Whitney Cruz
Alachua,FL
Summary
Dynamic Flight Nurse with extensive trauma experience at ShandsCair, excelling in critical care and advanced airway management. Proven ability to enhance patient outcomes through effective teamwork and strong clinical judgment. Recognized for streamlining patient handoff processes, ensuring seamless care transitions, and advocating for patient needs in high-pressure environments.
Professional with significant experience in critical care and emergency medical services. Adept at rapid assessment, advanced trauma life support, and delivering high-quality patient care. Strong focus on team collaboration and achieving optimal outcomes, with flexibility to adapt to changing needs. Known for exceptional clinical skills, decision-making under pressure, and compassionate patient interactions.
Professional nurse with comprehensive experience in neonatal intensive care. Skilled in patient assessment, critical care, and advanced life support. Strong team collaborator focused on achieving optimal outcomes in high-pressure environments. Reliable and adaptable with commitment to providing compassionate, evidence-based care.
Healthcare professional skilled in managing nursing teams and ensuring high standards of patient care. Proven success in implementing care plans and improving operational efficiency. Known for fostering team collaboration and adapting to dynamic healthcare environments. Strong skills in patient assessment and emergency response.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Flight Nurse
ShandsCair
11.2024 - Current
- Maintained flight medicine knowledge base by attending mandatory meetings, performing chart and equipment reviews, skills labs and clinical rotations and participating in continuing education sessions for care and transport of critically ill and injured patients.
- Planned, organized and positioned equipment and supplies for use in emergency conditions before, during and after transport.
- Streamlined patient handoff process for efficient transfer of care between medical teams.
- Performed advanced clinical interventions as needed to stabilize patients during transport, improving their chances for recovery upon arrival at receiving facilities.
- Consistently met industry standards by staying current on best practices and relevant certifications within the field of flight nursing.
- Performed wide range of specialized functions and complex assessments, diagnoses, therapies and emergency treatment of patients transported by rotor-wing and fixed-wing aircraft.
- Exercised sound decision-making abilities when faced with complex or rapidly changing situations involving critically ill or injured patients.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary healthcare teams to develop individualized treatment plans for patients.
- Ensured comprehensive documentation of patient interactions, treatments, assessments, and outcomes for accurate recordkeeping and continuity of care.
- Assessed for and detected changes in status of patients and demonstrated proactive approach to solving patient problems.
- Communicated effectively with pilots and other crew members to optimize in-flight operations and patient care.
- Demonstrated strong clinical judgment in assessing, planning, implementing, documenting, and evaluating nursing care for critical patients.
- Documented appropriate and accurate information for assessment and treatment during stabilization and transport.
- Increased team efficiency by participating in regular training exercises and maintaining up-to-date knowledge on emergency procedures and protocols.
- Cultivated positive relationships with referring facilities through professional conduct during patient transfers and consultations.
- Followed all personal and health data procedures to effectively comply with HIPAA laws and prevent information breaches.
- Evaluated patient histories, complaints, and current symptoms.
- Educated family members and caregivers on patient care instructions.
Registered Nurse-NICU
UF Health Shands
06.2006 - Current
- Assisted with complex medical procedures such as intubation, lumbar punctures, and umbilical line placements under physician supervision.
- Maintained a safe and clean environment by adhering to infection control policies, proper equipment handling, and waste disposal procedures.
- Promoted family-centered care by providing education, support, and resources to parents of NICU patients.
- Advocated for patient rights and needs, ensuring a patient-centered approach to care delivery within the NICU setting.
- Reduced complications by closely monitoring vital signs, administering medications, and assessing newborns'' overall condition.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary healthcare teams to develop individualized plans of care for premature and critically ill neonates.
- Provided compassionate end-of-life care for terminally ill neonates while offering emotional support to grieving families.
- Facilitated effective communication between families, physicians, therapists, social workers, dietitians, pharmacists – fostering a collaborative approach to holistic neonatal healthcare delivery.
- Assessed, evaluated, and cared for neonate and pediatric patients.
- Increased patient satisfaction by consistently delivering high-quality nursing care while ensuring all NICU standards were met or exceeded.
- Improved patient outcomes by swiftly recognizing and responding to emergent situations and initiating appropriate interventions.
- Maintained confidentiality of sensitive patient information while adhering to HIPAA regulations, promoting trust and respect between patients and healthcare professionals.
Clinical Charge Registered Nurse
UF Health Shands Hospital
01.2018 - 04.2023
- Mentored junior staff members and provided ongoing professional development opportunities for the entire nursing team.
- Served as a liaison between patients, families, and healthcare providers for seamless coordination of care across multiple disciplines.
- Conducted regular audits of clinical documentation to maintain adherence to regulatory standards and guidelines.
- Participated in hospital-wide committees to advocate for nursing staff and share best practices with colleagues from other departments.
- Promoted a positive work environment through effective teamwork, open communication, and strong leadership skills.
- Developed a culture of continuous improvement within the unit by encouraging open feedback, promoting self-reflection, and supporting ongoing professional development opportunities.
Education
Associate of Science -
Florida Gateway College
Lake City, FL06-2006
Skills
- Trauma experience
- Hemodynamic monitoring
- Patient education
- Airway management
- Critical care nursing
- Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
- Critical care
- Physical examinations
- Patient assessment
- Emergency response
- Pediatric advanced life support
- Neonatal resuscitation
- Advanced cardiac life support
- Flight recordkeeping
- In-flight patient care
- Narcotic security
- Oxygen therapy
- Flight physiology
- Ventilator management
- Teamwork
- Problem-solving
- Medication and IV administration
- Time management
- Attention to detail
- Multitasking
- Basic life support
- Critical thinking
- Strong clinical judgment
- CPR certification
- Adaptability and flexibility
- Patient and family advocacy
- Patient care assessment
- Monitoring vital signs
- Clinical documentation
- Blood draw and sample collection
- Physical assessment
- Vitals monitoring
- Microsoft office
- Intravenous therapy
- Safety protocols
- Patient condition monitoring
- Professionalism
- Quality improvement
- Patient advocacy
Certification
- Certifications:
- RNC-NIC
- PALS
- BLS
- ITLS
- ACLS
Address
16623 NW 167th Place
Timeline
Flight Nurse
ShandsCair
11.2024 - Current
Clinical Charge Registered Nurse
UF Health Shands Hospital
01.2018 - 04.2023
Registered Nurse-NICU
UF Health Shands
06.2006 - Current
Associate of Science -
Florida Gateway College
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