Tara Waters
Upper Marlboro
Summary
Dynamic nursing professional with over 20 years of comprehensive experience in adult critical care, specializing in high-acuity environments such as SICU, MICU, CCU, CVVR, and PACU. Proven expertise in adult and pediatric emergency care, alongside proficiency in Cath Lab procedures and trauma admissions at Level I and II facilities. Possesses 11 years of specialized experience as a Flight/Transport Nurse, showcasing exceptional skills in rapid assessment and critical decision-making under pressure. Committed to delivering high-quality patient care through effective collaboration and advanced clinical knowledge.
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
5
5
Certification
Work History
Post Transplant Clinical Coordinator
New York Presbyterian Columbia Medical Center
2023.07 - Current
- Coordinated multi-disciplinary teams to facilitate organ transplant processes and improve patient outcomes.
- Managed patient care plans, ensuring adherence to medical protocols and timely communication with healthcare providers.
- Optimized patient outcomes through meticulous post-transplant evaluations and assessments.
- Served as an advocate for patients throughout their transplant journey, addressing concerns and providing support as needed.
- Coordinated multi-organ transplants, effectively managing the unique challenges associated with these complex cases.
- Improved patient care by providing thorough education for post kidney and pancreas transplant.
- Collaborated with medical staff to develop individualized care plans for post kidney and pancreas transplant.
- Managed complex transplant cases, ensuring timely and accurate completion of all required documentation.
Travel Registered Nurse, Weiler Hospital
USN
2026.01 - 2026.02
- Providing nursing care to patients in CTICU during workforce disruption.
- Administered comprehensive patient assessments and coordinated individualized care plans in diverse clinical settings.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to optimize patient outcomes and enhance quality of care delivery.
- Educated patients and families on treatment protocols, medication management, and post-discharge planning strategies.
- Implemented best practices for infection control and safety compliance, ensuring adherence to healthcare regulations.
- Administered medications via oral, IV, and intramuscular injections and monitored responses.
- Caring for critically ill patients on ventilator, Impella device, IABP, Swan-Ganz catheter.
- Performed accurate documentation of patient assessments, interventions, and outcomes in compliance with regulatory standards.
Travel Registered Nurse, ER Cedar Hill Hospital
Amergis
2025.04 - 2026.01
- Administered medications and treatments in accordance with established protocols.
- Assessed patient conditions and developed individualized care plans effectively.
- Educated patients and families on health management and recovery strategies.
- Implemented quality improvement initiatives to optimize nursing practices and efficiency.
- Maintained meticulous documentation to ensure compliance with healthcare regulations.
- Documented treatments delivered, medications and IVs administered, discharge instructions, and follow-up care.
- Communicated with healthcare team members to plan, implement and enhance treatment strategies.
- Performed triage on incoming patients and determined severity of injuries and illnesses.
- Quickly responded to situations impacting safety and security to unit, actualizing crisis prevention interventions to control and de-escalate situations.
- Led teams in driving successful patient outcomes by prioritizing standard of care and best practices.
Critical Care Float Pool RN, CTICU, Cath Lab, IR
INOVA
2023.03 - 2025.12
- Delivered high-quality patient care across multiple units, adapting to diverse clinical environments.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to develop and implement individualized patient care plans.
- Monitored vital signs and assessed patients' conditions to ensure timely interventions and safety.
- Educated patients and families on treatment protocols, promoting understanding and adherence.
- Assisted physicians with procedures such as central line insertions, arterial lines, intubations, and chest tube placements for better patient outcomes.
- Enhanced patient care by providing specialized critical care nursing services in multiple departments, including CTICU, CCU, SICU, Cath Lab and Interventional Radiology.
- Supported patient recovery with comprehensive discharge planning and follow-up care coordination.
- Oversaw various aspects of telemetry by administering pa catheters and arterials, vasoactive drugs, titration, thrombolytic therapy, dysrhythmia interpretation, and chest tubes.
- Conducted patient assessments, recorded vitals, and analyzed records and charts to define care requirements.
Travel Registered Nurse, ICU Harlem Hospital
Prime Staffing
2022.02 - 2024.11
- Administered critical care treatments and monitored patient responses in high-acuity settings SICU, MICU, CCU and BICU.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to develop and implement individualized care plans.
- Educated patients and families on complex medical conditions.
- Trained and mentored junior nursing staff, enhancing team competency in intensive care protocols.
- Assessed patient needs promptly, prioritizing interventions based on clinical urgency and condition stability.
- Handled ventilator support, feeding tubes and central lines.
- Administered medications accurately and effectively, preventing adverse reactions through careful monitoring of drug interactions.
Travel Nurse, Valley Regional Medical Center
Krucial Staffing
2020.07 - 2022.01
- Traveling to various hospital in the State of Texas and New York for a COVID crisis deployment.
- Providing temporary staffing as RN for ICU, CCU, PACU, ADULT/PEDIATRIC ER, and LEVEL I/II Trauma Centers.
