Rachel Jager
Lakeland,FL
Summary
Nursing educator with extensive clinical experience in research, health advocacy, and professional development. Achieved significant improvements in student learning outcomes through innovative curriculum design and interactive discussions. Expertise in promoting academic integrity and critical thinking, resulting in enhanced student engagement and retention. Proven track record of excelling in high-pressure environments while delivering exceptional educational experiences.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
4
4
Certifications
Work History
Adjunct Professor of Nursing
University of South Florida
Tampa, FL
01.2026 - Current
- Developed course materials for graduate-level classes.
- Facilitated engaging discussions to enhance student understanding and participation.
- Mentored students on academic and career pathways in their fields of study.
- Evaluated student performance through assignments, exams, and projects.
- Integrated technology into teaching methods to improve learning experiences.
- Collaborated with faculty on curriculum development and program improvements.
- Participated in departmental meetings to discuss educational policies and initiatives.
Adjunct Professor Nursing
Florida Southern College
Lakeland , FL
01.2026 - Current
- Facilitated engaging classroom discussions to promote critical thinking skills.
- Mentored students through academic challenges and career planning.
- Collaborated with faculty to enhance curriculum design and delivery methods.
- Evaluated student performance through assessments and constructive feedback.
- Utilized a variety of instructional strategies to meet diverse learning needs.
- Researched best practices for effective teaching methods in order to improve instructional delivery.
- Assessed student performance with integrity.
Nurse Practitioner – Pediatric Hospitalist service
Nemours Children’s Hospital
Lakeland, FL
01.2023 - Current
- Utilizes evidence-based medicine to diagnose, treat, and provide anticipatory guidance to patients, their parents, and nursing staff
- Excellent communication skills with nursing staff, patients, and families
- Patient population includes general inpatient pediatrics, pre- and post- operative surgical patients, inpatient psychiatric patients, and newborns
- Participates in data collection and analysis for ongoing research studies
- Lakeland Regional Health
Nurse Practitioner – Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care
Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
St. Petersburg, United States
11.2020 - 01.2023
- Expert in pre- and post-surgical care of patients with congenital heart disease.
- Proficient in the comprehensive medical management of children and adults with congenital heart disease.
- Excellent communication skills and inpatient management skills.
- Exercised leadership qualities to manage a team of co-workers.
- Strong advocate for patients and their families
- Contributor to ongoing research in pre- and post-operative interventions in patients' short and long-term outcomes
- Proficient in data collection utilizing RedCap
- Consistent contributor to multiple committees, including:
- Clinical Pathway Committee: Multidisciplinary committee working to formulate and standardize unit policies and pathways for excellent and harmonious patient care
- Discharge planning committee: Multidisciplinary work group striving to improve our comprehensive, quality patient care throughout the patient’s stay and beyond by improving the quality of our discharge process for our complex patients.
- PIVIE Committee: Peripheral IV infiltrate and extravasation committee meets to ‘drill down’ and identify possible causes and preventable harm for each and every peripheral IV infiltrate in the children’s hospital
- Assisted in developing education for and facilitating weekly APP Education sessions, including Book Club, Journal Club, simulation experiences, and business meetings
Nurse Practitioner – Pediatric Hospitalist and Pediatric Critical Care
Helen DeVos Children's Hospital
Grand Rapids, United States
03.2018 - 10.2020
- Highly qualified, board-certified pediatric acute care nurse practitioner
- 24-bed pediatric critical care unit with the ability to flex up to 36 beds during busy periods.
- Critical care patients include level 1 traumas, solid organ and stem cell transplants, general pediatric surgery, neurosurgery, neurocritical care, and a broad range of patients with multi-organ dysfunction or failure.
- Actively manages supportive technologies including CRRT, ECMO, hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, plasmapheresis, high frequency ventilation strategies, and inhaled nitric oxide.
- Produced evidence-based research presentations for peer education on relevant medical and nursing subject matters
- 50% FTE with pediatric hospitalist team, 50% with pediatric critical care
- Developed and implemented a hybrid position for critical care, hospitalist APP
- Appropriately recognizes early signs and symptoms of clinical decompensation
- Diagnoses and treats a wide variety of critical and general pediatric illnesses
- Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team and a variety of subspecialties to formulate personalized treatment plans for critically ill infants and children
Nurse Practitioner – Congenital Heart Center
Helen DeVos Children's Hospital
Grand Rapids, United States
03.2015 - 03.2018
- Strong clinical skills enhanced by natural ability to build rapport with patients and families
- Ensure quality of care and open lines of communication between all members of the health care team
- Provide comprehensive care to patients with recent cardiac surgeries or diagnosed with congenital cardiac disease.
- Engage in life support treatments and resuscitation, assisting emergency personnel in escalated cases.
- Formulate treatment strategies under the direction of the attending physician.
- Assisted physicians in bedside operations and procedures, emergency scenarios, and routine medication review and follow-ups.
- Conducted physical examinations, diagnosed and prescribed treatments.
- Excellent communication skills and inpatient management skills.
- Exercised leadership qualities to manage a team of co-workers.
Registered Nurse - PICU
Helen DeVos Children's Hospital
Grand Rapids, United States
01.2012 - 03.2015
- Monitor patients for changes in status and indications of conditions such as sepsis or shock and institute appropriate interventions.
