MARITZA PEREZ-GONZALEZ
Springfield ,VA
Summary
Accomplished Master’s-prepared Nurse Executive and Nurse Manager with more than 21 years of progressive nursing leadership, healthcare management, long-term care, Community Living Center (CLC), hospice, and palliative care experience within the Veterans Health Administration. Currently serving as Nurse Manager
for Freedom Way West (FWW), Community Living Center, Long-Term Care and Hospice, with the past four years dedicated to managing clinical operations, nursing personnel, quality and safety initiatives, regulatory compliance, resident-centered care, and interdisciplinary services.
Demonstrated success leading complex long-term care and hospice operations while supervising, mentoring, and developing high-performing nursing teams. Experienced in managing staffing, scheduling, employee performance, recruitment, orientation, resource allocation, quality improvement, survey readiness, emergency preparedness, resident and family concerns, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Strategic and results-oriented nurse leader recognized for strengthening operational efficiency, improving communication, reducing overtime, supporting staff engagement and retention, and maintaining a safe, compassionate environment for Veterans with complex medical, chronic, functional, hospice, and end-of-life needs.
Strong background in hospice and palliative care, clinical operations, workforce management, performance improvement, patient safety, regulatory compliance, emergency preparedness, staff development, customer service recovery, and resident/family advocacy. Skilled in leading change, resolving complex problems, conducting investigations and Root Cause Analyses, interpreting performance data, and implementing sustainable corrective actions.
Known as an approachable and accountable leader who promotes professional nursing practice, critical thinking, teamwork, cultural transformation, and excellence in resident care. ELNEC-trained nurse leader with extensive experience supporting end-of-life care, symptom management, family communication, goals-of-care discussions, advance care planning, and interdisciplinary hospice and palliative services. Committed to mentoring nurses and nursing assistants in compassionate end-of-life practices and empowering staff to provide dignified, individualized care.
Certified in Change Management, with demonstrated ability to lead organizational change, engage employees, identify barriers, implement sustainable improvement strategies, and build high-performing teams.
Recognized for strong clinical judgment, emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, staff development, operational management, quality improvement, emergency preparedness, survey readiness, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Known as
an approachable and compassionate leader who balances accountability and performance expectations with empathy, respect, and support for both residents and employees.
Progressive nursing leadership career spanning more than two decades Whitin Veterans Affairs, Advancing through increasingly responsible clinical and management roles: Staff RN/ Charge Nurse and Team Leader, Assistant Nurse Manager, Acting Nurse Manager, GEC Chief coverage for six months and Nurse Manager on Long Term Care and Hospice. This advancement demonstrates sustained growth in staff supervision, workforce planning, performance management, quality and patient safety, regulatory compliance, Hospice, LTC, Palliative care, emergency preparedness, employee development, change management, and strategic operations. Know for mentoring frontline leaders, strengthening accountability, resolving complex operational challenges, and guiding interdisciplinary teams through clinical and organizational change.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
Work History
NURSE MANAGER - COMMUNITY LIVING CENTER
FREEDOM WAY WEST (FWW), LONG-TERM CARE & HOSPICE, VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER
Washington, DC
01.2022 - Current
- Provide comprehensive clinical, administrative, operational, and human-resource leadership for Freedom Way West Community Living Center, serving Veterans requiring long-term care, skilled nursing, hospice, palliative, rehabilitative, and complex chronic care services.
- Directed nursing operations for long-term care and hospice veterans at Freedom Way West.
- Provide GEC Chief covarage for six months and intermittent
- Scheduled staffing, assignments, and coverage for daily resident care needs.
- Monitored compliance with Veterans Affairs policies, state regulations, and clinical standards.
- Coordinated patient admissions, care plans, and discharge transitions for hospice residents.
- Trained nursing staff on infection control, wound care, and end-of-life support.
- Promoted a positive work environment through effective communication with staff members.
- Monitored staff performance and provided coaching and formal counseling to staff.
- Provide overall leadership and management of CLC FWW nursing operations, ensuring delivery of safe, high-quality, evidence-based, Veteran-centered care.
