Tekekee Buckner, DNP, APRN-FPA, FNP-BC
Plainfield,IL
Summary
Doctorate-prepared Family Nurse Practitioner and healthcare leader with extensive experience in clinical operations, care model design, and population health management. Proven ability to lead interdisciplinary teams, optimize clinical productivity, and advance value-based care initiatives through data-driven decision-making, regulatory excellence, and collaborative leadership.
Overview
23
23
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Regional Clinical Operations Manager
Provider Partner Health Plan
08.2023 - Current
- Direct clinical operations for the Illinois Northern region at Provider Partners Health Plan (PPHP), ensuring delivery of high-quality care, optimizing clinical proficiency, and managing utilization efficiently.
- Oversee education and professional development initiatives for the PPHP clinical team, including Senior Clinicians, Nurse Practitioners, Nurse Managers, and Registered Nurse Care Coordinators.
- Monitor clinical productivity and compliance with CMS standards, providing coaching and remediation to address underperformance.
- Report project status, challenges, and outcomes to executive leadership and key stakeholders.
- Develop and present targeted strategies to reduce hospital admissions and 30-day readmissions using data analysis, quality reports, root cause analysis, and evidence based practice model of care.
- Collaborate with HEDIS and Stars teams to implement initiatives that achieved organizational goals, financial objectives, HEDIS measures, and Star ratings increasing star rating from 3.5 to 4.
- Facilitate corporate initiatives and manage quality improvement processes, tracking outcomes to ensure continuous advancement.
- Built and maintained strong partnerships with provider organizations to support health plan objectives.
- Support human resources functions by conducting interviews, facilitating performance evaluations, creating performance improvement plans.
- Provide comprehensive geriatric patient care— assessment, diagnosis, treatment, management, and documentation— for acute and chronic conditions in a long-term care/skilled facility practice setting.
- Perform annual wellness exams, pre-operative clearances, Medicare AHA physicals, post-hospitalization exams.
- Prescribe medications via multiple routes; ordered, reviewed, and interpreted laboratory and diagnostic studies.
- Remote
Adjunct and Assistant Professor
Lewis University
08.2020 - Current
- Delivered and evaluated MSN and FNP courses through on campus, online, and hybrid teaching methods.
- Direct strategic initiatives and community programs aimed at enhancing community health and wellness education.
- Partnered with organizations such as BCBS, Versiti, and ADA to advance literacy, educational outreach, and civic engagement through specialized wellness programs.
- Oversee event budgets and ensured efficient allocation of donations.
- Lead strategic initiatives and community health education with partners like BCBS, Versiti, and ADA, while managing budgets and donations.
- Former Lead Instructor: Women, Infant, and Children Graduate Nursing Course (2016–2018)
- Taught a diverse range of topics—including DNP Residency, Adult Primary Management, Adult/Gerontology/Adolescent Management, Health Assessment, and Role Transition— using campus-based, online, hybrid, and clinical teaching modalities.
- Conducted evaluations of student’s didactic and clinical performance based on NONPF CCNE essentials.
- Contributed to the development, implementation, and assessment of graduate nursing curricula.
- Actively participated in departmental and college committees, as well as organized and supported academic events.
- Provided academic advising and guidance to Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) students.
Nurse Practitioner – Internal Medicine & Family Practice
Premise Health
04.2022 - 08.2023
- Delivered care—including assessment, diagnosis, treatment, management, and documentation—for patients age two and up in a busy union clinic.
- Perform annual wellness exams, pre-operative clearances, Medicare AHA evaluations, sports physicals, kindergarten and school physicals, college physicals, and insurance wellness assessments.
- Conduct routine gynecological Pap smears and prescribed contraceptive.
- Prescribe medications via multiple routes; ordered, reviewed, and interpreted laboratory and diagnostic studies, including electrocardiograms (EKG).
- Provide patient education, counseling, and recommendations for preventive screenings, laboratory evaluations, and vaccinations based on age and risk factors.
- Collaborate with physicians and coordinated referrals for specialty services.
- Applied simple sutures and removed sutures and staples.
Nurse Practitioner - Internal Medicine
DuPage Medical Group
02.2019 - 05.2022
- Provided assessment, diagnosis, treatment, management, and documentation for patients aged sixteen and up in a busy internal medicine practice.
- Conduct annual wellness, pre-operative clearance, Medicare AHA, post-hospitalization exams, sports physical, and school and college physicals.
