Paula Weikart
Fort Wayne,IN
Summary
To purse and utilize my advance training as a Licensed Practical Nurse in the medical field and serve as an advocate for quality of care for the patient. Dedicated Charge Licensed Practical Nurse offering 12-year background managing nursing staff, delegating assignments and assessing patient conditions. Expertise in progress monitoring, plan implementation and history taking. Devoted to service excellence in patient care and patient advocacy.
Overview
29
29
years of professional experience
Work History
LPN Charge Nurse
Life Care Center
11.2023 - Current
- Enhanced patient care by conducting comprehensive assessments and developing individualized care plans.
- Streamlined medication administration processes for improved accuracy, reducing medication errors and ensuring patient safety.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary team members to optimize patient outcomes and deliver high-quality care.
- Implemented evidence-based nursing practices to improve patient health and maintain compliance with regulatory standards.
- Delegated tasks effectively, optimizing staff productivity and maintaining a well-organized nursing unit.
- Provided compassionate end-of-life care, supporting patients and their families through difficult times.
- Maintained accurate medical records in accordance with established protocols, ensuring confidentiality of sensitive information at all times.
- Developed strong relationships with patients'' families, keeping them informed of progress reports and collaborating on decisions regarding their loved ones'' healthcare plans.
- Utilized critical thinking skills to make sound clinical decisions in high-pressure situations, minimizing risks and ensuring patient safety.
- Enhanced staff morale by fostering a supportive work environment, recognizing outstanding performance, and addressing concerns effectively.
- Promoted continuity of care by thoroughly documenting shift-to-shift communication in nursing reports.
- Managed daily staff assignments and patient scheduling to guarantee clinic coverage and flow.
- Assembled and used equipment such as catheters, tracheotomy tubes, or oxygen suppliers to effectively manage patient care.
- Assessed patients' temperature, pulse, and blood pressure and recorded in electronic medical records.
2nd Shift Supervisor
Heritage Park Nursing Home
09.2018 - 11.2023
- Directing day to day activities
- Ensure that all nursing services personnel follow job duties
- Rehab floor-Monitor vital signs, Administer IV medications, and drawing blood
- Medication administration
- Inserting catheters and flushing catheters
- Wound care as directed
- Injections administration
- Training of new employees
- Blood sugar monitoring with insulin coverage
- Oversee nursing aides activity
- Complete Admissions of new resident and review hospital records
- Generate orders from Physicians and Nurse Practitioners.
Memory Care Coordinator/Unit Manager
GeorgeTowne Assisted living & Memory Care
04.2017 - 09.2018
- Oversee all aspects of operating Memory Care and Assisting DON in daily operations
- Supervision nursing staff to monitor patient care
- Collaborating with physicians and multidisciplinary staff
- Providing physical and psychological support for patients, friends and families
- Maintains nursing staff by recruiting, selecting, orienting and training nurses
- Required on call rotation duties.
01.2016 - 04.2017
- Rehab floor-Assess patients requiring rehab service including patients suffering debilitation from medical and surgical procedures
- Demonstrate judgement and use proper solving technique and time management principles and delegate appropriately
- Training of new nurses
- Contribute information specific to patient’s response to medication therapy, pain control, skin condition, bowel/bladder training and discharge planning
- Collaborate with physicians and families with patient progress and needs.
LPN Home Care Coordinator
Rescare Northern Indiana
01.2016 - 07.2016
- Took on call 24 hour emergencies, medication questions, head injuries evaluation, medical concerns, new medical orders, Post ER or discharge from hospital evaluations
- Review medications changes
- Training and guiding/directing the Residential Manager/Team Leader on medical concerns
- Attend quarterly Annuals and house meeting for residents
- Assistance with new employees
- Teaching employees with proper medications pass and curriculum
- Communication with Physicians and families
- Responsible for tracking medical appointments for residents and monthly tracking of blood work and diagnostic testing
- Communicating with Nurse Manager of any Acute/Chronic medical issue with residents including communicative disease, hospitalizations, open skin issues and medication errors
- Responsible for tracking of all medication deliveries to residents home
- Destroying of all unused, expired medications.