- Direct the daily operations of a complex long-term care and hospice environment, ensuring appropriate staffing, assignments, workflow, resources, and continuity of care.
- Lead and supervise a multidisciplinary nursing workforce, promoting accountability, professional development, employee engagement, teamwork, and retention.
- Manage staffing requirements, schedules, assignments, leave, overtime, workload distribution, and workforce utilization to maintain appropriate coverage and quality of care.
- Monitor employee performance and conduct coaching, counseling, performance evaluations, proficiencies, and other personnel management activities in accordance with VA policies and procedures.
- Participate in recruitment, interviewing, selection, onboarding, orientation, competency assessment, and professional development of nursing staff.
- Establish unit goals and performance expectations aligned with Medical Center, Nursing Service, Geriatrics and Extended Care, CLC, Long-Term Care, and Hospice priorities.
- Develop, implement, monitor, and evaluate Performance Improvement (PI) initiatives to improve resident outcomes, patient safety, staff performance, and operational efficiency.
- Analyze quality indicators, performance data, incident reports, audits, and other metrics to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
- Lead and participate in Root Cause Analyses (RCA), Fact-Finding investigations, Peer Reviews, and corrective action planning.
- Ensure compliance with VA/VHA policies, nursing standards, regulatory requirements, infection prevention practices, medication safety requirements, documentation standards, and long-term care expectations.
- Maintain continuous survey readiness through routine monitoring of clinical practices, resident care, documentation, staffing, environment, emergency preparedness, and quality indicators.
- Provide leadership during internal and external surveys and coordinate responses to identified findings and recommendations.
- Promote a culture of safety, accountability, respect, and continuous improvement across the CLC.
- Conduct leadership rounds and engage directly with Veterans and families to identify concerns, resolve problems, and provide customer service recovery.
- Collaborate with physicians, nurse practitioners, social workers, rehabilitation services, pharmacy, respiratory therapy, dietary services, psychology, chaplaincy, infection prevention, and other interdisciplinary partners.
- Coordinate care planning and promote individualized, resident-centered plans of care based on clinical needs, goals, preferences, and quality-of-life priorities.
- Provide leadership and oversight for hospice and palliative care services, promoting comfort, dignity, symptom management, advance care planning, family support, and high-quality end-of-life care.
- Support staff in caring for Veterans with complex chronic illnesses, cognitive impairment, functional limitations, advanced disease, and end-of-life needs.
- Promote principles of hospice and palliative nursing throughout the CLC and support interdisciplinary collaboration for residents receiving comfort-focused care.
- Support and mentor staff in communication with residents and families regarding goals of care, changes in condition, end-of-life needs, and resident preferences.
- Promote a compassionate care environment that respects Veteran autonomy, dignity, cultural preferences, and individual goals.
- Coordinate admissions, transfers, discharges, and changes in level of care while ensuring continuity and safety throughout transitions.
- Oversee emergency preparedness activities and ensure staff understand emergency response procedures, including fire response, evacuation, emergency staffing, and protection of vulnerable residents.
- Ensure staff are prepared to safely evacuate ambulatory, non-ambulatory, and total-care residents during emergencies.
- Monitor availability and readiness of emergency equipment, medical supplies, oxygen equipment, evacuation equipment, and other essential resources.
- Manage unit supplies and collaborate with Supply Service, Pharmacy, Sterile Processing, Respiratory Therapy, and other services to maintain appropriate inventory levels.
- Use data and technology to improve operational efficiency, staffing management, documentation, communication, and resource utilization.
- Utilize Accustaf, VATAAS, Microsoft Excel, electronic medical records, and other VA systems to support workforce and operational management.
- Conduct staff meetings, daily huddles, leadership rounds, and interdisciplinary meetings to communicate priorities and address operational barriers.
- Develop and mentor Charge Nurses and emerging nurse leaders, strengthening their ability to make independent decisions and resolve unit-level problems.
- Promote professional nursing practice, evidence-based care, critical thinking, and accountability among all nursing staff.
