Rachel Lawson
Isle,MN
Summary
Experienced healthcare professional skilled in patient care, critical thinking, and communication. Strong focus on team collaboration and achieving optimal patient outcomes. Is also reliable, adaptable, and capable of ensuring efficient and compassionate care in dynamic environments.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Registered Nurse (RN, BSN)
Mille Lacs Health System
07.2024 - Current
- Responsible for day-to-day patient care, assessment, and triage using ESI for patients of all ages; newborn to geriatric
- Respond to Rapid Response, Security Alert, Code Blue, Trauma Code, Stroke Code, and potential disaster situations according to policy and procedure
- Take incoming report from EMT/Paramedic and appropriately room patient(s) based upon triage assessment
- Effectively communicate with the healthcare team; i.e.: Provider(s), ED tech, RN(s), to ensure patient(s) receive care according to best practice and policy standards
- Complete daily task checks; i.e.: O2 tanks, room checks, monitors/IV pumps, crash cart(s), trauma room(s), etc..
- Are set up and prepared for potential emergent situations
- Responsible for taking incoming phone calls and directing them to appropriate person/department as indicated
- Complete monthly check of equipment and supplies for outdates for expiration, ensure telehealth carts are functioning: Stroke & SANE
- Stock IV cart with all size appropriate gauge IV supplies and for blood draws
- Check medication room and ensure stocked with IV fluids, micro tubing, primary tubing, secondary tubing, nitro tubing, and blood tubing
- Ensure there is stock supply of both size IV normal saline flushes
- Complete weekly Omnicell inventory check
- Complete weekly eyewash station check
- Complete weekly negative pressure room check
- Ensure the Lucas is plugged in and charged
- Ensure the monitor/defibrillator is checked and a shock completed at the start of each shift (twice daily)
- Stock the triage room with strep, influenza, and covid swabs
- Ensure the infant scale is cleaned and the tympanic thermometer has restock of ear things
Director of Nursing (DON)
Aicota Healthcare Center
11.2023 - 07.2024
- Responsible for day-to-day supervision of all nursing staff including nursing assistant in training (NAiT), CNA, LPN, and RN floor staff, Nurse Managers, Quality Director, MDS Coordinator, and Assisted Living Nurse Manager
- Provide direction and review of the Infection Prevention and Control Program
- Provider supervision and review to all Clinical policies and procedures
- Ensure all regulatory reporting requirements are kept up to date and reported in a timely manner
- Attend monthly and quarterly QA/PI meetings
- Lead and participate in L10 EOS meetings for Leadership
- Complete evaluations according to facility policy
- Assist with and provide for regulatory education requirements and other best standard education opportunities as they arise
- Provide direction with any corrective action plans following survey
- Act as a backup for any administrative clinical nursing role in the absence of that member of the administrative nursing team
- Provide direction and guidance with an on-call schedule for nursing management team
- Ensure timely follow-up with any reported grievance and/or potential vulnerable adult situation
- Provide supervision of the Social Services Director
- Other duties as assigned by the LALD/CEO
Director of Nursing (DON)
Scandi Haven of Cura
08.2023 - 11.2023
- Responsible for supervising LPN staff, CNAs, and unlicensed staff in an Assisted Living – Long Term Care environment
- In charge of completing pre-admission, admission, and follow up assessments as clinically indicated in addition to wound assessments and if there is a notable change in condition
- Also responsible for managing Performance Improvement/Quality Review based upon regulations and trends observed
- On-call rotation is shared with the Director of Nursing of other facilities belonging to Premier
- Member of the administrative/leadership team – in charge of interviewing potential hires, annual reviews of staff, disciplinary action if indicated, and on-boarding mandatory education based upon regulatory requirements
- Ensure infection control standards are followed – update leadership on trends with monthly and quarterly reports
- Review and update of policy and procedures to ensure compliance with regulation standards
Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON), Clinical RN Supervisor
Scandi Haven of Cura
04.2023 - 08.2023
- Responsible for supervising LPN staff, CNAs, and unlicensed staff in an Assisted Living – Long Term Care environment
- In charge of completing pre-admission, admission, and follow up assessments as clinically indicated in addition to wound assessments and if there is a notable change in condition
- Also responsible for managing Performance Improvement/Quality Review based upon regulations and trends observed
- On-call rotation is shared with the Director of Nursing
- Member of the administrative/leadership team – in charge of interviewing potential hires, annual reviews of staff, disciplinary action if indicated, and on-boarding mandatory education based upon regulatory requirements
- Ensure infection control standards are followed – update leadership on trends with monthly and quarterly reports
- Review and update of policy and procedures to ensure compliance with regulation standards
Quality Director, Clinic – ER – ICU Nurse Manager, Stroke/Trauma Program Manager
Stevens Community Medical Center
01.2018 - 03.2023
- Quality Director duties involved managing regulations required for a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) e.g., mandatory reporting requirements for CMS, MHA, MIPS, MNCM, MBQIP, etc
- Responsible for ensuring policies and procedures were kept up to date for the Quality Department, Clinic – RHC for Morris and Starbuck, ER, ICU, and for the Stroke and Trauma Programs
- In managing the Stroke and Trauma Programs, responsible for developing plans for both programs to correct previous problems to ensure our programs would be in good standing, identify and develop continuing performance improvement, and develop a way to change our program to a paperless one to promote participation of ED Providers
