Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Certification
References
I enjoy painting, and writing poetry whenever life allows the time.
Timeline
Generic

Michelle Hightower

Apex,NC

Summary

With 28 years of experience in various areas of medicine, including NICU, PICU, ED, Labor and Delivery, Case Management, Home Care, Plastic Surgery, and Professional Instruction at a Community College, I bring a diverse skill set and extensive knowledge. Throughout my career, I consistently demonstrate a passion for exceptional patient care and positive outcomes. My expertise lies in managing complex cases, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams, and delivering evidence-based practices. As a dedicated healthcare professional, I am committed to staying abreast of the latest advancements in the field and continuously enhancing my skills to deliver the highest standard of care.

Overview

27
27
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Faculty With Health Careers Nursing Assistant Program

Guilford Technical Community College
01.2024 - Current
  • Community College is a wonderful foundation for students to experience their dreams, goals, and strengths, all while learning who they are and their place in the community.
  • The medical community is a strong team, and teaching students how to play and work effectively on a medical team was a key component to my teaching style, utilizing my experience as an evidence based foundation of success.
  • Guilford Technical Community College makes amazing happen everyday and produces Titans contributing to the community at large and I am honored to be apart of the experience.
  • Over the last year Guilford Technical Community College has graduated over 500 nursing assistants for the state of North Carolina.
  • Building Bridges within the school community and the community at large to assist the students to have the best experience and greatest success.

Pediatric Home Health Nurse

Angels of Care Home Health
01.2023 - Current
  • Worked along side hospice, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and many specialists providing care for a patient with Trisomy 18 and family, helping them navigate the treacherous waters of the illness.
  • I enjoyed the collaboration of everyone, leading to one of the best outcomes I have had the privilege to witness, only affirming the strength of the medical community when we work together.
  • Identified health issues while at home care visits and contacted patient's physician to discuss best method for resolution.
  • Provided compassionate nursing care to medically fragile children in home settings.
  • Tracked patients' progress through careful reporting and documentation at each visit.
  • Handled medication administration, ventilation monitoring and wound care.
  • Communicated with patients and family members, providing detailed information regarding care and medications.
  • Provided physical assessments, medication, and chronic disease management to home health patients.
  • Worked with multidisciplinary team to carry out successful treatment plans for diverse acute and chronic conditions.
  • Monitored vital signs, developed and implemented care plans, and documented patient progress.

Family Manager

The Hightower Family
10.2004 - Current
  • On the journey of raising two strong, intelligent, compassionate daughters, and it has been one of the greatest experiences in life.
  • One is now a sophomore in college at UNC and the other is now in the 6th grade. The gap in their age has taught and equipped me with outstanding time management skills.
  • It is the most rewarding and fulfilling job of in life.
  • Identified warning signs of emotional and developmental problems in children.

Clinical Supervisor

Maxim Health Care
09.2022 - 11.2023
  • This job provided a hands on opportunity to assess communities at large. Working to assist patients that benefited the most receiving home health services.
  • Worked along side with Medicaid, NC Tracks, and primary care physicians to assess patients qualifications for approval for home health services.
  • A special time to work in the community as we were learning to live post pandemic and so many had been lost in the shuffle of time.
  • Lead and directed team of 50 clinical personnel and support staff.
  • Monitored, analyzed, and corrected staff performance and worked with nurse manager to raise standards of practice.
  • Assessed patients, determined needs, and managed care.
  • Developed improvement plans to solve problems and improve lagging areas.
  • Responded to crisis situations with calm and professional approach to optimize support.
  • Discussed medical histories with patients in effort to provide most effective medical advice.

NICU Nurse and Supervisor

Phoenix Children's Hospital
09.1997 - 10.2007
  • Working in the NICU for 10 years was one of the most amazing lessons in life.
  • I learned the skills required of an NICU Nurse, Supervisor, and Case Manager.
  • I was a grief counselor and learned the effective skill of therapeutic communication.
  • I worked with a team and discovered first hand how collaboration and consistency of care not only change the outcome for the better for our patients but create strong teams within the system that become unbreakable.
  • I have a passion for infant development and became a developmental specialist in the NICU.
  • It was a beautiful thing to learn that skin to skin holding and containment was sometime all that was needed to calm a fast heart rate, or baby in withdrawal, or a neurological trauma.
  • I am grateful for the journeys my patients, families, and colleagues welcomed me to take with them.
  • They are precious and impactful and lessons that are irreplaceable, and have been a foundation for my navigation through life.

Education

Bachelor of Science - Nursing

Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff Arizona
01.1997

Skills

  • Strong Leadership skills achieved through many experiences working as lead for many
  • Grief Counselor working with family walking through grief Discovering need for final goodbyes to provide closure, providing support to families in years after loss There was always had grief counselors on at all times and would follow up with families walking through unimaginable loss
  • ECMO Technician Nurse, often taking most challenging and difficult families Wonderful Doctors and Nurses that taught effectiveness of therapeutic communication, accountability, and diligence, that led to nothing shy of miracles
  • Developmental Specialist, working with nurses, doctors, Physical therapist, nutritionist, occupational therapist, social workers, and families to achieve best developmental outcomes for patients, looking at long term effects of procedures and experiences, while in constant pursuit to do better
  • Nursing Supervisor, leading 120 bed unit and helping to create assignments, matching nursing skills sets with patient needs Coordinating care and providing safe and efficiently run NICU
  • High Risk Delivery Nurse, attending deliveries in which baby or mother were known to be in distress, trained in procedures and techniques to assist in safe passage for both baby and mother
  • Case Manager, working with insurance companies, home health agencies, and medical teams to collaborate care for patient and families

Certification

  • North Carolina Board of Nursing RN, ACTIVE
  • CPR Certification, ACTIVE

References

  • Warren Crow, Director of Health Careers for Guilford Technical Community College, rwcrow@gtcc.edu
  • Mary Wilkinson, Faculty Member Health Careers for Guilford Technical Community College, mawilkinson@gtcc.edu

I enjoy painting, and writing poetry whenever life allows the time.

I believe that utilizing our creative mind can help balance our work, life relationships and help us bring peace to challenging times. I utilize my skills in painting and writing to help me achieve this steady balance. I am also a huge fan of family time and my girls bring much needed joy and gratefulness for the opportunities life has to offer. 

Timeline

Faculty With Health Careers Nursing Assistant Program

Guilford Technical Community College
01.2024 - Current

Pediatric Home Health Nurse

Angels of Care Home Health
01.2023 - Current

Clinical Supervisor

Maxim Health Care
09.2022 - 11.2023

Family Manager

The Hightower Family
10.2004 - Current

NICU Nurse and Supervisor

Phoenix Children's Hospital
09.1997 - 10.2007

Bachelor of Science - Nursing

Northern Arizona University

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Michelle Hightower