Stephanie Nelson

• Responsible for care center's compliance and implementation of all regulations, laws, policies, and procedures applicable to home health and reimbursement issues. Educates all staff members about state and federal rules and regulations, as well as accrediting body standards and other regulatory agencies' standards.
• Maintains availability and ongoing communication with the care center and branch sites. Remains available or ensures similarly qualified alternate is available at all times during operating hours.
• Acts as a liaison between the governing body, staff, patients, physicians, and other healthcare providers.
• Ensures implementation of a Performance Improvement (PI) Program to drive quality care, positive patient outcomes, and to address any negative trends. In collaboration with the Branch Directors, assists with the implementation and monitoring of the Performance Improvement Program, developing Corrective Action Plans as appropriate.
• Meets quarterly with PI committee, reviews PI data for all sites, summarizes and documents findings, and provides educational presentation to Directors and staff on trends identified in quarterly reviews.
• Plans and participates in ongoing management meetings with Branch Directors to evaluate organizational performance on items such as coordination of services, provision of quality care delivered by all branch sites, staffing issues, staff competencies, onsite supervisory visits, PI, and implementation of consistent processes within branch offices.
• Assists in planning, organizing, and conducting the Professional Advisory Group meetings as required by state regulations.
• Performs periodic on-site visits to provide oversight, guidance, and direction to the Branch Directors to ensure compliance with all regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Coordinates with Branch Directors to ensure that all visiting staff are deemed competent and able to provide appropriate, adequate, and effective patient care by conducting on-hire and annual skills competencies.
• Leads and facilitates the development of the Overall Agency Evaluation, which includes data from all branch sites.
• Leads and facilitates care center leadership meetings in preparation for accreditation. Collaborates with Branch Directors to plan and implement action plans and educational activities to ensure care center readiness.
• Monitors the Home Health Compare measures when published. Plans and develops action plans and education on best practices to improve the Target Measure/Outcomes. 13. Assists Branch Directors in resolving patient and/or staff complaints, meeting with staff as appropriate to determine the surrounding circumstances, investigating and documenting the events, and notifying the person lodging the complaint to resolve the issues.
• Meets with the Medical Director periodically and determines medical records for utilization review from branch offices.

Ensures that all services are billed as provided to the proper payor source. Analyzes available reimbursable data, identifies trends, and initiates appropriate plans of action. Collaborates with appropriate staff to complete billing adjustments and maintenance of accurate adjustment records.

• Continually monitors clinical episode management reports/trends and provides direction/redirection as warranted.
• Directs weekly business development and management team meetings with all appropriate staff and other members of the medical community to promote home care services. Provides input, guidance, and feedback related to marketing activities and agency marketing plan to ensure that goals for growth are met. Participates in marketing activities, as appropriate.
• Participates in staff recruitment, hiring, orientation, training, assignment, evaluation, and guidance to ensure the employment of an adequate number of qualified staff.
• Assists the Area Vice President of Operations with the care center's budget development process, including implementation and evaluation. Provides oversight and approval of payroll at the care center.
• Provides guidance and assistance to the Area Vice President of Operations in matters related to the delivery of quality home health services. Provides reports, as directed, related to fiscal information and statistical trends within the care center.
• Plans and executes special events that serve to advance staff, patient, and community relations.
• Responsible for employment decisions for direct report staff, including decisions to hire, fire, advance, promote, or change status.
• Monitors and evaluates employee performance. Holds employees accountable for the attainment of defined goals and objectives. Executes effective performance redirection when needed. Develops employees through coaching, mentoring, and formal/on-the-job training and development opportunities.

• Assures that the polices, mission, philosophy and values of VITAS are upheld in the delivery of patient care services
• Ensures that Hospice care is provided to the ultimate satisfaction of patients and their families
• Actively collaborates with Team managers, Medical Director, and Admissions Department on clinically complex cases
• Acts as a clinical resource in collaboration with Medical Director
• Oversees the program clinical operations staff adherence to policies, procedures and standards
• Responsible for the oversight of hiring, training, supervising, coaching and mentoring of clinical operations staff
• Interviews, hires, supervises, mentors and evaluates the performance of direct reports
• Participates in the development and implementation of orientation and in-service training hospice programs for all levels of nursing staff
• Fosters relationships with external customers, referral sources, and regulatory personnel including soliciting feedback
• Works in collaboration with senior management team to foster employee satisfaction
• Utilizes trend reports, dashboards, income statements, financials and other reports to indent trends and opportunities for Performance improvement plans

• Directs all patient care services for the team ensuring that services are rendered as integrated components of the interdisciplinary plan of care
• Collaborates with the team physician and the attending and/or following physician as needed and acts as the clinical resource for the interdisciplinary team
• Participates in all potential alive discharges to ensure effective discharge planning
• Oversees the team schedules and coordination of services to ensure coverage for all patients on the team
• Fills in and provides patient care within their scope of practice during times of need
• Reviews payroll ensuring that employees have documented accurately utilizing appropriate codes and mileage
• Participates in on-call rotation

• Assist in leading of continuous improvement efforts for all homecare clinical operations
• Collaborate with Quality and Clinical Education teams to create a culture of quality
• Drive quality improvement and Quality Assurance Performance Improvement (QAPI) measures
• Participate in QAPI meetings, workgroups, and initiatives
• Proactively work with Team Managers to address patient/family/partner concerns
• Analyze satisfaction survey data and collaborate with stakeholders to develop, implement, and audit action plans to address key drivers of patient, family, and partner satisfaction
• Monitor team financial performance, specifically about medication utilization and concurrent services
• Facilitate ongoing follow up with the interdisciplinary team to ensure interventions remain appropriate with the patient's plan of care
• Develop and direct engagement plans to ensure high levels of team engagement in collaboration with team managers and engagement

• Provide oversight and guidance to the management of complex/acute patient cases
• Attend interdisciplinary team (IDT) meetings and assist with coordination and/or continuity of care
• Assist RNs in the field: facilitate IV med orders, Chartwell coordination, Inpatient admissions, and Continuous care
• Serve as a resource to staff on current trends in healthcare and state/federal regulations
• Educate direct care staff to ensure quality and service expectations
• Participate in all Preceptor Program training
• Act as a preceptor to RN Case Managers
• Work with preceptors to evaluate readiness of new staff to work independently
• Assess educational needs of team and facilitate their development and knowledge into practice
• Coach staff to work within established discipline guidelines
• Promote culture of learning, recognize concerns, resolve fears and motivate the team for engagement

• Compassionately care for critically ill patients and work closely with families during the final stages of life
• Manage physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs of patients and families as they journey through end-of-life issues, educate and support them through the process
• Provide continuous and precise assessment of patients' pain and comfort levels
• Communicate all pertinent information and evaluations through clear and concise documentation
• Maintain comfort and quality of life, alert physicians about changes in patients' condition
• Develop and implement individualized plan of care, coordinate with interdisciplinary team including physicians, social worker, chaplain, nursing assistants, volunteer coordinator, and other hospice nurses, regarding changes in condition or interventional approach

• Delivered meticulous nursing care in a rehabilitation environment ensuring the health, safety, and wellbeing of all residents
• As the charge nurse, supervised RNs', LPN's, and CNA's providing leadership and guidance while providing quality patient care
• Collaborated with the patient, families, and physicians to develop a patient specific plan of care
• Performed various wound care treatments and intravenous medications on a day-to-day basis

• Awarded 2 Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, 2 Good Conduct Medals, and Honorable Discharge