- Perform routine gynecological examinations including pap smears and prescribed contraceptive.
- Prescribe medications (PO, IM, IV, SQ, NEB), order and review labs/diagnostic studies, and EKG.
- Educate, counsel, and order preventive age-appropriate vaccines, screening test, and labs.
- Collaborate with physicians and coordinated referrals for specialty services.
- Perform minor I & D procedures.
- Remove sutures and staples.
- Removed cerumen.
Director of Clinical Operations and Programs
Greatland Home Health, Inc
06.2020 - 12.2020
- Directed all clinical operations at Greatland Home Health, leading an Advanced Practice Provider home health initiative aligned with APRN core competencies, Illinois APRN Scope of Practice, CMS regulations, and OASIS assessments, with a focus on reducing hospital readmissions.
- Designed and launched a home health program utilizing visiting Advance Practice Providers, resulting in a 10% percent increase in nursing staff and a 30% percent growth in revenue (2020).
- Conducted comprehensive reviews and benchmarking of clinical quality metrics.
- Supervised and evaluated job performance of clinical staff ensuring alignment with organizational competencies and state scope of practice.
- Delivered comprehensive in-home patient care, including health risk assessments, physical examinations, diagnosis, treatment planning, management, documentation, medication reconciliation, etc.
- Prescribe medications via multiple routes; ordered, reviewed, and interpreted laboratory and diagnostic studies.
- Provide patient education, counseling, and recommendations for preventive screenings and vaccinations based on age and risk factors.
Lead Nurse Practitioner & Preceptor – Post Acute Care Hospitalist
Paragon Clinical, LLC
11.2014 - 08.2018
- Spearheaded quality improvement initiatives that resulted in a 35% reduction in secondary falls and a 60% decrease in 30-day readmissions.
- Precepted, evaluated, and supervised APRNs performance ensuring alignment with organizational competencies and state scope of practice.
- Provide comprehensive patient care— assessment, diagnosis, treatment, management, and documentation—for acute and chronic conditions in a skilled facility practice settings to a geriatric population.
- Performed and documented admission H &Ps, acute, episodic, discharge exam.
- Prescribe medications via multiple routes; ordered, reviewed, and interpreted laboratory and diagnostic studies, including electrocardiograms (EKG).
- Partnered with physicians and facility leadership to enhance patient outcomes.
Nurse Practitioner; Preceptor Coordinator – Retail Health
Minute Clinic
10.2011 - 09.2014
- Delivered patient assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and documentation for acute conditions in a retail clinic, caring for patients aged 18 months and older.
- Performed Department of Transportation (DOT) and sports physicals.
- Completed insurance wellness examinations.
- Provide patient education, counseling, and recommendations for preventive screenings, laboratory evaluations, and vaccinations based on age and risk factors.
- Served as APRN preceptor and designated resource for novice Advanced Practice Nurses, providing mentorship and guidance.
Critical Care Registered Nurse
Rush University Medical Center
08.2002 - 01.2012
- Provided care in multiple critical care units, including Coronary, Surgical, Neurosurgical, Medical ICU; Night and weekend charge RN for high-acuity neurosurgical ICU.
- Night shift and weekend Charge RN on a 12-bed high- acuity neurosurgical Critical Care unit.
- Rendered patient care at a large metropolitan teaching hospital in diverse critical care/ intensive care units, such as Coronary Care ICU, Surgical ICU, Neurosurgical ICU, Medical ICU, and Telemetry Unit.
- Monitored telemetry and hemodynamic of patients in all critical care units.
- Managed extremely technical devices such as Ventilators, Swan-Ganz Catheter, Ventricular Assist Device (VADs), Balloon-pumps, Pacemakers, and External Ventricular Devices.
- Precepted and mentored new ICU nurses.
- Provided education and basic life support training to all nursing staff members.