- Establish positive working relationships with residents, families, employees, leadership, and interdisciplinary partners.
- Promote staff recognition, professional development, employee engagement, and retention.
- Identify opportunities to improve workflow and resource utilization while maintaining high standards of resident care.
- Collaborate with senior nursing leadership on strategic initiatives, operational priorities, workforce planning, and quality improvement.
- Provide leadership during high-risk and high-demand situations, maintaining calm, organized, and effective decision-making.
- Participated in the recruitment, interviewing, selection, orientation of new employees.
- Conducted regular meetings with staff to discuss concerns or issues related to nursing practices.
- Addressed disciplinary issues among staff in accordance with organizational policy.
- Facilitated communication between physicians, nurses, support services personnel.
- Collaborated with other departments to ensure quality patient outcomes.
- Provided guidance to staff on patient care, clinical practice, and professional development.
- Investigated incidents or complaints from patients or their families.
ASSISTANT NURSE MANAGER - COMMUNITY LIVING CENTER
VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER
Washington, DC
09.2018 - 01.2022
- Provided clinical and administrative leadership for CLC nursing operations and served as a key leadership resource for the Nurse Manager across multiple shifts.
- Supervised, directed, and motivated nursing staff to deliver safe, high-quality resident care.
- Developed staffing schedules and assignments to ensure appropriate coverage.
- Served as Acting Nurse Manager in the absence of the Nurse Manager.
- Conducted real-time chart audits and identified opportunities for clinical and documentation improvement.
- Supported recruitment, interviewing, orientation, proficiency assessments, performance evaluations, awards, promotions, and employee development.
- Conducted daily leadership rounds and provided customer service recovery.
- Coordinated daily huddles and nursing staff meetings.
- Mentored Charge Nurses and promoted critical thinking and problem-solving at the unit level.
- Managed supplies and resources and developed Excel-based inventory tracking tools.
- Participated in Root Cause Analyses, Peer Reviews, Fact-Finding investigations, and Performance Improvement projects.
- Led a Performance Improvement initiative involving the Alaris Pump safety recall, developing an action plan and presenting the project to senior nursing leadership.
- Supported hospice, palliative, long-term care, emergency preparedness, infection prevention, and resident safety initiatives.
- Reduced overtime through effective scheduling, staff flexibility, and workforce management.
- Collaborated with Supply Service to resolve PPE shortages and ensure adequate supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Supported staff education, onboarding, professional development, and clinical competency.
- Served as an accessible nurse leader and interdisciplinary resource during off-tour hours.
REGISTERED NURSE / CHARGE NURSE / STAFF NURSE
Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Washington, DC
05.2005 - 09.2018
- Provided comprehensive nursing care to Veterans with complex chronic, acute, rehabilitative, long-term care, hospice, and palliative needs.
- Functioned as Charge Nurse and Team Leader, coordinating daily nursing operations and staff assignments.
- Managed resident care from admission through discharge and coordinated transitions across care settings.
- Provided hospice and end-of-life nursing care, including symptom management, pain assessment, comfort-focused interventions, resident advocacy, and family education.
- Collaborated with physicians and interdisciplinary teams to manage rapidly changing clinical conditions.
- Supervised and mentored nurses and nursing assistants.
- Administered complex medications and treatments, including IV therapy, IV push, IM, subcutaneous, enteral therapies, and peritoneal dialysis.
- Managed wounds, drains, chest tubes, NG tubes, gastric tubes, PEG tubes, and other complex clinical needs.
- Conducted comprehensive assessments, reassessments, care planning, and clinical documentation.
- Educated Veterans, families, and caregivers regarding disease management, medications, wound care, treatment plans, and discharge needs.
- Participated in quality improvement initiatives, staff meetings, investigations, and interdisciplinary care planning.
- Conducted supply audits and supported appropriate resource management.
- Assisted with staffing coverage across all three shifts and helped reduce overtime.
- Trained newly hired nurses in clinical standards, safety procedures, documentation, and operational practices.
