MELISSA S. WELLS MSN. RN.
Freeport,NY
Summary
Patient-centered, detail oriented and compassionate professional seeking a leadership opportunity in an acute care setting of an institution that is committed to providing the highest standards of quality.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Nursing- Med-Surg
Queens NYC/HHC
09.2022 - Current
- Improved patient care quality by implementing evidence-based nursing practices and protocols.
- Reduced hospital readmission rates through effective discharge planning, nurse/physician discharge teaching and patient education.
- Reduced Fall Rate by implementing Peer to Peer Rounding, Fall Education Videos and Interdisciplinary Fall Review Meetings.
- Enhanced staff performance by conducting regular evaluations, providing constructive feedback, and offering tailored professional development opportunities.
- Streamlined nursing operations by optimizing staffing schedules, resource allocation, and workflow processes.
- Oversee off-shift hospital coverage and nursing office to ensure staffing needs are met throughout the facility.
- Ensure all Med-Surg units are streamlined and follows hospital policy and procedures.
- Lead for Med-Surg and Policy & Procedure Council.
- Lead for facility Safe Patient Handling Committee.
- Oversee Palliative Nurse Practitioner and Wound Care Nurse Practitioners.
- Lead monthly Physician & Nursing Collaboration Meetings to discuss current issues and changes that may be needed.
- Co-Lead Nursing Leadership Patient Experience Group.
Assistant Director of Nursing
Queens NYC/HHC
02.2022 - 09.2022
- Supports the mission, goals and objectives of the organization and nursing department.
- Assist in coverage of nursing office in meeting staffing ratios in the absence of Associate Director.
- Ensure that staff is aware of new policies and updated existing policies to improve standard of care for patients.
- Developed positive employee relations, incentives and recognition programs to promote teamwork and mutual respect by way of emotional intelligence and allowance of employee feedback.
- Spearheaded and implemented new projects to expand scope of engagement. (PEER to PEER Rounding, Suggestion Box)
- Monitored infection control programs to provide safe, sanitary environment to prevent transmission of disease and infection (co-horting of patients and prompt separation of patients at risk)
- Collaborated with staff, management and external groups to coordinate patient care.
- Monitored and inspected staff processes to eliminate hazards posed for both patients and staff while ensuring continuous compliance with regulations.
- Participated in management team meetings to discuss patient experience and ways to improve the flow of the unit and patients stay at Queens Hospital.
- Recruited quality individuals to develop accountable top quality staff that follows the I-CARE model.
- Member of Shared Governance committee Med-Surg Council and Pathway to Excellence Ignite Group.
- Evaluate work performance ~40 nursing personnel to ensure they practice safe patient care and implement discipline when needed.
- Takes part in facility inspections, identifying areas needing improvement and eliminating hazards posed to staff and patients for continued compliance with associated regulations.
- Identified department issues to recommend corrective actions.
- Work off-shift hours to interface with the evening and night shift.
Patient Care Manager - Step Down/Pulmonary Unit
BronxCare Health System
09.2021 - 02.2022
- Direct day-to-day administrative and operational functions for 39 bed Step-Down/Pulmonary Unit, providing guidance and leadership to 60 FTE.
- Interpreted regulations to identify patient care requirement criteria to be monitored and establish systems to achieve compliance.
- Educated and evaluated clinical and support staff regarding care quality management regulations and standards of care.
- Collected and aggregated data to identify problems or trends, such as turnaround time and issues with physician offices.
- Monitored and inspected staff processes to eliminate hazards posed for staff while ensuring continuous compliance with regulations.
- Recruited, hired and trained all staff, providing direct supervision, ongoing staff development and continuing education to employees.
- Analyzed key performance indicators to assess and manage risk, evaluating patient care and creating procedural changes to increase efficiency.
- Coverage of the entire hospital during off-shift and weekends.
Patient Care Manager - TELEMETRY
BronxCare Health System
12.2018 - 09.2021
- Manage a 41-bed telemetry unit with a total FTE of 70.
- Create goals and objectives for the unit and make sure they are met by the staff.
- Coordinate the development, planning, implementation and evaluation for patients within the unit.
- Improve the quality and efficiency of the level of care delivered to patients.
- Ensure that staff follows all hospitals policies and procedures.
- Gather and record information for monthly Performance Improvement Initiatives.
- Overlook and prepare unit for Mock Survey, Joint Commission and environmental visits.
- Prepare staff schedules for nurses, telemetry techs and ancillary staff.
- Ensure that all care is evidenced-based and complies with Infection Control and TJC Patient Safety Goals and Practices.
- Solve any problems patients might have at the facility, while exercising independent judgment within the context of interdisciplinary patient care.
