Patricia Heaphy

The Assistant Nurse Manager, (ANM) 6th floor Progressive Care Unit, is a unique unit that delivers care to stroke, respiratory and over flow cardiac patients. The Assistant Nurse Manager (ANM)

• Involved in ensuring optimal patient outcomes through effective leadership.
• Promotes environment for shared voice in nurse practice and exchange of ideas to continually improve nursing and patient care outcomes.
• Supervises front line staff involved in providing clinical patient care.
• Complete employee corrective action plans/ counseling when necessary
• Prepare and conduct periodic performance evaluations to assigned staff members
• Assists with the administration and management of personnel, fiscal and material resources.
• May assume full responsibility for the unit in the absence of the manager.

• Collaborating with cardiologists by managing and implementing care of a Cardiovascular Step Down Unit.
• Treating patient with arrhythmias that are offered pacemakers, ablations, medications and other interventional treatments.
• Provide pre and post op care of cardiac catheterization and stenting, maintaining procedural sites, TR band and femoral entries post-op, Trans Carotid Artery Revascularizations (TCAR), Watchmen, Video Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS), etc.
• Managed hypertension, congestive heart failure, arrhythmias by evaluating and managing pacemakers and defibrillators.
• Monitor patients vital signs using electrocardiograms and other advanced equipment to foster telemetry care.
• Managed wound vacs and chest tubes based on patient needs and physician orders.
• Work closely with respiratory therapists for acute and chronic respiratory illnesses, including influenza, asthma, pneumonia and lung cancer. the use of various tools such as Bi-PAP, C-PAP, high flow cannula, non-re-breathers, etc.
• Recognize and assess signs and symptoms of stroke. Activate emergency response and facilitate immediate medical intervention. Monitor and stabilize vital signs and neurological status.
• Coordinate diagnostic imaging, such as CT or MRI scans, to confirm the diagnosis and determine the type of stroke
• Facilitated physician collaboration and utilized an interdisciplinary approach to stroke care to improve patient outcomes in a cost effective manner.
• Evaluated the patient's vital signs, particularly oxygen saturation, BP, and temperature, in addition to measuring blood glucose and performing a bedside dysphagia screening, utilizing the NIHSS by assessing mental status and level of consciousness, pupillary response, motor strength, sensation, and gait
• Promoted secondary stroke prevention thru inpatient and family education.
• Advocated for patients by communicating care preferences to practitioners, verifying interventions met treatment goals and identifying insurance coverage limitations.
• Initiated continuous automated peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) thru physician orders of treatment plan while inpatient.
• Administered medications and treatment to patients and monitored responses while working with healthcare teams to adjust care plans.
• Managed care from admission to discharge.

Assisting physicians in Interventional Radiology procedures which would include biopsies, tunneled catheters, paracentesis, thoracentesis, central lines, etc..

• Performs pre-procedure assessment of patient which includes intravenous access, application of monitoring equipment and site preparation as indicated.
• Post procedural care is arranged prior to procedure date unless the case is an add on. Performs and documents appropriate and complete post procedure assessment. Gives a complete and concise report to the department receiving the patient post-procedure.
• Monitor patient condition while under moderate conscious sedation.
• Discharge instructions and patient and family education are provided according to Radiology standards.

• Providing direct care to specific units and within the hospital
• RN may start their shift in one unit and then based on a change in census and acuity to be transferred or moved to a different unit to meet operational requirements
• Acts as a patient advocate and facilitates communication between the patient, family and other health care professionals
• Fill in for nursing staff on floors that include medical-surgical, telemetry, acute care and emergency department
• Demonstrates an aptitude and willingness to learn new responsibilities Ability to work independently, make decisions, meet deadlines, multi-task and solve problems; working under a moderate degree of pressure
• Collaborated with physicians to quickly assess patients and deliver appropriate treatment while managing rapidly changing conditions.

• Charge nurse responsibilities included managed delivery of care for a 30 bed medical surgical unit, delegating nursing assignments and supervising team comprised of Registered Nurses, LPNs, CNAs and HUC.
• As a staff nurse, managed care from admission to discharge.
• Responded and performed emergency medical procedures such as BLS, ACLS and other condition stabilizing interventions.
• Monitor patient's condition to perform thorough condition assessments by assessing patient's needs, prioritizing treatments, including blood products, sepsis protocol, hip, knee and spine, gastrointestinal surgeries and protocols.
• Strict Intake and Output with all drains, JP, accordion, wound vac, chest tubes, foley catheters, nephrostomy tubes, CBI, etc.
• Assist physicians with non-invasive bedside procedures.
• Administered medications via oral, IV, and intramuscular injections and monitored responses.
• Educated patients, families and caregivers on diagnosis and prognosis, treatment options, disease process, and management and lifestyle options.