Patricia K. Howell
Syracuse,Ne.
Summary
Compassionate and experienced Registered Nurse dedicated to delivering comprehensive patient care across diverse populations while fostering trusting relationships that enhance health outcomes. Proven ability to efficiently coordinate with healthcare professionals, ensuring safe and effective patient care through adherence to organizational policies, teamwork, and clear communication. Recognized for reliability and adaptability in fast-paced environments, consistently striving to exceed patient expectations and contribute positively to the healthcare team. Committed to continuous professional development and improving the quality of care provided.
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
RN Contract
Maxim/Amergis
08.2022 - 05.2025
- Perform intake assessment on clients presenting for sexually transmitted infections, administer medications as well as provide prevention education. Administer vaccines per CDC guidelines to clients from age 2 months to 65 plus. Provide phone and printed test results to clients as requested. Inventory supplies and medications while ensuring exam rooms are prepared for the next client. Coordinate care with advanced practice providers while following established written protocols of the Health Department.
Contract RN for Vaccine Clinics
MAXIM HEALTHCARE SERVICES
02.2021 - 06.2022
- Working with Maxim and Douglas County Health Department to administer COVID 19 vaccines to community residents. Familiar with Pfizer, Moderna, and J & J vaccines to include storing, mixing, documentation requirements, and administration guidelines.
RN Contract
Aline Staffing
11.2021 - 04.2022
- Provided COVID-19 rapid antigen testing for clients including results processing. This was a temporary contract position.
RN Screener
US Wellness
10.2021 - 02.2022
- Provide employee health screenings with various corporate businesses. Goal was to identify and reduce health risks of employees. Screenings included biometric screening with the use of client finger stick testing for immediate glucose and cholesterol results, height/weight and blood pressure measurement as well as health coaching based on results.
Pharmacy Technician – PT Floater
CVS PHARMACY
12.2020 - 02.2021
- Member of COVID immunization team traveling throughout Nebraska supporting COVID 19 vaccine distribution to residents in Long Term Care facilities. Electronically filed insurance for individuals with and without private coverage.
Technician PT/PRN
SYRACUSE U-SAVE PHARMACY
02.2020 - 11.2020
- Greet customers upon entrance to the facility. Assist customers with the location of over the counter products. Serve drive through customers in conjunction with serving physical customers. Assist the pharmacist with filling prescriptions. Answer telephone and triage calls appropriately. Product order, processing and restocking.
Director of Safety and Risk Management
COMMUNITY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
03.2018 - 10.2018
- Responsible for the system safety program encompassing emergency management preparedness, infection control practices, and ensuring processes were in place to decrease risk to the organization.
- Chair Infection Control Committee.
- Introduced web based program for risk management reporting and monitoring.
- Established leadership training for disaster preparedness with UNMC sponsorship.
- Disaster preparedness training for all nursing personnel across organization.
Vice President Patient Services & Chief Nursing Officer
COMMUNITY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
02.2011 - 03.2018
- Responsible for the planning, organization, and administrative oversight for nursing, surgery, acute care, swing bed, emergency services, laboratory, respiratory therapy services, diagnostic imaging, cardiac rehab/stress tests, utilization review, risk management, and rehab services.
- Bedside shift report.
- ER discharge calls.
- Patient/Physician Rounding
- Established a uniformed discharge process including CM participation.
- Implemented a Nursing Educator position.
- Increased specialty providers in outpatient specialty clinic.
- Patient satisfaction scores on acute unit were in 90th percentile, 95th in ER and ancillary departments.
- Discharge Planning with Hospitalists.
Interim Director of Nursing
COMMUNITY MEMORIAL HEALTH SYSTEM
08.2010 - 12.2010
- Administrative oversight for surgery, acute care, emergency department, obstetrics/nursery, and ambulatory services.
- Completed 2011 Budget for assigned departments, employee evaluations, process changes to streamline services, identified low/medium/high performers, and stabilized the relationship between nursing and the providers.
Adjunct Faculty, PRN
TABOR COLLEGE
01.2008 - 01.2010
- Coordinator for outreach RN to BSN program offered in Colby, Kansas
- Instructor for RN to BSN program.
Vice President Patient Services/Chief Nursing Officer
CITIZENS MEDICAL CENTER, INC.
01.2008 - 01.2010
- Administrative oversight for all direct patient care departments, to establish and achieve quality standards in the delivery of care, selecting and maintaining staff, assuring appropriate continuing education experiences, establishing and accomplishing cost-effective budgeting goals. Fostered relationships with the Medical Staff, Senior Management, Community Leaders as well as interdepartmental directors and managers to accomplish the strategic goals of the organization.
- Managed total operating budgets of $ 7.7M with 91.0 FTE's, of which 11 were direct reports.
- Rotated Administrative call with CEO and CFO.
- Ancillary Departments exceeded CMCI strategic goal of 98% for patient satisfaction.
- Inpatient Nursing patient satisfaction improved from 86.8% to 98.8%.
- Specialty Clinic revenue increase in 2008 by $270,612 and $220,507 in 2009.
- Turnover reduced, (44 to 17%, 62 to 27%, 14 to 0%), in all departments with zero vacancies in 2010.
- The 5 Million Lives Campaign and National Patient Safety initiatives incorporated into practice.
Service Line Director, Medical/Surgical Services, St Joseph Campus
VIA CHRISTI REGIONAL MEDICAL SERVICES
01.2002 - 01.2007
- Following the Player/Coach model; direct department responsibilities in home unit as well as administrative oversight of multiple units in the clinical service line to include business development, succession planning, leadership development and monitor budget compliance.
- Managed total operating budgets of $35M with 124 FTE's.
