Melissa Novotny
North Bend,OR
Summary
Compassionate and experienced Registered Nurse, Lactation Consultant, and Childbirth Educator with a strong background in labor and delivery, newborn care, case management, and home visitation. Skilled in providing comprehensive maternal and infant care, offering expert lactation support, and educating families on childbirth, postpartum recovery, and newborn health. Adept at assessing patient needs, developing individualized care plans, and coordinating with interdisciplinary teams to ensure optimal outcomes. Passionate about patient advocacy, health education, and empowering families with the knowledge and resources needed for a healthy start. Dedicated to delivering evidence-based, holistic, and compassionate care to mothers and newborns across diverse settings.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Charge Registered Nurse, Lactation Consultant
Bay Area Hospital
Coos Bay, OR
01.2015 - Current
- Contributed to a positive work environment by actively participating in unit meetings, sharing ideas to improve efficiency or address ongoing challenges faced by colleagues.
- Trained new nurses in proper techniques, care standards and operational procedures.
- Built rapport with patients and family members to deliver exceptional care.
- Enhanced interdisciplinary collaboration through effective communication and teamwork with physicians, therapists, and support staff.
- Increased patient satisfaction scores by delivering compassionate care and advocating for individual needs.
- Supervised and managed daily scheduling, tasking, and administration.
- Improved patient outcomes by consistently providing high-quality care and timely interventions.
- Collaborated with physicians to quickly assess patients and deliver appropriate treatment while managing rapidly changing conditions.
- Provided comprehensive assessments of patients'' physical, emotional, and social needs, informing personalized care plans.
- Documented information in patients' electronic medical record, relaying information to clinicians and care providers to facilitate continuity of care.
- Participated in professional development opportunities to stay current on best practices within the nursing field, applying newly acquired knowledge to improve daily practice.
- Participated in quality improvement initiatives, identifying areas for improvement and implementing changes to enhance patient care delivery.
- Consistently met or exceeded performance metrics through diligent monitoring of patient progress and proactive identification of issues requiring intervention.
- Led teams in driving successful patient outcomes by prioritizing standard of care and best practices.
- Participated in evidence-based practice project implementation, nursing competency development and nursing simulation activities.
Registered Nurse in Labor and Delivery
Bay Area Hospital
Coos Bay, OR
10.2012 - 01.2015
- Provided emotional support to families during childbirth, fostering a positive birthing experience.
- Educated expectant mothers on prenatal health, labor stages, pain management options, and postpartum care.
- Reduced complications during childbirth by recognizing early signs of distress and promptly initiating appropriate interventions.
- Promoted a safe environment for newborns by administering prescribed medications and vaccinations immediately after birth.
- Ensured continuity of care for patients transitioning from antepartum to postpartum units by communicating effectively with other healthcare providers regarding individual needs and treatment plans.
- Safeguarded maternal health following childbirth by monitoring vital signs, assessing for postpartum complications, and providing timely interventions when necessary.
- Mentored new nursing staff in the labor and delivery unit, fostering a culture of professional growth and continuous learning.
- Enhanced patient safety by closely monitoring vital signs and fetal heart rate during labor.
- Facilitated successful breastfeeding experiences by assisting new mothers with proper latch techniques and positioning strategies.
- Supported obstetricians during inductions of labor using pharmacological agents such as Pitocin and Cervidil.
- Facilitated smooth patient discharge by providing thorough education on infant care, self-care, and available community resources.
- Prevented infections in newborns through strict adherence to sterile techniques during invasive procedures such as umbilical cord clamping and circumcision.
- Enhanced teamwork among nursing staff through effective communication, collaboration, and constructive feedback in high-stress situations.
- Improved patient satisfaction by providing empathetic and compassionate care during labor and delivery.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary healthcare team to develop individualized birth plans for expectant mothers.
- Conducted newborn assessments to identify potential health issues or developmental concerns early on.
- Assisted physicians in performing complex medical procedures such as epidurals, cesarean sections, and forceps deliveries.
- Provided emotional support and guidance to new mothers and families during labor, delivery and postpartum.
- Assisted physician during delivery, examination and surgical procedures by anticipating needs, encouraging patient, and attending to baby after birth.
- Coordinated care of low and high-risk laboring women of childbearing age and immediate stabilization of newborn following delivery.
Registered Nurse, Women’s Health Clinic
Waterfall Community Health Center
North Bend, OR
08.2008 - 08.2012
- Facilitated continuity of care by communicating effectively with primary care physicians, specialists, and other healthcare providers regarding patient progress and needs.
- Collaborated effectively with administrative staff members to streamline paperwork processing for increased accuracy in billing systems.
- Participated in quality improvement initiatives such as identifying areas for potential improvement or developing new office protocols that enhance overall efficiency and patient satisfaction.
- Promoted patient education with one-on-one consultations, providing guidance on treatment options and preventive measures.
- Coordinated with interdisciplinary teams to achieve optimal patient outcomes through comprehensive care planning and execution.
- Managed medication inventory, ensuring proper storage conditions and timely replenishment to prevent shortages or delays in patient care.
