Sarah Knutson
Fort Dodge,IA
Summary
Dynamic Cardiac Rehabilitation Nurse with extensive experience at Unity Point Trinity Regional Medical Center, excelling in patient education and interdisciplinary collaboration. Proven ability to enhance patient satisfaction through compassionate care and effective communication. Skilled in clinical documentation and critical thinking, ensuring optimal recovery outcomes and fostering strong relationships with patients and families. Seasoned nursing professional offering proven clinical knowledge, natural interpersonal strengths and technical abilities. Knowledgeable about EKG and telemetry, medication administration and evidence based practice, focused on optimizing patient care and support. Excels at teamwork and mentoring new staff members.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
Work History
Cardiac Rehabilitation Nurse
Unity Point Trinity Regional Medical Center
Fort Dodge, IA
04.2025 - Current
- Assisted in patient assessments and developed individualized care plans.
- Monitored vital signs and documented changes in patients' conditions.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to coordinate comprehensive rehabilitation services.
- Educated patients and families on rehabilitation processes and post-discharge care.
- Supported patients'' emotional well-being, providing compassionate listening during difficult times in their healing journey.
- Evaluated patient progress regularly, adjusting interventions as needed to ensure optimal recovery outcomes.
- Educated patients and families on medication management, reducing errors while promoting adherence to prescribed treatment regimens.
- Increased patient satisfaction by establishing trusting relationships and addressing individual concerns promptly.
- Performing cardiac stress tests, which includes evaluating patient histories, complaints, and current symptoms and appropriateness of ordered test. Monitor exercise or administer lexiscan and monitor effects including symptoms, EKG changes, vital signs.
Acute Care Nursing Supervisor
Unity Point Trinity Regional Medical Center
Fort Dodge, IA
01.2022 - 04.2025
- Supervised nursing staff, ensuring adherence to best practices and quality care standards.
- Coordinated patient care activities, optimizing workflow and enhancing team efficiency while ensuring patient satisfaction.
- Monitor training programs for new nursing staff, fostering a culture of continuous learning.
- Monitored patient outcomes, identifying areas for improvement in care delivery processes through chart review and direct observations.
- Managed scheduling and staffing needs, ensuring adequate coverage for optimal patient care.
- Conducted performance evaluations, providing constructive feedback to enhance staff development.
- Promoted interdisciplinary collaboration by fostering strong relationships with physicians, therapists, and other healthcare professionals.
- Mentored new nursing staff members to promote adherence to established best practices and foster professional growth.
- Contributed to positive team dynamics as an approachable supervisor who actively listened to concerns from both patients and nurses.
- Provided direct nursing care to patients when personnel was short-staffed.
- Monitored patient satisfaction scores by addressing concerns promptly during nurse leader rounding and ensuring consistent delivery of high-quality care.
- Supported departmental goals through active participation in hospital-wide committees and initiatives.
- Coordinated and implemented unit meetings and competencies.
Acute Care Charge Nurse/Care Coordination
Unity Point Trinity Regional Medical Center
Fort Dodge, IA
01.2014 - 01.2022
- Supervised nursing staff, ensuring adherence to protocols and high-quality patient care.
- Implemented patient care plans, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams for optimal outcomes.
- Trained and mentored new nursing staff, enhancing team performance and cohesion.
- Monitored patient conditions, promptly addressing changes to ensure safety and comfort.
- Evaluated staffing needs and assignments, optimizing workflow and resource allocation across shifts.
- Coordinated nursing care on unit through staff assignments, assisting and rounding with physicians, monitoring patient orders, and communicating with ancillary departments.
- Optimized patient satisfaction through timely response to concerns and effective communication among staff members.
- Collaborated with other healthcare professionals to provide quality patient care.
- Served as a liaison between nursing staff, physicians, and management, fostering open communication channels among all parties involved in patient care.
- Coordinated discharge planning, collaborating with patients, families, and healthcare providers to ensure seamless transitions of care.
Staff RN/Bed Control RN/Charge RN, Home Care RN
Unity Point Trinity Regional Medical Center
Fort Dodge, IA
07.2001 - 01.2015
- Administered medications and monitored patient responses to ensure optimal care outcomes.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to develop and implement individualized care plans.
- Educated patients and families on health conditions, treatment options, and preventive measures.
- Performed various nursing interventions such as wound dressing, vital sign monitoring, and specimen collection.
- Monitored patients' conditions and reported changes in physical presentation, appearance, and behavior to discuss treatment with physicians.
- Consistently maintained accurate documentation of all relevant information related to patient progress, treatments administered and other pertinent data.
- Provided emotional support for patients and families during difficult times, helping them navigate the healthcare system with compassion and understanding.
- Increased patient satisfaction by consistently delivering high-quality nursing care with a focus on empathy, communication, and professionalism.
- Participated in staff meetings and continuing education programs to stay current on best practices and maintain licensure requirements.
- Effectively prioritized assignments, executing care based on each patient's relative condition and delegating tasks to available personnel deliver safe and efficient care.
- Verified patients had information necessary for ongoing care, providing guidance on diagnoses, management of medications, and prevention methods.
- Conducted comprehensive assessments to identify patient needs and formulate appropriate interventions.
Education
Bachelors in Nursing - Nursing
Allen College
Waterloo, IA05-2016
Associate of Arts - Nursing
Iowa Central Community College
Fort Dodge, IA07-2001
High School Diploma -
Fort Dodge Senior High
Fort Dodge, IA05-1993
Skills
- Clinical judgment
- Cardiac rehabilitation
- Patient and Family education
- Monitoring vital signs
- Interdisciplinary collaboration
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Multitasking
- Compassionate and caring
- Basic life support and ACLS instructor
- Clinical documentation
- Physical assessment
- Patient condition monitoring
- Interpersonal skills
- Care coordination
- Goal setting
- Professionalism
- Intake and discharge
- Reliability
- Excellent communication
- Critical thinking
- Direct patient care
- Organizational skills
- Active listening
- Patient and family advocacy
- Medication and IV administration
- Time management
- Attention to detail
- Problem-solving abilities
Accomplishments
- Completed IHA leadership series 2013.
- Med-surg certified 2010, not renewed.
- ACLS/BLS instructor
- Past membership on fall prevention committees, shared governance committees.
- Assist with annual Nurse camp to engage middle school students into the health care career path.
- Assisted with and helped to develop unit competencies during tenure as supervisor on 2N and 3N.
- Employee of the Month on 3N.
Timeline
Cardiac Rehabilitation Nurse
Unity Point Trinity Regional Medical Center
04.2025 - Current
Acute Care Nursing Supervisor
Unity Point Trinity Regional Medical Center
01.2022 - 04.2025
Acute Care Charge Nurse/Care Coordination
Unity Point Trinity Regional Medical Center
01.2014 - 01.2022
Staff RN/Bed Control RN/Charge RN, Home Care RN
Unity Point Trinity Regional Medical Center
07.2001 - 01.2015
Bachelors in Nursing - Nursing
Allen College
Associate of Arts - Nursing
Iowa Central Community College
High School Diploma -
Fort Dodge Senior High