Education
Doctor of Nursing Practice - System Leadership
Chamberlain College of Nursing
Addison, ILPost-Graduate Certificate - Family Nurse Practitioner
Rush University
Chicago, ILMaster of Science - Nursing
Governors State University
University Park, ILBachelor of Science - Nursing
Aurora University
North Aurora, ILSkills
- Clinical Operations Management
- Strategic Planning and Implementation
- Utilization and Quality Improvement
- Performance & Productivity Monitoring
- Strong Data Analytics & Critical Thinking Skills
- Program Development & Staff Training
- Remote Team Management
- Telemedicine Proficient
- Acute & Chronic Disease Management
- Comprehensive History & Physical Examinations
- Advanced Clinical Judgment & Autonomous Practice
- Academic & Clinical Teaching, Preceptorship
- EMR Proficiency: Epic AthenaClinical Vision PointClickCare Doxyme Practice Fusion HomeCare Homebase
- Microsoft Office Suite: Outlook Teams, Excel Word PowerPoint
- Learning Management Systems: Blackboard Canvas, Zoom Google Meet Webex Respondus Lockdown Browser Panopto
Accomplishments
- Maintained the lowest hospital admission and readmission rates in the Illinois region for Provider Partners Health Plan since January 2023.
- Developed and implemented a Readmission Risk Assessment Tool, reducing hospital readmissions from 16% to 0% within two quarters at Provider Partners Health Plan.
- Designed, launched, and managing the first Per-diem nurse practitioner weekend position for PPHP in Illinois to reduce weekend hospital admissions.
- Instrumental in the launch of the Indiana market for Provider Partners Health Plan, serving 2,300 members. Responsibilities included interviewing and selecting staff, preparing hiring recommendations, and providing education and mentorship to RNs, NPs, and clinical managers.
- Spearheaded a high-risk call initiative that resulted in a 23% reduction in hospital admissions and a 15% decrease in 911 emergency calls at Provider Partners Health Plan.
- Established a home health program at Greatland Home Health, increasing nursing staff by 10% and boosting revenue by 30%.
- Implemented a fall huddle prevention initiative that enabled APRNs to customize strategies for individual patients, leading to an average 35% reduction in secondary falls (2018).
- Recognized with multiple honors, including the Lasallian Research Award (2019), WOW Award for customer service at Rush University Medical Center (2010), and Minute Clinic accolades for collaboration, accountability, and caring (2012–2014).
Affiliations
Obesity Medicine Association (2023–2025) | American Nurse Association of IL (2021–2023) | Illinois Society of Advanced Practice Nurses (ISAPN) (2011–2013) | Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (2006–2011)
Certification
- Advance Practice Registered Nurse- Full Practice Authority: State Illinois (2011)
- Family Nurse Practitioner Certification (2011)
- Controlled Substance License | Drug Enforcement Administration Registered (2011)
- National Provider Identifier Registered (2011)
- Registered Nurse: State of Illinois (2000)
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support Certification: 2000
- Basic Life Support Certification: 2000
Publications
- Buckner, T. (2024). Praise The Lord and Pass the Fried Chicken. A comprehensive approach for weight loss to live a healthier life. Hmdpublishing.
- Buckner, T. & Sherry, D. (2019). Improving falls in nursing homes: a post fall huddle quality improvement project. International Journal of Advanced Nursing Studies, 8(2), 33-39.
Community Service
- Health & Wellness Program Director | Bethesda Church of God in Christ | Elgin, IL | 03/2022 - Present
Spearhead health education programs and partner with organizations such as BCBS, Versiti, and ADA to enhance literacy and civic engagement; managed event budgets and donations.
- Nurse Practitioner - Internal Medicine | Bolingbrook Christian Center | 06/2018 – 10/2023
Delivered full-scope patient care—including assessment, diagnosis, treatment, management, and documentation—for uninsured clinic patients aged 2 years to geriatric
Timeline
Regional Clinical Operations Manager
Provider Partner Health Plan
08.2023 - Current
Nurse Practitioner – Internal Medicine & Family Practice
Premise Health
04.2022 - 08.2023
Adjunct and Assistant Professor
Lewis University
08.2020 - Current
Director of Clinical Operations and Programs
Greatland Home Health, Inc
06.2020 - 12.2020
Nurse Practitioner - Internal Medicine
DuPage Medical Group
02.2019 - 05.2022
Lead Nurse Practitioner & Preceptor – Post Acute Care Hospitalist
Paragon Clinical, LLC
11.2014 - 08.2018
Nurse Practitioner; Preceptor Coordinator – Retail Health
Minute Clinic
10.2011 - 09.2014
Critical Care Registered Nurse
Rush University Medical Center
08.2002 - 01.2012
Post-Graduate Certificate - Family Nurse Practitioner
Rush University
Master of Science - Nursing
Governors State University
Bachelor of Science - Nursing
Aurora University
Doctor of Nursing Practice - System Leadership
Chamberlain College of Nursing