Leah Lusk
Chicago,IL
Summary
Experienced nursing professional bringing demonstrated clinical expertise, leadership skills and technical knowledge. Proficient in updating charts, monitoring medications and working with multidisciplinary teams to optimize patient care. Quality-driven and efficient with strong interpersonal abilities.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Trauma ICU Nurse
Cook County Hospital
Chicago, IL
07.2023 - Current
- Provided direct patient care in a Trauma ICU setting, including assessment, diagnosis and implementation of treatment plans.
- Administered medications via intravenous push or continuous infusion pumps.
- Monitored vital signs to detect changes in patient status, such as heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate.
- Evaluated effectiveness of treatments by assessing clinical responses to interventions.
- Reported any changes in patient's condition to the physician on duty.
- Educated family members about the nature of the injury and illness and provided emotional support during times of crisis or stress.
- Maintained accurate documentation of all nursing assessments, interventions, treatments and evaluations performed according to hospital policy and procedures.
- Initiated appropriate pain management protocols based on individual needs.
- Assessed need for additional resources such as specialty consults or diagnostic tests.
Staff RN
Advocate Christ Medical Center
Oak Lawn, IL
08.2018 - 10.2021
- Out patient pain clinic
- Admit and assess patients prior to pain procedures
- Assist and recover patients whom require procedural sedation
- Aide the physicians in writing prescriptions for patients who are medical management
- Attend classes and education for implanted pain management devices.
- Assisted physicians in providing patient care by taking vital signs, administering medications, and performing treatments.
- Developed patient teaching materials based on specific diagnoses or conditions to be used during teaching sessions with patients and their families.
- Administered prescribed medications and monitored patient reactions while ensuring accuracy in medication dosages administered.
Staff Nurse
Advocate Christ Hospital
Oak Lawn, IL
09.2017 - 08.2018
- Monitor patients post Interventional Radiology procedures under sedation and general anesthesia
- Assist and recover patients who are receiving general Anesthesia for diagnostic testing (mainly pediatrics)
- Monitor floor patients in the RPCC waiting for diagnostic testing, ensure safety and assist with IV starts
- Night Charge
- Demonstrated effective communication skills while interacting with patients, families, physicians and other healthcare staff members.
- Managed multiple tasks simultaneously while maintaining quality standards of care.
- Monitored vital signs and documented changes in a timely manner.
Heart Transplants, CRRT, Left Ventricular Assist Device
Adult Surgical Heart Unit
08.2016 - 09.2017
- Provides acute care for patients with potentially life threatening conditions
- Close monitoring of pre/post cardiac open heart surgery, Coronary Artery Bypass Graft patients (CABG), Heart Transplants, CRRT, Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) insertion, Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation(ECMO) and Centri-mag (RAD) patients
- Proficient in hemodynamic monitoring working with Swan -Ganz, Art lines, Intra-aortic Balloon pumps (IABP), and cardioversion for shock able rhythms
- Administering and titrating critical IV drips including norepinephrine, vasopressin, Dobutamine, dopamine, Milrinone, heparin and Cardene
- Rounds with the CV Surgeons in the am during shift change to provide concerns and changes in patient status
- Facilitate education and emotional support for patients and families in the CV ICU
- Participates in classes and education symposiums.
- Assisted with pre-operative and post-operative care of patients undergoing cardiovascular surgeries.
- Educated patients and their families about cardiothoracic conditions, treatments, medications, nutrition, lifestyle modifications.
- Administered intravenous medications according to physician orders and monitored for adverse reactions.
- Managed ventilator settings such as tidal volume, rate of respiration rate based on physician orders.
- Performed venipuncture on various cardiac catheters for blood sampling purposes.
Staff Nurse
Clinical Decision Unit
04.2009 - 08.2016
- Provided exceptional care to patients in the observation unit
- Assumed primary responsibility for the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of care for patients in a transition status
- Employee of the month March 2016
- Preceptor for new graduate nurses and nursing students
- Recognized as a unit leader and mentor
- Charge Nurse.
Education
Bachelor of Science in Nursing -
Benedictine University Lisle
01.2016
Associate in Nursing -
Moraine Valley Community College Palos Heights
01.2007
Skills
- Critical Care
- Telemetry (10 years)
Certification
- BLS 11/ 2023
- ACLS 11/2023
- RN, 05/31/2022
Accomplishments
- Daisy award 2022
Timeline
Trauma ICU Nurse
Cook County Hospital
07.2023 - Current
Staff RN
Advocate Christ Medical Center
08.2018 - 10.2021
Staff Nurse
Advocate Christ Hospital
09.2017 - 08.2018
Heart Transplants, CRRT, Left Ventricular Assist Device
Adult Surgical Heart Unit
08.2016 - 09.2017
Staff Nurse
Clinical Decision Unit
04.2009 - 08.2016
Bachelor of Science in Nursing -
Benedictine University Lisle
Associate in Nursing -
Moraine Valley Community College Palos Heights