Acting Director of Nursing
Commonwealth Care of Roanoke, Inc
Total years of experience :22 years, 9 Months
Handpicked by corporate to join a new management team. Specifically brought in to help improve current key performance numbers including bottom line turn around. Personal responsibilities include but not limited to:
•Ensure compliance with all local, state and federal regulations governing long term care; & facility programs.
•Maintain benchmarked quality standards in customer service & resident care (like medication administration according to current nursing standards); & promote seamless interdepartmental working relationships.
•Recruited; provided orientation/training; & retained quality staff - proactively ensured employee performance exceeded expectations & that periodic appraisals were conducted on a timely basis. Also responsible for disciplining/terminating staff.
•Review resident plan of care for appropriate goals & approaches, and make revisions based on individual needs; also implement new resident care programs.
•Supervise & evaluate nursing personnel performance, including the assignment and delegation of staff responsibility.
•Conduct staff meetings; maintain staffing schedules to ensure 24 hour coverage; responsible for in-service training sessions of all staff; & maintain up-to-date health & education files.
•Actively participate in and promote the facility QA & Infection Control program. Review daily costs & staff budgeting.
•Document accident/incident reports; investigate & practice appropriate follow through procedures on all abuse/neglect allegations, incidents, family/resident concerns, & associate incidents.
•Perform daily rounds; evaluate nursing care rendered to residents; & implement any required nursing intervention.
•Work closely with physicians, lab, pharmacy & therapy services to ensure safe & appropriate care of residents.
Directly responsible for a team of 3 unit managers who administer patient-care to the 190-bed facility & oversee 200 employees. During tenure, assisted in improving regulatory markings & customer care surveys by one grade; keeping facility to capacity ~ 96% yearly average occupancy rate; improving upon each & every performance indicator by a minimum of 20% (from past year) such as reduction in falls & incidences by ~ 52% & ~ 45% respectively or achieving a ~ 99% correct wound classification (up from ~ 84%). Other responsibilities include but not limited to:
•Liaised for Nursing Director with nursing staff. Head of restorative program with revenue (P&L) generation responsibility.
•Acted as facility head in Executive Director’s absence. Also intermittently took on Nursing Director, Staff Development & Staff Coordinator roles in their absence or as assigned. Resource person & role model for nursing staff.
•Participated in the development & achievement of nursing department goals & objectives. Also responsible for nursing staff development by participating in &/or providing educational programming/sessions.
•Key member in leading facility marketing efforts at hospitals & job fairs.
•Recruited; provided orientation/training; & retained quality staff - proactively ensured employee performance exceeded expectations & that periodic appraisals were conducted on a timely basis. Also responsible for disciplining/terminating staff.
•Monitored compliance with policies, procedures & standards of practice consistent with corporate & external regulatory guidelines. Assisted surveyors & inspectors to facilitate regulatory compliance.
•Assured effective interaction with residents & families. Conducted investigations related to resident/family concerns.
•Assisted in the development, implementation & monitoring of various documentation systems - redefined certain protocols (added where necessary), enhanced process work flows & documented new sub-unit policies & procedure manuals.
Personally established the first Wellness Center in the community - an institution that assists uninsured patients & / or families experiencing financial difficulties. Helped grow this non-profit organization which became famous for its low priced (sometimes free) quality basic health care services by marketing the facility & gaining funds from donor agencies such as the Aga Khan center. Between Jan 2007 - Jan 2009 worked off-site from Bahrain & Qatar. Other responsibilities included but not limited to:
•Counseled patients on health promotion & disease prevention. Monitored vital signs, blood sugar levels, weight & drew labs.
•Worked with outside resources to teach & enhance patient knowledge & wellness. For example, arranged for mammograms, pap smear checks, eye exams & CPR certifications.
•Created exercise program for elderly & held classes 3 times a week.
•Created new & efficient database systems. Taught volunteers to conduct patient physicals; assess & monitor vital signs; work with databases; & operate the Wellness Center in my absence.
Part of a global top tier hospital. As an ex-MCV Hospital employee, recognized as a Magnet nurse - an accreditation that bears testimony to high levels of professionalism exhibited by Magnet nurses who translate a demanding work ethic into excellence in care. Exhibited leadership skills & correspondingly recommended to assume a supervisory role in leading a group of 6 nurses. Other responsibilities / achievements included:
•Assessed & provided care to ante-partum, postpartum, post C-section patients & newborns.
•Oversaw delivery of care & implemented plan of care by assisting in providing recommendations based on patient symptom while providing patient education through videos, brochures, pamphlets & knowledge.
•Maintained patient records; & communicated with appropriate personnel on patient enquiries & concerns.
•Displayed team spirit by taking on additional assignments (outside role description scope) such as training colleagues & assisting cross-department/unit staff.
•Performed respective nurse audits, conducted hospital based research projects to enhance the quality of nursing care & later presented it to upper administration for execution.
•Chosen to teach novice nurses due to extensive knowledge, ability to teach & enthusiastic personality.
Part of one of the most demanding & highly ranked / sought after hospitals in Virginia. Responsibilities included:
•Assessed & implemented plan of care; suggested recommendation for post-operative (ex. cardio thoracic, cardiac intervention & gastric bypass) patients; & liaison with the critical care unit & deployed assistance as required by the unit.
•Provided extensive patient education on relevant aspects of their health based on relevant doctor’s recommendation.
•Attended, actively participated & taught in staff education & development committee.
•Conducted workshops for 20 teachers across different states; developing their skills to teach students at optimal level. Lectured on student motivation, behavioral social psychology, teaching hindrances etc.
•Assessed weekly lesson plans; reviewed syllabuses; & oversaw / supervised classrooms & evaluated teachers’ performance.
•Created profiles to document the growth / behavioral reports of each child.
•Encouraged creative activities to facilitate interactive learning & fun environment for students. Conducted weekly discussions for further improvisation & presented evaluations.
•Coordinated efforts between support staff, assistant teachers & administration
Initially hired to work as an accounts coordinator. Within 6 months, role grew to be team’s knowledge officer encompassing data mining & research duties for feasibility studies. Other responsibilities included but not limited to:
•Provided proactive cross-functional administrative support to multiple managers.
•Coordinated all travel arrangements; completed & processed expense reports; & administered team recognition. Also responsible for event planning including planning sessions, client briefings & division wide team meetings.
•Handled all incoming calls & provided extensive & responsive calendar management.
•Mastered the creation & enhancement of presentation & support materials.
•Responsible for small project management & access management for privileged databases.
•Placed outbound courtesy calls to customers, making payment arrangements that are beneficial to customer & company - helped minimize bad debts.
•Performed bi-weekly field work to attain market values to assist in monitoring & updating the firm’s real estate portfolio.
•Researched client queries & assisted in documenting marketing materials for the firm.
Graduated top of my class and as a result of my high academic ability, I was inducted into The National Scholars Honor Society & Tau Sigma Honor Society. I also achieved Dean’s List at Virginia Commonwealth University and was awarded The Anne Anton Koval Memorial Scholarship and The Woman’s Club Education Endowment Fund.
As a result of my high academic ability I was inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) and became their Secretary & Public Relations Officer. I organized meetings, inaugurations for upcoming members & worked closely with the president of PTK, the mayor & governor of Virginia; & delivered speeches & communicated information to members of PTK. I was awarded a scholarship from Medical College of Virginia Hospital. I became a member of the Nursing Club to mentor upcoming nursing students and answered queries & served as role model for students. I was the representative for The Culture & Diversity Committee where I organized events for students and built their networking ability. I was served as a mentor in the ESOL Program. I communicated & assisted international students in taking English as a second language.