- Administered vaccinations to protect patients from preventable diseases while following established protocols for safe injection practices.
- Improved patient care by conducting thorough assessments, developing individualized care plans, and administering medications as prescribed.
- Utilized electronic health record systems proficiently to input patient data efficiently while minimizing errors and protecting sensitive information.
- Assisted physicians during medical procedures such as minor surgeries or diagnostic tests to ensure effective completion of the task at hand.
- Tracked, reviewed and monitored diagnostic test results and assisted in management of patient care between visits.
- Educated patients and families on disease processes, medications and treatments.
- Sterilized instruments and equipment and stocked unexpired supplies and medications to prepare patient care areas.
- Reinforced health education, counseling and advice to patients and families and assessed patient educational needs, prioritized patient learning needs, identified barriers to learning and used educational tools to encourage non-adherent patients.
- Assessed patient health status based upon presented symptoms and directed patient to appropriate level of care or acceptable alternative venue.
- Led teams in driving successful patient outcomes by prioritizing standard of care and best practices.
- Documented treatments delivered, medications and IVs administered, discharge instructions, and follow-up care.
- Evaluated patient histories, complaints, and current symptoms.
- Performed triage on incoming patients and determined severity of injuries and illnesses.
Registered Nurse, Labor and Delivery
Bay Area Hospital
02.2007 - 10.2009
- Performed neonatal resuscitation, responding promptly to critical situations to help stabilize at-risk newborns.
- Provided continuous labor support to patients, guiding through pain management options and promoting effective breathing techniques during contractions.
- Educated families on newborn care immediately after delivery, fostering understanding of breastfeeding techniques and infant safety practices.
- Administered IV medications and fluids through infusion pumps, managing dosage and flow rates to support maternal and fetal health.
Registered Nurse, Labor and Delivery
Yuma Regional Medical Center
Yuma, AZ
08.2006 - 12.2006
- Performed neonatal resuscitation, responding promptly to critical situations to help stabilize at-risk newborns.
- Provided continuous labor support to patients, guiding through pain management options and promoting effective breathing techniques during contractions.
- Educated families on newborn care immediately after delivery, fostering understanding of breastfeeding techniques and infant safety practices.
- Administered IV medications and fluids through infusion pumps, managing dosage and flow rates to support maternal and fetal health.
- Conducted comprehensive assessments of maternal health status, identifying potential complications and implementing appropriate interventions.
- Provided emotional support and guidance to new mothers and families during labor, delivery and postpartum.
- Responded to emergency situations such as pre-eclampsia, early labor, and fetal distress.
- Assisted physician during delivery, examination and surgical procedures by anticipating needs, encouraging patient, and attending to baby after birth.
- Supported physicians in both planned and emergency Cesarean section procedures.
- Assessed infant health directly after birth using APGAR and monitored health for specified amount of time for any changes in status.
- Managed epidural analgesia infusions and monitored vital signs during labor and delivery.
- Coached new mothers with breastfeeding techniques, postpartum self-care and infant care to promote easier transition into motherhood.
- Aided with induction of labor for women suffering from complications such as preeclampsia.
- Coordinated care of low and high-risk laboring women of childbearing age and immediate stabilization of newborn following delivery.
- Worked closely with doctors and midwives in coaching pregnant women through childbirth and post-natal recovery.
Education
Bachelor Of Science In Nursing - Nursing Leadership And Management
Grand Canyon University
Phoenix, AZAssociate Degree In Nursing -
Arizona Western College
Yuma, AZ05.2006
Skills
- Decision-making
- Care coordination
- Team leadership
- Direct patient care
- Quality improvement
- Staff education and training
- Duty delegation
- Discharge planning
- Interdisciplinary collaboration
- EMR systems
- Maternal health
- Breastfeeding support
- Infant nutrition
- Community resources
- Cultural sensitivity
- Newborn care
- Client education
- Oral motor skills
- Postpartum care
- Referral coordination
- Plan of care development
- Feeding plans
- Milk supply management
- Lactation nutrition
- Lactation instruction
- Direct counseling
- Latch assessment
- Weight gain assessment
- Mental and physical assessments
- Tongue tie evaluation
- Prenatal counseling
- Lactation education
- Home care management
- Clinical assessment
- Case management
- Training staff
- Medication and IV administration
- Immunizations and vaccinations
- Family planning services education
- Women's health exams
- Pain management strategies
- Curriculum development
- Birthing plan development
Certification
- Current Oregon RN license
- International Board Certified Lactation Consultant
- BLS
Timeline
Charge Registered Nurse, Lactation Consultant
Bay Area Hospital
01.2015 - Current
Registered Nurse in Labor and Delivery
Bay Area Hospital
10.2012 - 01.2015
Registered Nurse, Women’s Health Clinic
Waterfall Community Health Center
08.2008 - 08.2012
Registered Nurse, Labor and Delivery
Bay Area Hospital
02.2007 - 10.2009
Registered Nurse, Labor and Delivery
Yuma Regional Medical Center
08.2006 - 12.2006
Bachelor Of Science In Nursing - Nursing Leadership And Management
Grand Canyon University
Associate Degree In Nursing -
Arizona Western College