Sarah Cruz, APRN, CPNP-PC
San Antonio,TX
Summary
Dedicated and compassionate pediatric nurse practitioner with a focus on newborn care, leveraging 14 years of maternal-child and NICU expertise in my current role as an APP newborn hospitalist. I thrive on establishing meaningful connections with new mothers and their families, providing comprehensive care in the newborn nursery including physical examinations, anticipatory guidance, and parent education. My responsibilities extend to ordering and interpreting relevant tests and studies, thorough examinations, as well as performing circumcisions. I am passionate about empowering and supporting breastfeeding mothers. I am deeply committed to mentorship, serving as a preceptor to new APPs, physicians, RNs, and nursing students during their postpartum rotations. I facilitate vital care coordination with local community resources and sub-specialties to ensure support tailored to each patient's needs on a daily basis. I find fulfillment as an APP hospitalist through the dynamic collaboration with interdisciplinary teams, the opportunity to make an impact on patient outcomes, and the constant learning and growth within the fast-paced hospital environment.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Pediatrix Medical Group
03.2018 - Current
- Well Newborn Service, inpatient hospital care
- Assessed, evaluated and cared for 35 week gestation and above health newborns
- Responsible for nursery average daily census of 10-30 babies with travel between newborn nursery sites
- Managed high risk newborn conditions including hypoglycemia, hyperbilirubinemia, STIs, chorioamnionitis, feeding difficulties, late preterm infants, and congenital abnormalities
- Provided anticipatory guidance to parents and families concerning areas such as vaccine administration, developmental milestones, infection prevention, signs of illness and infant nutrition
- Educated parents on inclusive baby feeding options, including supporting breastfeeding and benefits of providing breast milk
- Performed approximately 250 circumcisions/year
- Ordered and interpreted appropriate labs, images and studies based on significant maternal history and guidelines
- Trained and educated new staff APPs, pediatricians, residents, nursing students, and graduate nursing students,
- Coordinated appropriate referrals and follow up care
Registered Nurse IV - Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Methodist Healthcare (Metropolitan & Stone Oak)
09.2012 - 03.2018
- Assessed, evaluated and cared for critically ill neonate patients in 24 bed neonatal ICU unit
- Communicated with family members to provide information about patient care, treatments and medical options.
- Attended high risk deliveries and perform necessary resuscitation efforts on infants and neonates
- Stabilized and transferred micro premature neonates to higher level of care
- Assessed and managed various patient treatments for numerous patient diagnoses from sepsis to acute respiratory distress.
- Worked closely communicating with physicians, nurse practitioners, and other interdisciplinary team members to provide highest level of patient care possible
- Oriented and trained new employees and students
- Floated to Nursery & Postpartum floors
Registered Nurse - High Risk Antepartum Unit
MEDTHODIST CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
07.2011 - 09.2012
- Stabilized and monitored high risk antepartum patients including: preterm labor, multiple gestation, gestational diabetes, incompetent cervix, pregnancy induced hypertension, placenta previa, placenta accreta, and premature rupture of membranes
- Managed care of preterm labor Magnesium Sulfate infusion and Cervidil induction of labor
- Floated to Labor & Delivery, Postpartum, and Women's Services Unit
- Coached new mothers with breastfeeding techniques, postpartum self-care and infant care to promote easier transition into motherhood.
Registered Nurse, Labor and Delivery
CHRISTUS Spohn Memorial Hospital
05.2010 - 07.2011
- Assisted physician during delivery, examination and surgical procedures by anticipating needs, encouraging patient and attending to baby after birth.
- Coordinated care of low and high-risk laboring women of childbearing age and immediate stabilization of newborn following delivery.
- Administered epidural and patient controlled analgesia to block pain from labor contractions and during birth.
- Took records of birthdates and times, baby weights, lengths, head circumferences and APGAR scores.
- Responded to emergency situations such as pre-eclampsia, early labor and fetal distress.
- Coached new mothers with breastfeeding techniques, postpartum self-care and infant care to promote easier transition into motherhood.
Unit Clerk/Student Nurse Tech - Labor & Delivery
CHRISTUS Spohn Memorial Hospital
01.2007 - 05.2010
- Shadowed and observed registered nurse for 12 hours once weekly, assisting with assessments, direct patient care, and procedures
- Answered phones, entered orders in computer Meditech program, faxed orders, and made patient charts
- Worked closely with registered nurses, residents, physicians, and other team members organizing activities related to patient care
- Assisted registered nurses with duties including taking vitals, assisting patients with baths, ambulation, and stocking supplies
Education
Master of Science - Nursing
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT SAN ANTONIO
San Antonio, TX08.2017
Bachelor of Science - Nursing
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY CORPUS CHRISTI
Corpus Christi, TX05.2010
Skills
- Patient Care, diagnosis and treatment
- Newborn care and examination
- Parental education, health promotion and anticipatory guidance
- Breastfeeding education and promotion
- Family centered care with multi-specialty team collaboration
- Circumcisions
- Proficient in EMR, Meditech, Cerner, Inewborn, Baby Steps, and Centricity Perinatal
- Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Teams
Certification
- Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner by the Pediatric Nurse Certification Board (PNCB)
- Texas Board of Nursing Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN)
- Texas Board of Nursing Registered Nurse (RN)
- American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS)
- Neonatal Resuscitation Provider (NRP)
Timeline
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Pediatrix Medical Group
03.2018 - Current
Registered Nurse IV - Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Methodist Healthcare (Metropolitan & Stone Oak)
09.2012 - 03.2018
Registered Nurse - High Risk Antepartum Unit
MEDTHODIST CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
07.2011 - 09.2012
Registered Nurse, Labor and Delivery
CHRISTUS Spohn Memorial Hospital
05.2010 - 07.2011
Unit Clerk/Student Nurse Tech - Labor & Delivery
CHRISTUS Spohn Memorial Hospital
01.2007 - 05.2010
Master of Science - Nursing
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT SAN ANTONIO
Bachelor of Science - Nursing
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY CORPUS CHRISTI
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