- Primarily responsible for the entry of data into the Stroke and Trauma Registry, scheduling quarterly M & M meetings for both Stroke and Trauma Review, and documenting the meeting minutes to show compliance with both MDH Program requirements
Shift Manager, Registered Nurse
Stevens Community Medical Center
03.2016 - 01.2018
- This role functions much like a House Supervisor
- Part of Nursing Administration working 12 – hour rotating shifts
- In a CAH, the role needed to be able to cover all areas of care provided including ER, ICU, OB, Peds, and Med/Surg
Registered Nurse
Bethany Home
10.2013 - 03.2016
- Company Overview: Acute Short-term Rehab
- Responsible for a group of residents and either provided primary cares; or was responsible for administering all their medications, treatments, and processing new orders, attending daily rounds, drawing labs, and handling daily tasks that would come up during an eight-hour shift
- Acute Short-term Rehab
Registered Nurse
Mercy Hospital
03.2011 - 05.2012
- Worked strictly within the emergency department of a Level 1 ER
- At the time, this ER was licensed for over 80 beds and the facility itself was licensed for over 600 beds
- On average, saw approximately 300 patients every 24 hours
- Served in a supervisory role/capacity
- Working as a Supervisor when the Joplin Tornado hit our sister hospital
- First-hand experience with true emergency – disaster situation and the influx and triaging of patients
Registered Nurse, House Supervisor
Great Plains Regional Medical Center
06.2010 - 03.2011
- This role functioned as Nursing Administration 24/7
- Responsible for attending any/all CODE’s called, be a back-up for the ED if necessary, and assist with bed placement for patient(s) being admitted from the ED to the floor
- Assist with patients needing transfer to a higher level of care
- Obtain any supplies that were needed from the floor, ER, and/or OR
- Responsible for calling in the OR team if working overnight
- If there were any call–ins, assist with a staffing plan to ensure staffing was adequate
Registered Nurse
St. John’s, Mercy Hospital
07.2007 - 06.2010
- Worked strictly within the emergency department of a Level 1 ER, licensed for 80 beds just within the ED
- Responsibilities included bedside nursing
- After six months, began trauma training and learned the difference between the tiers of a trauma activation, trauma consultation, and a trauma advisory
- After working in the department for one year, began training in the triage process
- Developed significant skills for critical care and trauma care for patients of all ages
Education
Bachelor's of Science - Nursing with Honors
Chamberlain School of Nursing
St. Louis, MO03.2013
Associate degree - nursing, With Honors
Alexandria Technical and Community College
Alexandria, MN05.2007
High School Diploma -
Jefferson Senior Highschool
Alexandria, MN06-1996
Skills
- Excellent verbal/written communication skills
- Organized
- Honest
- Analytical
- Detail Oriented
- Strong clinical judgment
- Emergency care
- Medication and IV administration
- Direct patient care
- Patient assessments
Accomplishments
- Achieved development of a new role within the ER department which resulted in facilitation of better patient throughput that was recognized nationally as a best practice standard of care
- Achieved publication in a Professional Nursing Journal for developing a nation-wide best standard of practice for patient throughput in a Level 1 Emergency Department
- Clinical Skills - 5 year's experience working in a Level 1 ER
- Consultant - voluntarily and at request of the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to assist other facilities deficient in their Stroke, Trauma, and RHC implementation and sustainability programs
- Implementation - excellent ability to develop performance improvement plans within an emergency department, clinic, stroke, and trauma program, critical access hospital, and long-term care setting to ensure goals are met according to regulation standards
- Quality Assurance - front-runner with implementing a policy and procedure manual to develop a clinic to attain RHC status with a ZERO deficiency result with initial certification
- Quality Assurance - Responsible for outstanding results with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) survey(s) within a nine month window; three surveys which resulted in ZERO deficiencies for ALL surveys
- Supervision - 3 year's experience working in a supervisory role in a Level 1 ER
Certification
- PALS - Pediatric Advanced Life Support
- ACLS - Advanced Cardiac Life Support
- TNCC - Trauma Nurse Core Curriculum
- NRP - Neonatal Resuscitation Program
- BLS - Basic Life Support
- NIHSS - National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale Certification
- SANE - Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner
- ECCO - Essential of Critical Care Orientation
- Licensed Registered Nurse - Minnesota - expires 8/31/2026
- Licensed Registered Nurse - Missouri - expires 4/30/2027
Timeline
Registered Nurse (RN, BSN)
Mille Lacs Health System
07.2024 - Current
Director of Nursing (DON)
Aicota Healthcare Center
11.2023 - 07.2024
Director of Nursing (DON)
Scandi Haven of Cura
08.2023 - 11.2023
Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON), Clinical RN Supervisor
Scandi Haven of Cura
04.2023 - 08.2023
Quality Director, Clinic – ER – ICU Nurse Manager, Stroke/Trauma Program Manager
Stevens Community Medical Center
01.2018 - 03.2023
Shift Manager, Registered Nurse
Stevens Community Medical Center
03.2016 - 01.2018
Registered Nurse
Bethany Home
10.2013 - 03.2016
Registered Nurse
Mercy Hospital
03.2011 - 05.2012
Registered Nurse, House Supervisor
Great Plains Regional Medical Center
06.2010 - 03.2011
Registered Nurse
St. John’s, Mercy Hospital
07.2007 - 06.2010
Associate degree - nursing, With Honors
Alexandria Technical and Community College
Bachelor's of Science - Nursing with Honors
Chamberlain School of Nursing
High School Diploma -
Jefferson Senior Highschool
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