PALASA S. MASULLI
DERBY,USA
Summary
A challenging, professional position within the healthcare delivery system or related field.
Overview
32
32
years of professional experience
Work History
Hospice Nurse
Athena Home Health and Hospice
10.2023 - Current
- Managed pain effectively by closely monitoring symptoms and adjusting medications accordingly.
- Improved patient comfort by providing compassionate end-of-life care and symptom management.
- Coordinated with physicians to adjust medications as needed for optimal palliative care outcomes.
- Offered listening ear to both patients and loved ones to meet emotional and mental, as well as physical needs.
- Promoted a peaceful and supportive environment for patients and their families during the end-of-life transition.
- Advocated for patients'' wishes regarding medical treatment options, respecting cultural beliefs and values throughout the decision-making process.
- Recognized and understood specific stages of dying process, providing comfort-based care during vulnerable times.
- Developed and implemented individualized care plan for each hospice patient while following physician instructions.
- Established and maintained successful relationships with patients, families and physicians by utilizing exemplary communication and active listening skills.
- Enhanced family understanding of the hospice process through clear communication and education.
- Assisted in training new hospice nurses, sharing expertise in end-of-life care best practices.
- Implemented creative non-pharmacological interventions for symptom management, enhancing patient comfort and overall quality of life.
- Facilitated smooth transitions from acute hospital settings to home-based hospice care environments, promoting continuity of care.
- Increased patient satisfaction by addressing emotional, spiritual, and physical needs holistically.
- Established hospice care services for elderly and disabled patients.
- Streamlined documentation processes, ensuring timely completion of necessary paperwork and reports.
- Proactively addressed potential crises by anticipating needs and communicating concerns with interdisciplinary team members.
- Conducted comprehensive assessments of patients'' conditions to determine appropriate care plan interventions.
- Served as a key liaison between patients, families, physicians, and other healthcare providers to ensure seamless coordination of services.
- Collaborated with volunteers to enhance level of support and companionship provided to patients.
- Fostered supportive and empathetic environment for patients and their families during challenging times.
- Developed strong rapport with patients and families, building trust and easing emotional burden of end-of-life care.
- Monitored patient conditions closely, adjusting care plans as needed for optimal comfort and quality of life.
- Administered medications efficiently, ensuring symptom management and patient comfort.
- Educated family members and caregivers on patient care instructions.
- Evaluated patient histories, complaints, and current symptoms.
- Used first-hand knowledge and clinical expertise to advocate for patients under care and enacted prescribed treatment strategies.
- Conveyed treatment options, diagnosis information and home care techniques to patients and caregivers to continue care consistency.
Regional Health Care Manager (nurse liaison)
GAYLORD HOSPITAL SPECIALTY HEALTH CARE
12.2010 - 07.2023
- Communicated with healthcare team members to plan, implement and enhance treatment strategies.
- Offered exceptional care and support to individuals recovering from acute incidents and dealing with chronic conditions.
- Conducted ongoing monitoring and evaluations of behaviors and conditions, and updated clinical supervisors with current information.
- Recorded details regarding therapies to keep patient charts updated.
- Maintained a high degree of professionalism at all times, representing the organization with integrity in both internal and external interactions.
- Enhanced customer satisfaction by swiftly addressing concerns and providing solutions to various issues.
- Improved interagency collaboration with regular team building activities and open forums for discussion.
- Communicated with healthcare providers to facilitate continuity of care.
- Served as a liaison between patients, families, physicians, insurance providers, and other healthcare professionals for seamless care coordination efforts.
- Utilized electronic health records systems proficiently for efficient documentation of clinical information according to regulatory standards.
- Prioritized time management effectively balancing competing demands within dynamic fast-paced healthcare environments.
- Streamlined care coordination processes, resulting in timely referrals and access to appropriate resources.
- Improved patient satisfaction through effective communication and collaboration with interdisciplinary healthcare teams.
- Collaborated with insurance providers to secure authorization for necessary services, maximizing patients'' benefits coverage.
