Leah Arentz

Works in collaboration with the Medical Director to meet the Center’s program objectives in relation to Advanced Chronic Wound Therapy and Hyperbarics while helping to ensure optimal healing outcomes and patient satisfaction.

• Strong understanding and implementation of Advanced Wound Therapies including, but not limited to Negative Pressure Wound Therapy, Skin Substitute application, Total Contact Cast Application, Central line/PICC line management, management of diabetic ulcers, vascular ulcers, trauma wounds, surgical dehiscence and incontinence/pressure related injuries.
• Organizes and prioritizes clinical responsibilities; Provides clinical oversight to staff.
• Chamber operator in hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT).
• Leads quality improvement initiatives, providing education to the patient or caregiver, and serving as a patient advocate in the delivery and coordination of patient care.

Organizes and prioritizes clinical responsibilities while providing direct supervision and clinical oversight of approximately 40-50 nursing clinical care team members (LPN/LVNs, MAs & CNAs).

• Refers to evidenced based practices to provide and or advise clinical staff regarding wound care and other nursing interventions.
• Serves as the patient's advocate and maintains ongoing communication with physicians, referral sources, caregivers, and long-term care facilities to improve coordination of care.
• Responsible for timely completion of clinical documentation. Participation in quality improvement/control while providing education to the patient, and/or caregiver (family).

• Evaluates patients and home health environments to determine required services while involving the patient and patient's care team in developing a plan of care.
• Provides wound care and other medical interventions
• Serves as the patient's advocate and maintains ongoing communication with physician, caregivers, and/or healthcare facility to coordinate care.
• Responsible for timely completion and synchronization of all OASIS documentation, within the patient's home, via device (EMHR).
• Provides direct supervision of nursing clinical care team members (LPN/LVNs & HHAs).

• Planning, organizing, developing and directing the day-to-day operations of the Clinical Services department.
• Works to establish appropriate level of care in accordance with Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement levels.
• Ensures comprehensive and accurate documentation by nursing service/direct personnel.
• Monitors, manages, and provides education on Clinical Systems, programs, and processes. Implements these systems in accordance with current rules, regulations and guidelines that govern healthcare.
• Scheduling, staffing, interviewing, employment/termination. Develops and implements organizational structure, including oversight of approximately 80-100 clinical staff members.
• Reviews and investigates grievances filed by personnel and/or patients and patient family members.
• Monitors medication and treatment schedules; works with attending physicians; and provides direct patient care.
• Maintains policy and procedures that govern day-to-day operations of Clinical Services department. Possesses Knowledge of state, federal, and OSHA regulations and implements these to ensure compliance with regulations.
• Develops and implements safety standards and regulations for equipment, supplies, and resident care rooms.
• Speaks one-on-one with patients and their family members regarding concerns, necessities and questions.
• Collaborates with directors in other areas (therapy, social services, dietary, recreation) to ensure quality outcomes for patients.

• Monitor and recover postoperative patients coming out of surgery, with a focus on managing postoperative pain.
• Caring for patients with postoperative nausea and emesis.
• Use of physician standing orders and critical thinking to make decisions about which postoperative pain interventions the patient requires; proficient at administering medications/interventions to ensure patient recovery from anesthesia.
• Use patient-controlled analgesia pumps and I.V. or epidural infusions, as well as monitoring invasive tools such as arterial lines and central venous lines.

• Administration and documentation of medications, enteral nutrition, interventions/treatments, per physician’s order with accurate recording of all care provided.
• Reviews medication and treatment records for completeness and accuracy in transcription of physician orders and adherence to stop order policy.
• Responsible for planning, organizing and evaluating care interventions and their effect on outcome.
• Utilizes the nursing process, documentation, communication and technical skills, collaboration with physicians and other team members to meet performance requirements
• Works in subspecialty areas including ICU, Wound Care and Telemetry, with documented orientation to the specialty area.
• Precepts newly hired RNs and orientates them to the unit.

• Serves in a pivotal role to provide expertise and oversight for the provision of school health services and promotion of health education.
• Using clinical knowledge and judgment, provides health care to students and staff, performs health screenings and coordinates referrals to the medical home or private healthcare provider.
• Serves as a liaison between school personnel, family, community and healthcare providers to advocate for health care and a healthy school environment.
• Triages student patients and provides necessary medical interventions for age specific patient population.

• Demonstrates the following medical/surgical competencies: IV starts, medication/blood administration, Foley catheter insertion, maintenance and care of central vascular catheters, care of chest tubes and drainage systems, monitoring/assisting/documenting patient care for moderate sedation, patient controlled analgesia, swallow screening, tube feedings, accessing portacaths, assisting with thoracentesis, documentation in EMHR.
• Proficient at performing cardiac floor competencies, including: arterial and venous sheath removal, removal of drains, rhythm interpretation, monitoring/assisting/documenting cardioversion, cardiac drug drip administration, surgical cardiac patient management, caring for patients with pacemakers.
• Participates in Peer Review process.

• Responsible for direct patient care, including: hourly rounding, strict intakes & outputs, daily weights, daily hygiene, vital signs, incentive spirometry, patient ambulation, and repositioning.
• Adept at performing certain competencies, including: hand-off reporting, restraint application, removal of IV or Saline Lock, removal of Nasogastric Tube, Phlebotomy, 12 Lead EKG, Foley Catheter removal, bladder scans, Nasopharyngeal specimen collection, documentation/charting in Meditech, inputting doctor’s orders, and charging for services rendered.

• Assisted in the Emergency Department.
• Maintained and turned over patient rooms.
• Delivered products and cultures to the laboratory.
• Communicated with and assisted patients awaiting test results/services.