Nicole Pynenberg
Summary
Compassionate Intensive Case Nurse experienced in providing comprehensive care for underserved patients throughout treatment and recovery. Improved patient outcomes and enhanced team efficiency by managing high-acuity cases and leading multidisciplinary teams in critical care environments. Focused on delivering quality healthcare and promoting total health through effective communication and critical decision-making.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
2
2
years of post-secondary education
1
1
Certification
Work History
ICU Charge Nurse
Northwestern Memorial Hospital
DeKalb, Illinois
10.2021 - Current
- Supervised nursing staff in high-pressure ICU, ensuring quality patient care.
- Coordinated patient care plans with multidisciplinary teams to optimize treatment outcomes.
- Managed staffing schedules and resource allocation to maintain workflow efficiency.
ICU Nurse
Northwestern Memorial Hospital
DeKalb, Illinois
02.2018 - 10.2021
- Delivered direct patient care during critical situations in high-acuity unit, ensuring timely interventions.
- Monitored vital signs, promptly communicated changes to healthcare team to facilitate immediate response.
- Administered medications and treatments according to physician orders and protocols, ensuring patient safety and compliance.
Clinical Nurse
Northwestern Memorial Hospital
DeKalb, Illinois
10.2016 - 02.2018
- Advanced Monitoring: Track continuous cardiac telemetry, invasive arterial lines, and oxygen saturation.
- Titrating Medications: Administer and adjust continuous intravenous drips, including specialized cardiac, blood pressure, and insulin infusions.
- Emergency Response: Initiated advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) protocols and collaborated with rapid response teams during critical patient incidents, contributing to patient survival.
- Early Intervention: Recognize subtle clinical declines early to prevent the patient from coding or returning to the ICU.
- Managing High Acuity Ratios: Provide high-level care to a larger assignment of patients than an ICU, typically maintaining a 1:3 or 1:4 nurse-to-patient ratio.
- Frequent Patient Assessments: Perform comprehensive physical and neurological assessments every 2 to 4 hours.
- Respiratory Management: Care for patients on non-invasive ventilation like BiPAP, CPAP, or high-flow nasal cannula, and manage tracheostomies.
- Post-ICU Transition: Stabilized and rehabilitated patients post-transfer from intensive care unit, ensuring smooth recovery and continuity of care.
- Comprehensive Care Planning: Coordinated with physicians, respiratory therapists, and physical therapists to create and implement effective care plans, facilitating timely patient discharge.
Clinical Nurse
Northwestern Memorial Hospital
DeKalb, Illinois
01.2012 - 10.2016
- Continuous Cardiac Monitoring: Read, interpret, and analyze electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG) readouts.
- Arrhythmia Identification: Detect abnormal heart rhythms and dangerous changes instantly.
- Rapid Crisis Response: Administer life-saving care or call rapid response teams during emergencies.
- Medication Administration: Give oral, topical, and intravenous medications, particularly cardiac drips.
- Vital Sign Tracking: Monitor blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen levels, and respiration.
- Patient Assessments: Perform full physical exams and document clinical changes.
- Physician Liaison: Update doctors on vital sign trends and cardiac telemetry alerts.
- Post-Procedural Care: Care for patients recovering from cardiac surgeries, stents, or pacemakers.
- Equipment Management: Calibrate, troubleshoot, and attach telemetry packs to patients.
- Patient Education: Teach patients and families about heart health, medications, and lifestyle changes
Education
Bachelors - Nursing
Northern Illinois University
Dekalb, IL 08.2012 - 12.2014
Sycamore High School
Sycamore, ILSkills
- Critical care management
- Patient monitoring
- Medication titration
- Hemodynamic monitoring
- Ventilator management
- Respiratory assessment
- Advanced cardiac life support
- Rapid response protocols
- Patient care planning
- Emergency management
- Staffing management
- Staff education
- Team leadership
- Effective communication
- Time management
Certification
- CCRN
- ACLS
- BLS
- Ultrasound IV
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
ICU Charge Nurse
Northwestern Memorial Hospital
10.2021 - Current
ICU Nurse
Northwestern Memorial Hospital
02.2018 - 10.2021
Clinical Nurse
Northwestern Memorial Hospital
10.2016 - 02.2018
Bachelors - Nursing
Northern Illinois University
08.2012 - 12.2014
Clinical Nurse
Northwestern Memorial Hospital
01.2012 - 10.2016
Sycamore High School