questions.
Orient new nursing staff to units' best practices for patient care and communication.
Delegate appropriate job responsibilities to other healthcare members.
Promote a culture of safety within the healthcare facility by participating in quality improvement initiatives, identifying potential hazards, and advocating for best practices in nursing care delivery.
Contribute to quality improvement initiatives within the department by participating in audits, staff meetings, and policy reviews regarding pediatric care best practices.
Provide training to parents and caregivers on proper medication administration, leading to better adherence and improved treatment outcomes.
Provide exceptional care to critically ill patients needing complex care such as ventilator management, extensive wound care and rehabilitation.
Coordinate timely responses to rapid response calls within the hospital facility leading to quicker intervention strategies for deteriorating patients.

Private In-Home Pet Care Technician

Homely Petz

03.2012 - 05.2015

Direct care for dogs, cats, rodents, and reptiles.
Manage self scheduling, appointments, and pet logs.
Organize in home meet and greet with clients and pet.
Understand pet behaviors and potential risks to animal and others.
Maintain home's cleanliness for optimal animal care by maintaining organization and adhering to sanitation protocols.
Provide companionship for pet.
Manage clients' payments.
Increase client satisfaction by effectively communicating progress updates regarding their pets' health and wellbeing, in a timely manner.
Supported the care of animals with special needs by devising tailored plans that included specific dietary requirements, medications, and daily routines.
Reduced stress levels among animals by creating a comfortable environment through proper handling techniques and behavioral understanding.
Administered medications according to veterinarian's instructions while closely monitoring any side effects or adverse reactions in pets.
Ensured timely completion of routine tasks like feeding, exercising, and grooming animals as per individual needs and preferences outlined by clients or veterinarians.

Registered Nurse

UK HealthCare, Kentucky Children's Hospital NICU

06.2007 - 07.2010

Deliver high-quality care and education to critical newborns and their parents.
Prioritize nursing care for assigned critically ill infants based on assessment data and identified needs.
Collaborate closely with all healthcare team members to clearly communicate patient needs and ensure excellent continuity of care.
Real time and organized electronic documentation of objective data to improve efficiency of care by all healthcare team members.
Recognize and utilize critical thinking skills to prioritize nursing interventions based on patients'' acuity levels and individual needs.
Administer medications, injections, and IV treatments using 5 medication rights.
Set up and monitor medical equipment and devices such as cardiac monitors, mechanical ventilators and oxygen delivery devices, transducers, pressure lines, IV/feeding pumps.
Advocate for infants' and families' needs and provide emotional support.
Assist in the training and mentorship of new nursing staff members, contributing to a positive work environment and high-quality patient care.
Offer compassionate end of life care.
Reduced hospital readmissions through effective discharge planning, patient education, and follow-up care coordination.

Summary

Overview

Work History

Relief Divisional Charge Nurse

Registered Nurse

Private In-Home Pet Care Technician

Registered Nurse

Education

Bachelor of Science - Nursing

Associates of Science - Nursing

Bachelor of Arts - Sociology

Skills

Certification

Personal Information

Timeline

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