Tamara Kaiser

Critical care registered nurse and charge nurse on an 18-bed step-down intensive care unit providing direct patient care to a vast patient population and wide range of diagnoses including both trauma and internal medicine patients. Participates as part of the Code Blue Response Team at a Level I Trauma hospital while also performing the duties of a charge nurse. Participates in developing and rolling out hospital-wide evidence-based quality improvement projects. Utilizes critical thinking skills to prioritize nursing interventions based on patients' acuity levels and individual needs. Conducts thorough patient assessments to identify changes in condition, promptly notifying physicians and initiating appropriate interventions when necessary. Administers medications safely according to established guidelines while closely monitoring for side effects or adverse reactions requiring intervention. Enhances patient and patient family member satisfaction by providing compassionate, holistic nursing care that address physical, emotional, and spiritual needs while being consistent and trustworthy. Assists in the training and mentorship of new nursing staff members, contributing to a positive work environment and high-quality patient care.

Supervised and mentored staff during assigned shifts. Determined staffing level and assignments based on staff availability, staff abilities, census, and patient acuity. Provided direct patient care as needed. Floated between staff to assist with problem-solving. Took patient assignments to meet staffing needs. Responded to complaints about patient care and related services and managed through established channels. Performed role-specific duties as assigned, including entering orders, performing admissions or discharges, and coordinating transfers.

Provided direct patient care according to nursing and medical plan of care and within scope of practice on a 32-bed unit focused on COVID, respiratory diseases, and medical-surgical patients. Performed duties of staff Registered Nurse, relief Charge Nurse, Patient Experience Champion, and preceptor to new hires on the unit. Daily duties included medication administration, planning, implementing, and evaluating patient care plans based on assessment to optimize patient outcomes. Monitored, recorded and communicated patient condition appropriately. Communicated and collaborated as needed across disciplines to coordinate patient care, including patient transfer, discharge, referral, consults, spiritual/psychological support needs, and social work needs. Evaluated the learning needs of patients and their family and provided education appropriate to age, culture, circumstance and condition.

I was responsible for gathering data sets from completed assessments and organizing them into an Excel spreadsheet to be analyzed. I was also in charge of creating bibliographies for different psychological assessment products to be published as well as translated a selection of those bibliographies into Spanish.