- Advocated for patients' needs with healthcare providers, securing necessary interventions for improved health outcomes.
- Mentored new nursing staff members, fostering teamwork and improving unit efficiency.
- Optimized customer experience by delivering superior services and effectively troubleshooting issues.
Part-time clinical instructor
LINCOLN TECHNICAL INSTITUTE
08.2006 - 12.2010
- Supervised students when administering medications to maintain patient safety.
- Fostered a culture of safety within the learning environment by emphasizing proper use of equipment, infection control measures, and patient privacy guidelines.
- Provided immediate and constructive feedback to students individually and as group.
- Supervised students during clinical rotations, providing immediate feedback on their performance and suggesting areas for improvement when necessary.
- Instructed students on how to perform head-to-toe assessments on patients and how to intervene in medical emergencies.
- Evaluated student progress through written exams, skill demonstrations, and clinical rotations, ensuring they met program requirements.
- Provided nursing skill demonstrations for medication administration, dressing changes and clinical logs.
- Improved student performance with regular assessments and feedback on their clinical skills and knowledge.
- Promoted critical thinking among nursing students by introducing complex case studies during lectures.
- Enhanced student understanding of the nursing profession by sharing personal experiences, insights, and challenges faced within various healthcare settings.
- Assigned students to patients based on students' learning objectives and patient needs.
- Maintained a supportive learning environment, addressing individual student needs and concerns throughout the course.
- Collaborated with fellow instructors to ensure consistency in teaching methods and curriculum content.
- Instructed and coached students to help overcome academic issues and personal challenges.
- Oversaw clinical training of students in specialized areas such as pediatrics and geriatrics, ensuring they received well-rounded educational experience.
- Evaluated students' competencies through written assignments and examinations.
Full-time Staff Nurse: INPATIENT UNIT
THE CONNECTICUT HOSPICE, INC.
02.2003 - 12.2010
- Full-time staff nurse for the 52-bed inpatient facility. Daily patient assignments range from 4 to 7 patients.
- Demonstrated excellent time management skills while juggling multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Assisted physicians with diagnostic procedures, ensuring accurate results for optimal treatment planning.
- Evaluated the effectiveness of care plans regularly, making adjustments as needed based on individual patient needs and progress toward goals.
- Streamlined workflow processes to increase efficiency in a high-volume clinical setting.
- Followed all personal and health data procedures to effectively comply with HIPAA laws and prevent information breaches.
- Observed and documented patient factors such as diets, physical activity levels, and behaviors to understand conditions and effectively modify treatment plans.
- Facilitated therapeutic communication, conflict resolution and crisis intervention by redirecting negative behaviors and helping patients regain or improve coping abilities.
- Communicated with healthcare team members to plan, implement and enhance treatment strategies.
- Recorded details regarding therapies to keep patient charts updated.
- Administered medications via oral, IV, and intramuscular injections and monitored responses.
- Performed various nursing interventions such as wound dressing, vital sign monitoring, and specimen collection.
- Assessed physical, psychological, physiologic, and cognitive status of patients.
- Monitored patients' conditions and reported changes in physical presentation, appearance, and behavior to discuss treatment with physicians.
- Implemented medication and IV administration, catheter insertion, and airway management.
Full-time Staff Nurse HOME CARE
THE CONNECTICUT HOSPICE, INC.
05.1993 - 02.2003
- Full-time staff nurse. Responsible for admissions, case management and coordination of all patient care needs through the primary physician for an average caseload of 9-11patients. Also for insurance company approvals and re-certifications; reviewing and preparing patient records for routine state and JCAHO inspection; making home visits with both the state of CT and JCAHO inspectors. In addition, I conducted regular in-services about hospice care and services to: nursing school students; staff at local area skilled nursing facilities and durable medical equipment/oxygen companies, as well as representing CT Hospice at various health fairs. I also conducted the ‘nursing and body mechanics’ portion of the hospice volunteer classes on a scheduled basis. During this time, I served as the designated preceptor to new RN staff in our office as well. Additionally, I functioned as a hospice-hospital liaison during much of my time in homecare.