- Continually assess patients' pain levels and sedation requirements.
- Set up and monitor medical equipment and devices such as cardiac monitors, mechanical ventilators and alarms, oxygen delivery devices, transducers, and pressure lines.
- Evaluate patients' vital signs, laboratory data, and clinical assessment to determine emergency intervention needs.
- Prioritize nursing care for assigned critically ill patients based on assessment data and identified needs.
- Advocate for patients' and families' needs, or provide emotional support for patients and their families.
- Monitor patients' fluid intake and output to detect emerging problems such as fluid and electrolyte imbalances.
- Document patients' treatment plans, interventions, outcomes, or plan revisions.
- Collaborate with other health care professionals to develop and revise treatment plans based on identified needs and assessment data.
- Identify patients' age-specific needs and alter care plans as necessary to meet those needs.
- Assist physicians with procedures such as bronchoscopy, endoscopy, endotracheal intubation, and elective cardioversion.
- Participate in professional organizations and continuing education to improve practice knowledge and skills.
- Identify age-appropriate vital sign parameters for premature infants through age 18 and administer appropriate nursing interventions.
- Educate patients and families about disease processes; continuously keep families updated on the status of their critically ill child.
Registered Nurse - NICU
Helen DeVos Children's Hospital
Grand Rapids, United States
05.2008 - 01.2012
- Administer medications intravenously, by injection orally, through gastric tubes, or by other methods.
- Evaluate patients' vital signs and laboratory data to determine emergency intervention needs.
- Expert in all areas of Neonatal Intensive Care, including assessment, management of the critically ill infant, patient stabilization, pre- and post-surgical nursing care, and the nursing care of infants with special needs.
- Skilled in the education of parents of infants with special needs.
Nursing Technician
Spectrum Health
Grand Rapids, United States
01.2007 - 05.2008
- Apply clean dressings, slings, stockings, or support bandages, under the direction of a nurse or physician.
- Assist nurses or physicians in the operation of medical equipment or the provision of patient care.
- Measure and record food and liquid intake or urinary and fecal output, reporting changes to medical or nursing staff.
- Observe or examine patients to detect symptoms that may require medical attention, such as bruises, open wounds, or blood in the urine.
- Provide physical support to assist patients to perform daily living activities, such as getting out of bed, bathing, dressing, using the toilet, standing, walking, or exercising.
- Record vital signs, such as temperature, blood pressure, pulse, or respiration rate, as directed by medical or nursing staff.
- Communication with the Nursing team to provide optimal patient care while preserving patient dignity, confidence, and emotional health.
Nursing Technician
Holland Hospital
Holland, United States
09.2006 - 12.2007
- Answer patient call signals, signal lights, bells, or intercom systems to determine patients' needs.
- Collect specimens, such as urine, feces, or sputum.
- Feed patients or assist patients to eat or drink.
- Position or hold patients in position for surgical preparation.
- Provide physical support to assist patients to perform daily living activities, such as getting out of bed, bathing, dressing, using the toilet, standing, walking, or exercising.
- Record vital signs, such as temperature, blood pressure, pulse, or respiration rate, as directed by medical or nursing staff.
Education
Ph.D. - Nursing
Florida State University
Florida, USA12-2028
Master of Science in Nursing - Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Subspecialty
Wayne State University
Michigan, United States08.2014
Bachelor of Science in Nursing -
Calvin College
Michigan, United States05.2008
College Preparatory - AP courses
Holland Christian High School
Michigan, United StatesSkills
- Time management
- Communication
- Nursing profession
- Health equity
- Health promotion
- Clinical documentation
- Computer skills
- Patient relations
- Clinical assessment
- Evidence-based practice
- Critical care management
- Pediatric patient advocacy
- Interdisciplinary collaboration
- Clinical research participation
- Patient education strategies
- Leadership in healthcare
- Effective communication
- Data analysis skills
- Administering medication
- Differential diagnosis
- Patient referrals
- Emergency care
- Research utilization
- Patient assessment
- Clinical leadership
- Curriculum development
- Data analysis
- Team collaboration
- Pediatric care
References
Available upon request
Certification
Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Acute Care
Timeline
Adjunct Professor of Nursing
University of South Florida
01.2026 - Current
Adjunct Professor Nursing
Florida Southern College
01.2026 - Current
Nurse Practitioner – Pediatric Hospitalist service
Nemours Children’s Hospital
01.2023 - Current
Nurse Practitioner – Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care
Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
11.2020 - 01.2023
Nurse Practitioner – Pediatric Hospitalist and Pediatric Critical Care
Helen DeVos Children's Hospital
03.2018 - 10.2020
Nurse Practitioner – Congenital Heart Center
Helen DeVos Children's Hospital
03.2015 - 03.2018
Registered Nurse - PICU
Helen DeVos Children's Hospital
01.2012 - 03.2015
Registered Nurse - NICU
Helen DeVos Children's Hospital
05.2008 - 01.2012
Nursing Technician
Spectrum Health
01.2007 - 05.2008
Nursing Technician
Holland Hospital
09.2006 - 12.2007
Ph.D. - Nursing
Florida State University
Master of Science in Nursing - Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Subspecialty
Wayne State University
Bachelor of Science in Nursing -
Calvin College
College Preparatory - AP courses
Holland Christian High School