- Recruit and train nurses and other health professionals.
- Keep and organize all records pertaining to said unit.
- Coverage of the entire hospital during off-shift and weekends.
- Coverage of MICU/CCU 2/2020 thru 4/2020 and Step-Down Pulmonary Unit 12/2020 thru 2/2020 in the absence of units Patient Care Manager.
CCU Assistant Nursing Care Coordinator
BronxCare Health System
11.2015 - 12.2018
- Coordinates the activities in the performance of the nursing process, ensures patients’ needs are met through assignment of appropriate personnel, participates in patient classification, reviews and analyzes delivery of nursing care within the unit.
- Assists in coordinating the development, planning, implementation and evaluation for patients within the unit.
- Supervises staff in the absence of the nurse manager.
- Gather and record information for monthly Performance Improvement Initiatives.
- Overlook and prepare unit for Mock Survey, Joint Commission and environmental visits.
- Assists in preparing staff schedules and recommends supplemental staff needed.
- Supervise license and unlicensed staff.
- Period Nurse Chart Review.
Staff Nurse, CCU & MICU
Bronx Lebanon
05.2013 - 12.2018
- Provide care to patients with ARDS, Sepsis, Renal Failure, STEMI, Post Cardiac arrest.
- Deliver direct and indirect patient care through the nursing process of assessment, planning, intervention, and evaluation.
- Provide postoperative care specific to surgical procedures.
- Manage patients with chest tubes, monitoring drainage and potential complications.
- Administer and monitoring IV vassopressors, inotropics, sedatives, and neuromuscular blocking agents, titrating as per Physician orders to produce therapeutic effects.
- Hemodynamic monitoring such as central venous pressure, cardiac output, and wedge pressures.
- Deliver care to patients post cardiac arrest on hypothermia protocol.
- Assisting Physicians and managing patients during various procedures such as: Lumbar Punctures, Broncoscopy; Arterial and central venous pressure line insertion; Tracheostomies and Endotracheal tube insertion and extubation.
- Provide care to patients with ventriculostomies monitoring drainage and intracranial pressures.
- Preparing patients for various studies such as MRI, CT scan, Doppler Studies, TEE, EEG.
- Providing complex wound care, and utilizing preventative measures.
- Utilizing the Glasgow Coma Scale, Ramsay Scale, Sedation Agitation Scale and Train of Four for patients on neuromuscular blocking agents.
Staff Nurse
Bronx Lebanon
04.2012 - 05.2013
- Provided nursing care to patients seen under Gynecologic, Orthopedic medicine and Infectious Disease specialties .
- Administered medications, monitored for therapeutic effects, side effects and adverse effects.
- Administered blood products, verified patient information, blood type, checked for consent and monitored reactions.
- Provided intravenous therapy, eternal and parental nutrition.
- Performed wound assessment and the necessary wound care treatments.
- Performed comprehensive health assessments for patient admissions ~ Provided discharge planning.
- Educated patient’s on procedures, healthy lifestyle and preventative measures for maintaining best outcomes.
- Utilized nursing assessments and interventions for efficient patient care and monitor outcomes.
- Used computerized based charting for documentation of patient assessments.
- Provided Pre- and Post surgical Nursing care, assessment, and interventions.
- Maintained effective communication with Physician regarding patient status.
Education
Masters - Nursing Administration
Adelphi University
Garden City, NY05.2021
Bachelor of Science - Nursing
Long Island University School of Nursing
Brooklyn, New York12.2009
Bachelor of Arts - Health and Human Services
SUNY At Buffalo
05.2003
Skills
- Transferable Skills
- Employee Recruitment and Hiring
- Interdepartmental Functions Coordination
- Critical Thinking
- Employee Supervision
- Time Management
- Process Implementation
- Employee Training Program
- Employee Performance Evaluations
Affiliations
AONL-American Organization for Nursing Leadership
Timeline
Director of Nursing- Med-Surg
Queens NYC/HHC
09.2022 - Current
Assistant Director of Nursing
Queens NYC/HHC
02.2022 - 09.2022
Patient Care Manager - Step Down/Pulmonary Unit
BronxCare Health System
09.2021 - 02.2022
Patient Care Manager - TELEMETRY
BronxCare Health System
12.2018 - 09.2021
CCU Assistant Nursing Care Coordinator
BronxCare Health System
11.2015 - 12.2018
Staff Nurse, CCU & MICU
Bronx Lebanon
05.2013 - 12.2018
Staff Nurse
Bronx Lebanon
04.2012 - 05.2013
Masters - Nursing Administration
Adelphi University
Bachelor of Science - Nursing
Long Island University School of Nursing
Bachelor of Arts - Health and Human Services
SUNY At Buffalo