STEPHANIE MORGAN
Medford,New Jersey
Summary
Compassionate and highly skilled Registered Nurse with extensive experience across Emergency, PACU, and Surgical Services settings. Proven ability to triage, assess, and manage complex patient conditions in fast-paced, high-acuity environments. Demonstrates strong critical thinking, patient advocacy, and interdisciplinary collaboration to ensure safe, effective, and patient-centered care. Adept in managing post-anesthesia recovery, pre-op preparation, and emergency stabilization. Committed to advancing nursing practice and currently an active member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Registered Nurse, Surgery
Virtua Health Hospital
04.2022 - Current
- Prepare inpatients and outpatients for surgery, ensuring readiness and comfort
- Provide information and emotional support and clear information to patients and families throughout the surgical process.
- Start and/or monitor IV lines as needed for hydration, medication, ot anesthesia preparation.
- Conduct pre-operative and post-operative education to promote safe recovery and reduce complications.
- Utilize critical thinking skills to prioritize nursing care based on patient acuity and individual needs.
- Perform comprehensive assessments to identify changes in condition, promptly notifying providers and initiating timely interventions.
- Deliver clear, patient centered discharge instructions to outpatient surgical patients, reinforcing post-op care medications and follow-up compliance.
- Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to coordinate care plans for patients with complex needs and comorbidities.
- Administer medications safely and monitor for side effects or adverse reactions, intervening according to protocol.
Registered Nurse, PACU
Virtua Health Hospital
05.2018 - 04.2022
- Monitored patients’ vital signs and level of consciousness postoperatively to ensure safe recovery from anesthesia.
- Administered medications, including pain management and antiemetics, as ordered by anesthesia providers or surgeons.
- Provided critical assessment and rapid intervention for post-anesthesia complications such as airway obstruction, hypotension, hypoxia, and emergence delirium.
- Educated patients and families about post-operative care, discharge instructions, and signs of complications.
- Collaborated with surgical teams, anesthesiologists, and other healthcare professionals to provide continuous, high-quality care.
- Maintained accurate and timely documentation of assessments, interventions, and patient responses using EMR systems.
- Ensured safe handoff communication during transitions of care to inpatient units or discharge.
- Applied and maintained sterile technique and infection control practices when handling surgical sites or invasive devices.
- Supported fast-track recovery protocols and throughput efficiency in high-volume surgical settings.
- Responded to emergency situations with appropriate use of ACLS/PALS protocols.
Registered Nurse, Emergency Department
Virtua Health Hospital
10.2008 - 05.2018
- Performed rapid, evidence-based triage using the Emergency Severity Index (ESI) to prioritize patient care based on acuity and resource needs.
- Conducted focused assessments to identify life-threatening conditions and initiated appropriate interventions while ensuring patient safety.
- Managed high patient volumes in fast-paced environments, balancing clinical judgment and communication to ensure efficient throughput.
- Served as a triage nurse during peak hours, quickly identifying critically ill patients and facilitating direct-to-room.
- Communicated effectively with patients, families, and the interdisciplinary team to collect essential health history and provide real-time updates.
- Initiated diagnostic protocols, including labs, imaging, and ECGs per standing orders or triage protocols.
- Administered emergency medications, IV fluids, and managed care for a wide range of acute presentations including stroke, STEMI, trauma, sepsis, and psychiatric emergencies.
- Provided clear, compassionate education to patients and families regarding treatment plans and discharge instructions.
- Collaborated with EMS, inpatient units, and specialty teams to ensure safe and timely patient transfers and admissions.
- Maintained accurate triage documentation, supported quality improvement initiatives, and participated in ongoing triage competency training.
Education
Master of Science - Family Nurse Practitioner
Capella University
Minneapolis, MN09-2027
Bachelor of Science - Nursing
Misericordia University
Dallas, PA05-2008
Skills
- Preoperative & Post-Anesthesia Care (PACU)
- Emergency Triage (ESI Levels 1–5)
- Rapid Patient Assessment & Stabilization
- Airway Management & Oxygen Therapy
- IV Access, Fluid Resuscitation & Medication Administration
- Moderate Sedation Monitoring
- Pain & Nausea Management (PACU & ED)
- Cardiac Monitoring & Telemetry
- Pre-Op Teaching & Post-Op Discharge Education
- Patient Advocacy & Family Communication
- Infection Control & Surgical Site Monitoring
- EMR Documentation (Epic)
- Interdisciplinary Team Collaboration
- ACLS, BLS, PALS Certified
Accomplishments
- Nominated for the DAISY Award for providing exceptional, compassionate care and patient advocacy in the surgical and post-operative setting.
- Effectively triaged and prioritized patient care in a high-acuity emergency department, ensuring timely interventions and smooth patient flow.
- Played a key role in improving PACU efficiency through proactive pain and nausea management and early recovery protocols.
- Frequently selected to serve as charge nurse and triage lead, demonstrating leadership, sound clinical judgment, and trust from peers and management.
- Participated in interdisciplinary quality improvement initiatives to enhance pre-op education and patient satisfaction scores.
- Precepted and mentored new nurses in ED, PACU, and Surgical settings, supporting onboarding and team readiness.
- Actively involved in rapid response and code blue teams, contributing to improved emergency outcomes and response times.
Certification
Registered Nurse – NJ, 26NR13947200 – Active
Basic Life Support (BLS) – Current
Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) – Current
Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) – Current
Member, American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) – Active
Leadership and Committee Involvement
Member, Nursing Professional Council Committee | 2011–2015
Collaborated with nursing leadership and frontline staff to advance professional practice standards, improve nurse engagement, and support quality improvement initiatives across departments.
Languages
English
Full Professional
Timeline
Registered Nurse, Surgery
Virtua Health Hospital
04.2022 - Current
Registered Nurse, PACU
Virtua Health Hospital
05.2018 - 04.2022
Registered Nurse, Emergency Department
Virtua Health Hospital
10.2008 - 05.2018
Master of Science - Family Nurse Practitioner
Capella University
Bachelor of Science - Nursing
Misericordia University
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