- Assessing and evaluating ICU, CCU, PACU,ER and Trauma patients.
- Monitoring and evaluating EKG changes.
- Monitoring and evaluating ventilated patients on various modes.
- Monitoring and evaluating hemodynamics of critically ill patient.
- Caring for adults and pediatrics during respiratory and cardiac arrest.
- Providing wound care for various stages of wounds.
- Providing family support during the grieving process after patients are deceased.
Staff RN/ Flight nurse
MedSTAR Washington Hospital Center
2011.06 - 2021.04
- Transporting critically ill trauma, cardiac, and multi-system failure adults and pediatric patients via helicopter/ground transport.
- Conducted thorough pre-flight equipment checks to ensure operational readiness and compliance with standards.
- Assessing and caring for critically ill multi-system trauma in Level I trauma center.
- Assessing and caring for LVAD and BiVAD patients.
- Assessing, caring, and transporting cardiac patients with intra aortic balloon pump.
- Assessing, caring and transporting patients on Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).
- Adult and pediatric intubations
- Continuously updated professional knowledge and skills through regular participation in training programs, conferences, workshops, and other educational opportunities relevant to flight nursing practice.
Agency/Travel Nurse RN
C2 Medical Professionals/Sun Medical
2000.08 - 2010.08
- Traveling to various hospital in DC/Baltimore metropolitan area.
- Providing temporary staffing as RN for ICU, CCU, PACU, CATH LAB, ADULT/PEDIATRIC ER, and LEVEL I/II Trauma Centers.
- Assessing and evaluating ICU, CCU, PACU,ER and Trauma patients.
- Monitoring and evaluating EKG changes.
- Monitoring and evaluating ventilated patients on various modes.
- Monitoring and evaluating hemodynamics of critically ill patient.
- Caring for adults and pediatrics during respiratory and cardiac arrest.
- Providing wound care for various stages of wounds.
- Providing family support during the grieving process after patients are deceased.
Staff/Per Diem IV Therapy/IV Infusion Nurse
Omnicare/Neighborcare
2008.03 - 2010.01
- Traveling to various patients homes inserting peripheral IVs/ lab draw.
- Accessing port a cath, Groshong catheter, and PICC/Mid line catheter.
- Long and short term IV access dressing change.
- Infusing IV antibiotics, TPN, IVF, Steroid therapy, Chemotherapy, IVIG, narcotic pain medication infusion in the patients resident.
- Teach family clean/sterile dressing change for long/short term IV's.
- Teach patient/family to infuse various IV medications.
Staff Nurse
UMMS-Shock Trauma
1999.09 - 2001.03
- Caring for critical care patients at a Level 1 multi-trauma intensive care unit.
- Monitoring and evaluating EKG changes.
- Monitoring and evaluating ventilated patients on various modes.
- Monitoring and evaluating hemodynamics of critically ill patient.
- Caring for adults during respiratory and cardiac arrest.
- Providing wound care for various stages of wounds.
- Providing family support during the grieving process after patients are deceased.
- Providing care for patients on CVVH, intra aortic ballon pumps, camino and ventriculostomy.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Nursing
University of Maryland At Baltimore
Baltimore, MD1999-12
Skills
- Critical Care Nurse
- Helicopter/ambulance transport
- Intubating adults and pediatric
- Management of difficult airways using video laryngoscope, King Airway, and Bougie
- Cadaver lab training/skills of needle decompression and cricothyrotomy
- Various ventilator management in pediatric and adults
- IV therapy
- Post kidney and pancreas transplant coordinator
- Computer charting Meditech, Cerner, Epic
Certification
- Licensed as a Registered Nurse in the State of Maryland, District of Columbia, New York, California, Michigan, and Massachusetts
- Certified in BLS, ACLS, PALS, NIHSS and TNCC
Timeline
Travel Registered Nurse, Weiler Hospital
USN
2026.01 - 2026.02
Travel Registered Nurse, ER Cedar Hill Hospital
Amergis
2025.04 - 2026.01
Post Transplant Clinical Coordinator
New York Presbyterian Columbia Medical Center
2023.07 - Current
Critical Care Float Pool RN, CTICU, Cath Lab, IR
INOVA
2023.03 - 2025.12
Travel Registered Nurse, ICU Harlem Hospital
Prime Staffing
2022.02 - 2024.11
Travel Nurse, Valley Regional Medical Center
Krucial Staffing
2020.07 - 2022.01
Staff RN/ Flight nurse
MedSTAR Washington Hospital Center
2011.06 - 2021.04
Staff/Per Diem IV Therapy/IV Infusion Nurse
Omnicare/Neighborcare
2008.03 - 2010.01
Agency/Travel Nurse RN
C2 Medical Professionals/Sun Medical
2000.08 - 2010.08
Staff Nurse
UMMS-Shock Trauma
1999.09 - 2001.03
Bachelor of Science - Nursing
University of Maryland At Baltimore