- Significant improvement in Patient Satisfaction scores in a six-month period to attain the 99th% in the areas of discharge instructions, quick nurse response to requests and staff respect for patient privacy on a Medical Unit.
- Surpassed established benchmark of 4.20 for Overall Patient Satisfaction for Surgical unit with score of 4.27 in a six-month period.
- Surpassed productivity benchmark of 96% in all units.
- Improved scores for Quality Indicators: Pain (45% to 82% and 65% to 96%).
- Enlisted staff assistance to successfully reverse a hostile work environment.
- Led system-wide nursing team focused on improving patient safety, per National Patient Safety and JCAHO Initiatives.
- Assisted HR with Nurse Recruitment Fairs.
Leader, IV Therapy
VIA CHRISTI REGIONAL MEDICAL SERVICES
01.2006 - 01.2006
- Managed $ 5.6M annual operating budget with 30 staff members.
- Hosted an advanced IV Therapy educational offering with competency validation including the surrounding tri state area to enhance the services provided to patients. Productivity at fiscal YTD was at 97.6% for IV Therapy and 109.6% for the Ambulatory Infusion Center.
- The introduction of the IV site stabilization device led to system-wide quality initiatives as well as financial savings through contractual agreements.
- Streamlined processes to enhance quality service as well as meet JCAHO compliance with successful site visit.
- Worked with HR to revise job descriptions within system.
Director, Women's Health
VIA CHRISTI REGIONAL MEDICAL SERVICES
01.2003 - 01.2005
- Managed $4.2 M annual operating budget with 20 staff members.
- Strengthened relationships with physicians and staff by establishing ongoing communications.
- Effectively used an empowering, participatory management style that encouraged accountability, teamwork and continuous improvement toward desired results. Implemented the 5S process, which resulted in decreased inventory and improved work flow process.
- Promoted hotel-like environment to enhance patient satisfaction.
- Co-leader and participant of system wide quality teams focused on performance improvement within a leaner environment.
Staff Nurse, Electrophysiology Lab
WESLEY MEDICAL CENTER
01.1999 - 01.2002
- Assisted physicians with placement of internal cardiac devices.
- Assisted with ventricular tachycardia and supraventricular electrical studies/ablations.
- Assisted with dobutamine stress tests and Transesophageal echo's.
Education
Masters in Science of Nursing -
University of Phoenix
01.2014
Masters in Business Administration - undefined
Friends University
Wichita, Kansas01.2000
Bachelors of Science - Human Resource Management
Friends University
Wichita, Kansas01.1992
Associates of Arts Degree - Nursing
Butler County Community College
El Dorado, Kansas01.1987
Practical Nursing Diploma - undefined
Wichita Vocational-Technical
Wichita, Kansas01.1986
Skills
- Patient assessment
- Infection control
- Medication management
- Team collaboration
- Customer service
- Time management
- Problem solving and critical thinking
Accomplishments
- Documentation - Ensured charting accuracy through precise documentation.
- Implementation - Assisted in implementation of new risk management tracking system that resulted in improved patient care.
- Clinical Skills - Monitored patients' respiration activity, blood pressure and blood glucose levels.
- Quality Assurance - Compliance with HIPAA, OSHA and CLIA regulations for maximum quality and control.
Certification
- Human Resources Certification, (2000), Wichita, Kansas
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Certification (12/26)
- Registered Nurse in Kansas and Nebraska (10/26)
Languages
English
Native or Bilingual
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT and AWARDS
American Nurses Association Member, Nebraska Nurses Association Member, American Organization of Nurse Executives Member, KONL Advocacy Committee Member, Kansas Hospital Association Council on Health Delivery, Kansas Hospital Association Leadership Institute, Nebraska Hospital Association Member, Alternative Therapies Educational Offering, Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Honor Society, Traveling Trophy for Patient Satisfaction, Recipient of Star Award for Core Value of Service, Award for Outstanding Work Contribution
Timeline
RN Contract
Maxim/Amergis
08.2022 - 05.2025
RN Contract
Aline Staffing
11.2021 - 04.2022
RN Screener
US Wellness
10.2021 - 02.2022
Contract RN for Vaccine Clinics
MAXIM HEALTHCARE SERVICES
02.2021 - 06.2022
Pharmacy Technician – PT Floater
CVS PHARMACY
12.2020 - 02.2021
Technician PT/PRN
SYRACUSE U-SAVE PHARMACY
02.2020 - 11.2020
Director of Safety and Risk Management
COMMUNITY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
03.2018 - 10.2018
Vice President Patient Services & Chief Nursing Officer
COMMUNITY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
02.2011 - 03.2018
Interim Director of Nursing
COMMUNITY MEMORIAL HEALTH SYSTEM
08.2010 - 12.2010
Adjunct Faculty, PRN
TABOR COLLEGE
01.2008 - 01.2010
Vice President Patient Services/Chief Nursing Officer
CITIZENS MEDICAL CENTER, INC.
01.2008 - 01.2010
Leader, IV Therapy
VIA CHRISTI REGIONAL MEDICAL SERVICES
01.2006 - 01.2006
Director, Women's Health
VIA CHRISTI REGIONAL MEDICAL SERVICES
01.2003 - 01.2005
Service Line Director, Medical/Surgical Services, St Joseph Campus
VIA CHRISTI REGIONAL MEDICAL SERVICES
01.2002 - 01.2007
Staff Nurse, Electrophysiology Lab
WESLEY MEDICAL CENTER
01.1999 - 01.2002
Masters in Business Administration - undefined
Friends University
Bachelors of Science - Human Resource Management
Friends University
Associates of Arts Degree - Nursing
Butler County Community College
Practical Nursing Diploma - undefined
Wichita Vocational-Technical
Masters in Science of Nursing -
University of Phoenix