Office Nurse
Luthern Medical Group Internal Medicine Dr. Dinesh Agnihotri
05.2015 - 01.2016
- Organize office medical records
- Medical Records data input
- Prepare and assist patients for examinations
- Administer injections and medications
- Assist with dressing changes
- Conduct laboratory test and ordering diagnostic testing
- Referrals for specialist, Prior authorizations completed for testing or medications needed for patients
- Medication refills to pharmacy, Interpret the physician directions and orders to patients
- Maintain vital records
- Maintain office supplies, stocking
- Prepare, clean and maintain rooms
- Scheduling appointments
- Phone triage.
Surgical Tech/CMA
Inquest Health System-Health Now Pain Management
04.2010 - 02.2013
- Medical Records data input
- Assist provider with positioning and preparing for procedures
- Explained treatments and procedures, medication instructions to patients
- Record medical history and information to the medical record on a daily basis
- Coordinated drug refills and prescription information to the pharmacies
- Followed aseptic techniques when opening sterile supplies and setting up procedures
- Perform injections, collecting lab orders
- Ordered labs as well as diagnostic testing
- Phone triage
- Completed Rapid Strep testing-Flu swab testing-Breathing treatments
- Assist physician in minor office surgeries in a sterile technique procedure, utilizing Fluoroscopy machine.
Surgical Technologist Obstetrics
St. Joseph Hospital
10.2009 - 04.2010
- Assisted physicians during C-Sections and Vaginal deliveries
- Follow aseptic techniques when opening sterile supplies and procedure set up
- Inventory management of surgical procedure room and proper technique of surgical instrument cleaning.
Brooklyn Medical Associates Family Practice Office
01.1999 - 10.2009
- Medical records data input-Handle flow of patients for physician’s exams-assess patient visits-vitals-blood draws-injections-urinalysis-pregnancy testing-throat cultures-glucose monitoring-prescriptions refills-TB testing-Adult and Pediatric breathing treatments-inventory management and sterilization techniques-scheduling patient’s appointments-filing-Inventory management and purchasing
- Assist in minor office surgeries-Phone triage.
Planned Parenthood Association
01.1995 - 01.1999
- Entered new patient data-Assisted in managing patient charts-Clinical duties: review and entered new patient History- Collected vitals-Lab testing urinalysis-pregnancy testing-blood draws-injections
- Promoted: (Site Manager) Responsible for quality control-functions of daily operations-scheduling of staff-training of new employees-relief management while director was out of office-inventory management and purchasing.
Education
01.2013
09.2006
04.1994
Skills
- Clinical judgment
- Nursing Documentation
- Workflow Coordination
- Verbal and written communication
- Physical assessments
- Wound Care
- Infection Control
- Specimen Collection
- Nursing Staff Supervision
- Time management abilities
- Decision-Making
- Adaptable and Flexible
- Excellent Communication
- ICD-10
- Self Motivation
- Continuous Improvement
- Reliability
Other Qualifications
- Work Independently and excellent team player
- Demonstrates ambition-flexible
- Strong Communication and written skills
- Strong leadership skills
- Ability to work and lead under pressure and deadlines
- Multi-task
- Manage time well
References
References upon request
Timeline
LPN Charge Nurse
Life Care Center
11.2023 - Current
2nd Shift Supervisor
Heritage Park Nursing Home
09.2018 - 11.2023
Memory Care Coordinator/Unit Manager
GeorgeTowne Assisted living & Memory Care
04.2017 - 09.2018
01.2016 - 04.2017
LPN Home Care Coordinator
Rescare Northern Indiana
01.2016 - 07.2016
Office Nurse
Luthern Medical Group Internal Medicine Dr. Dinesh Agnihotri
05.2015 - 01.2016
Surgical Tech/CMA
Inquest Health System-Health Now Pain Management
04.2010 - 02.2013
Surgical Technologist Obstetrics
St. Joseph Hospital
10.2009 - 04.2010
Brooklyn Medical Associates Family Practice Office
01.1999 - 10.2009
Planned Parenthood Association
01.1995 - 01.1999