Tricia Cortez
Abilene,TX
Summary
Compassionate RN with extensive experience in patient safety, critical thinking, and direct patient care. Proven ability to coordinate care plans and mentor junior staff, enhancing team effectiveness and patient outcomes.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
Work History
RN Staff Nurse
Hendrick Medical Center
Abilene, TX
08.2005 - Current
- Delivered comprehensive patient care, assessing conditions and implementing appropriate interventions.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to develop effective care plans tailored to patient needs.
- Educated patients and families on treatment plans, medications, and ongoing health management strategies.
- Monitored vital signs and performed diagnostic tests, ensuring timely reporting of critical results.
- Mentored junior nursing staff, fostering professional development through knowledge sharing and guidance.
- Implemented infection control protocols, enhancing patient safety and reducing healthcare-associated infections.
- Coordinated discharge planning, ensuring continuity of care post-hospitalization for optimal recovery outcomes.
- Served as a liaison between patients, families, and healthcare providers to facilitate clear communication and coordination of care plans.
- Provided compassionate and empathetic support to patients and their families during difficult situations.
- Assisted physicians during medical procedures, ensuring accurate delivery of care as prescribed by the healthcare provider.
- Reduced medication errors through meticulous administration and documentation of medications.
- Monitored patients' conditions and reported changes in physical presentation, appearance, and behavior to discuss treatment with physicians.
- Administered medications via oral, IV, and intramuscular injections and monitored responses.
- Assessed physical, psychological, physiologic, and cognitive status of patients.
- Collaborated with physicians, pharmacists and therapists to deliver quality, evidence-based care.
- Educated family members and caregivers on patient care instructions.
- Performed various nursing interventions such as wound dressing, vital sign monitoring, and specimen collection.
- Implemented medication and IV administration, catheter insertion, and airway management.
- Quickly responded to situations impacting safety and security to unit, actualizing crisis prevention interventions to control and de-escalate situations.
- Delivered high level of quality care to diverse populations while overseeing patient admission and triaging based on acuity and appropriate department admission.
- Provided skilled, timely and level-headed emergency response to critically-ill patients.
- Performed frequent checks on life support equipment and made necessary adjustments to preserve optimal patient conditions.
- Managed patients recovering from medical or surgical procedures.
Education
Associate of Science - Nursing
Angelo State University
San Angelo, TX05.2015
LPN - Nursing
Cisco College
Abilene, TX12.2001
Skills
- Mental health care
- Clinical judgment
- Diabetes management
- Geriatric nursing
- Patient safety
- Direct patient care
- Wound care
- Medication and IV administration
- Intake and discharge
- Patient education
- Tracheostomy care
- Family education
- Specimen collection
- Vaccine administration
- Emergency procedures
- Infection control measures
- Nursing process
- HIPAA protocol adherence
- Critical thinking
- Vitals monitoring
- Accurate documentation
- Blood draw and sample collection
- Heartsaver CPR AED (CPR AED)
- Healthcare personnel supervision
Timeline
RN Staff Nurse
Hendrick Medical Center
08.2005 - Current
Associate of Science - Nursing
Angelo State University
LPN - Nursing
Cisco College