Education
Change Management Certificación
PROCSI
PROCSI 06-2025
Master of Science - Nursing /Nurse Executive
University of Puerto Rico
San Juan, PR05-2023
Bachelor of Science - Nursing
University of Catholic of Ponce Puerto Rico
Ponce, PR05-2004
Skills
- Performance improvement
- Infection control
- Electronic health records
- Hospice care
- Long-term care
- Care coordination
- Nursing operations
- Staff scheduling
- Conflict resolution
- Critical thinking
- Team leadership
- Quality assurance
- Regulatory compliance
- Effective communication
- Problem solving
- Ethical practice
- Coverage planning
- Multitasking and organization
- Task delegation
- Care delivery
- Delegation
- Emergency response
- Staff coaching and mentoring
- Clinical supervision
- Hiring and terminations
- Strong clinical judgment
- Electronic charting skills
- Workload management
- Direct patient care
- Work Planning and Prioritization
- Staff development
- Clinical expertise
- Quality improvement
- Nursing team oversight
- Nursing assignments
- Staff supervision
- Patient education and advocacy
- Ward management
- Staff leadership
- Department management
Personal Information
Title: MASTER'S-PREPARED NURSE EXECUTIVE AND NURSE MANAGER
Accomplishments
- Successfully transitioned from Assistant Nurse Manager to Nurse Manager for CLC Freedom Way West, Long-Term Care and Hospice, providing sustained leadership for the past four years.
- Successfully manage a complex CLC environment serving Veterans with significant medical, functional, chronic, hospice, and palliative care needs.
- Strengthened staff communication through daily huddles, leadership rounding, structured handoff processes, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
- Supported reduction of overtime through proactive staffing, scheduling, workforce flexibility, and resource management.
- Maintained strong focus on survey readiness and regulatory compliance.
- Strengthened resident and family satisfaction through leadership rounding, direct communication, and timely customer service recovery.
- Supported the development of Charge Nurses and frontline staff through mentoring, coaching, education, and leadership development.
- Led and participated in multiple quality improvement initiatives, RCA investigations, Peer Reviews, and corrective action plans.
- Supported successful emergency preparedness and fire-response readiness for the CLC, including evacuation planning for total-care residents.
- Promoted hospice and palliative care principles throughout the long-term care environment, emphasizing comfort, dignity, quality of life, and Veteran/family-centered care.
Details
- Washington, District of Columbia
- Maritza.perez-gonzalez@va.gov
LEADERSHIP & PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
- 21+ years of nursing and healthcare leadership experience
- 4+ years as Nurse Manager – CLC Freedom Way West, Long-Term Care & Hospice
- 4+ years as Assistant Nurse Manager
- Experienced Acting Nurse Manager
- Managed/supervised teams of up to 56 employees
- Extensive Hospice & Palliative Care experience
- Community Living Center / Long-Term Care leadership
- Emergency Preparedness leadership
- Performance Improvement and Quality Management
- Root Cause Analysis and Fact-Finding investigations
- Survey readiness and regulatory compliance
- Staffing, scheduling, workforce management, and overtime reduction
- Staff recruitment, development, mentoring, and retention
- Resident and family advocacy
- Interdisciplinary team leadership
- Patient safety and risk management
- Clinical documentation and chart audits
- Supply and resource management
- Cultural transformation and resident engagement
- VA leadership and healthcare administration
Timeline
NURSE MANAGER - COMMUNITY LIVING CENTER
FREEDOM WAY WEST (FWW), LONG-TERM CARE & HOSPICE, VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER
01.2022 - Current
ASSISTANT NURSE MANAGER - COMMUNITY LIVING CENTER
VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER
09.2018 - 01.2022
REGISTERED NURSE / CHARGE NURSE / STAFF NURSE
Veterans Affairs Medical Center
05.2005 - 09.2018
Change Management Certificación
PROCSI
Master of Science - Nursing /Nurse Executive
University of Puerto Rico
Bachelor of Science - Nursing
University of Catholic of Ponce Puerto Rico