- Administered medications via oral, IV, and intramuscular injections and monitored responses.
- Performed various nursing interventions such as wound dressing, vital sign monitoring, and specimen collection.
- Assessed physical, psychological, physiologic, and cognitive status of patients.
- Monitored patients' conditions and reported changes in physical presentation, appearance, and behavior to discuss treatment with physicians.
- Implemented medication and IV administration, catheter insertion, and airway management.
- Developed strong rapport with patients and families, fostering trust and open communication during challenging times.
- Collaborated with physicians, pharmacists and therapists to deliver quality, evidence-based care.
- Educated patients, families and caregivers on diagnosis and prognosis, treatment options, disease process, and management and lifestyle options.
- Acted as a patient advocate, ensuring their needs were met and their rights protected throughout their healthcare journey.
- Mentored new nursing staff, supporting their professional growth and development.
- Reduced medication errors through meticulous charting and double-checking dosages.
- Precepted student nurses and oriented new hires, providing guidance and mentorship when teaching on hospital policies, emergency procedures, and nursing best practices.
- Developed and implemented individualized patient care plans for optimal outcomes.
- Improved patient satisfaction scores by providing empathetic, compassionate care to diverse populations.
- Participated in regular staff meetings to share best practices, address challenges, and foster collaboration among team members.
- Promoted a culture of safety by strictly adhering to infection control measures and reporting any potential hazards or concerns.
- Managed complex wound care, utilizing advanced techniques to promote healing and prevent infection.
- Exhibited strong critical thinking skills when assessing complex medical situations and determining appropriate interventions.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary team members for comprehensive patient assessments and treatment plans.
- Monitored patient reactions after administering medications and IV therapies.
- Educated family members and caregivers on patient care instructions.
- Evaluated patient histories, complaints, and current symptoms.
- Used first-hand knowledge and clinical expertise to advocate for patients under care and enacted prescribed treatment strategies.
- Conveyed treatment options, diagnosis information and home care techniques to patients and caregivers to continue care consistency.
- Conducted ongoing monitoring and evaluations of behaviors and conditions, and updated clinical supervisors with current information.
Education
Master of Arts - Experiential Health and Healing
THE GRADUATE INSTITUTE
Bethany, CT07.2010
Baccalaureate Degree - Nursing
UNIVERSITY OF BRIDGEPORT
Bridgeport, CT05.1986
Skills
- Care planning
- Case assessments
- Clinical documentation
- Service coordination
- Medication reviews
- Medical chart documentation
- Patient education
- Workflow coordination
- Vital sign monitoring
- Technology proficiency
- Client assessment
- Care oversight
- In-home care plans
- Critical thinking
- HIPAA guidelines
- Decision-making
- Schedule management
- Patient education and counseling
- Care delivery
- Patient advocacy
- Training and mentoring
- Multidisciplinary team collaboration
- Staff supervision
- Problem identification
- Epic systems
- Patient safety
- Healthcare delivery
- Electronic medical record software
- Medication dispensing
- Patient care assessment
- Records maintenance
Languages
Greek
Native or Bilingual
Timeline
Hospice Nurse
Athena Home Health and Hospice
10.2023 - Current
Regional Health Care Manager (nurse liaison)
GAYLORD HOSPITAL SPECIALTY HEALTH CARE
12.2010 - 07.2023
Part-time clinical instructor
LINCOLN TECHNICAL INSTITUTE
08.2006 - 12.2010
Full-time Staff Nurse: INPATIENT UNIT
THE CONNECTICUT HOSPICE, INC.
02.2003 - 12.2010
Full-time Staff Nurse HOME CARE
THE CONNECTICUT HOSPICE, INC.
05.1993 - 02.2003
Master of Arts - Experiential Health and Healing
THE GRADUATE INSTITUTE
Baccalaureate Degree - Nursing
UNIVERSITY OF BRIDGEPORT
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