Lauren Higdon
Egg Harbor,NJ
Summary
I am a Registered Nurse with 18 years of experience specializing in complex case management and individualized care planning. I am an expert at utilizing telephonic and field assessments to navigate social determinants of health. Additionally, I have a proven track record of managing large caseloads while maintaining strict state compliance and precise, audit-ready documentation.
Overview
1
1
Certification
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Registered Nurse Case Manager
Division of Child Protection and Permanency
Egg Harbor, NJ
04.2013 - Current
- Proactive Care Planning: Coordinated comprehensive, individualized care plans for a high-volume, high-acuity caseload under strict protective services mandates, ensuring 100% placement of critical medical and psychosocial resources.
- Health Outcome Optimization: Monitored member health outcomes and dynamically adjusted care management strategies to improve service delivery, directly reducing unnecessary acute-care utilization and enhancing client welfare.
- Social Determinants of Health (SDOH): Educated biological and resource families on complex Medicaid benefit structures and local community programs, drastically enhancing their ability to navigate systemic health and protection barriers.
- Interdisciplinary Care Collaboration: Partnered directly with physicians, specialists, and community providers to manage complex cases, ensuring appropriate resource utilization, fast-tracking prior authorizations, and preventing gaps in care.
- State & Regulatory Audit Readiness: Maintained meticulous electronic medical documentation with a 100% compliance rating during strict state regulatory audits; monitored healthcare compliance timelines and led multidisciplinary care planning conferences.
Registered Nurse Case Manager, Home Health Care
BAYADA
Egg Harbor, NJ
01.2012 - 04.2013
- Field-Based Caseload Management: Managed a high-volume regional caseload of high-acuity patients receiving skilled nursing care, strictly maintaining 100% compliance with Medicare/Medicaid regulations and state quality standards in home care settings.
- Readmission Reduction Strategies: Spearheaded comprehensive discharge planning and post-acute follow-up care, reducing 30-day hospital readmissions by delivering targeted patient education on complex disease management.
- In-Home & Telephonic Assessments: Conducted thorough clinical and environmental safety evaluations in the home; actively coordinated multi-specialty services with physicians, physical therapists, and community caregivers.
- Proactive Care Planning: Formulated individualized care plans focused on optimizing clinical outcomes, preserving member independence in the community, and mitigating risks to prevent avoidable hospitalizations.
- Medication Reconciliation & Safety: Educated patients and complex family support systems on chronic disease self-management, strict medication adherence, and home hazard mitigation to ensure long-term wellness.
Registered Nurse , Labor & Delivery
Atlanticare Regional Medical Center
Galloway, NJ
06.2010 - 03.2013
- Clinical Operations Leadership: Served as Charge Nurse, managing daily unit operations, directing resource allocation, prioritizing high-volume patient care, and supervising cross-functional shift teams.
- Interdisciplinary Crisis Management: Collaborated closely with physicians, specialists, and surgical teams to orchestrate rapid, safe care coordination during high-stakes medical emergencies and routine clinical events.
- High-Acuity Patient Care: Delivered comprehensive, acute nursing care for low- and high-risk obstetrical patients across fluid, high-stress labor, delivery, recovery, and postpartum environments.
- Quality Assurance & Safety Standards: Implemented evidence-based clinical protocols to actively mitigate medical risks, enhance patient safety scores, and ensure strict alignment with hospital quality metrics.
Registered Nurse, Cardiac ICU
Atlanticare Regional Medical Center
Galloway, NJ
05.2008 - 06.2010
- Hemodynamic Data Analysis: Monitored, interpreted, and assessed complex patient cardiac statuses utilizing advanced telemetry systems to drive real-time, life-saving clinical decisions.
- Therapeutic Protocol Compliance: Administered high-risk medications and complex treatments strictly according to established medical protocols, organizational guidelines, and individualized patient care plans.
- Interdisciplinary Care Strategy: Collaborated directly with cardiologists, intensivists, and multi-specialty care teams to formulate and execute comprehensive, aggressive care plans for unstable, critical patients.
- Advanced Medication Governance: Demonstrated elite competency in the titration and administration of specialized cardiac medications-to achieve optimal therapeutic effects.
- Care Transitions & Education: Educated high-stress patients and family networks on intensive post-operative care and long-term recovery processes, significantly easing anxiety and smoothing the transition out of critical care.
Education
Associate of Science - Nursing
Atlantic Cape Community College
Mays Landing, NJ05-2008
Skills
- Integrated Care Management
- Complex Case Management
- In Home & Telephonic Assessments
- Social Determinants of Health (SDOH)
- Documentation & Compliance Integrity
- Interdisciplinary Team Leadership
- Crisis Intervention & De-escalation
- Field-Based Care Coordination
- State & Regulatory Audit Readiness
- Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration
- Proactive Care Planning
- Care Transitions & Follow up
- Multidisciplinary Team Collaboration
Certification
Basic Life Support (BLS)
Timeline
Registered Nurse Case Manager
Division of Child Protection and Permanency
04.2013 - Current
Registered Nurse Case Manager, Home Health Care
BAYADA
01.2012 - 04.2013
Registered Nurse , Labor & Delivery
Atlanticare Regional Medical Center
06.2010 - 03.2013
Registered Nurse, Cardiac ICU
Atlanticare Regional Medical Center
05.2008 - 06.2010
Associate of Science - Nursing
Atlantic Cape Community College