February 1999-Present
President/Founder
Paws to Learn, Whitehouse, Texas

Created a company focused on empowering nurses through education. My nursing expertise is in the areas of cardiovascular, neuroscience, pulmonary, trauma, acute, progressive & critical care and animal assisted therapy. Especially exciting are my presentations in motivation and leadership. I specialize in providing education that is individualized to my audience’s needs. I provide clinical education, motivational keynotes, interactive learning, needs assessment, speaking, inservice training and consulting. My personal belief is nurses can provide excellent care for their patients when they have the knowledge to give their very best. I am committed to sharing my expertise to empower nurses in all settings.

October 1996-Present
Staff Development Educator: Critical Care
Trinity Mother Frances Health System, Tyler, Texas

Manage and present educational programs to meet the needs of the acute & critical care nursing staff for a 458 bed Level 2 Trauma center. Responsible for quarterly Critical Care Residency program, Bedside mentoring of new and experienced RNs, ECCO manager, ACLS Course consultant. Consultant for ICU and system leadership team, providing education and resources. Serving as facilitator for the Comprehensive Unit Based Safety (CUSP) initiative meetings with staff. Served as Member of Rapid Response Team Taskforce committee (100,000 Lives campaign). AACN ambassador for the American
Association of Critical Care Nurses. Mentor for the Nursing Fellows Leadership Development group. Attained Development Dimensions International Facilitator Training Certification

August 1992-August 2004
Per Diem Staff RN
Mother Frances Hospital, Tyler, Texas

Provide staff coverage and relief for a 28 bed ICU. Patient population includes open heart recovery, trauma, neurosurgical and other critically ill patients. Past member of the leadership council and peer review committee. Charge nurse prn. Preceptor for novice ICU staff and nursing students.

February 1992 - May 1992
Per Diem Staff RN
Lexington Medical Center, Columbia, South Carolina

Provided staff coverage and relief for an 8 bed MICU, 8 bed SICU and 31 bed Telemetry/Progressive Care Unit.

February 1990-July1991
Assistant Head Nurse
WJB Dorn VA Hospital, Columbia, South Carolina

Provided time management for 17 Registered Nurses and 3 Nursing Assistants for a 6 bed coronary care / 10 bed progressive care telemetry unit. Acted as preceptor for new employees and student nurse technicians to the ICU. Provided inservices to student nurses on hemodynamic monitoring. Acting head nurse during the head nurse's absence. Served as a resource person and mentor for the staff. Developed an orientation manual for nursing assistants to the progressive care unit. Continued in role of staff nurse as detailed below.

January 1988-July 1991
Assistant Pacemaker Nurse
WJB Dorn VA Hospital, Columbia, South Carolina

Provided assistance to the Clinical Nurse Specialist for the management of the inpatient/outpatient pacemaker program involving approximately 200 patients. Managed Dorn VA Hospital's Pacemaker Program for 5 months during Clinical Nurse Specialist's absence due to activation for Operation Desert Storm. Provided pre and post-operative teaching for patients undergoing permanent pacemaker implantation. Performed consultations for inpatient pacemaker patients. Managed monthly clinic for pacemaker follow-up. Coordinated outpatient follow-up with Washington D.C. Pacemaker Surveillance
and Registry Center.

January 1988-February 1990
Staff RN
WJB Dorn VA Hospital, Columbia, South Carolina

Provided patient care in CCU/PCU on a rotating tour of duty. Acted as charge nurse. Served as a member of hospital wide patient care advisory committee. Chair-person for the special care units inservice committee which provided monthly training for the intensive care staff. Assisted the Clinical Nurse Specialist with Cardiac Rehabilitation consultations. Served as preceptor new staff and nursing students. As a member of the procedure committee developed a procedure for the use of the Ewald tube in our unit and updated procedures pertinent to the intensive care setting.

March 1990-July 1991
Per Diem Staff RN
Carolina Hyperbarics, Columbia, South Carolina

Provided staff coverage and relief for a hyperbaric medicine service with 2 monoplace chambers.

July 1987-December 1987
Staff RN
WJB Dorn VA Hospital, Columbia, South Carolina

Provided patient care in an 8 bed surgical intensive care unit. Acted as a member of the procedure committee.

January 1986-June 1987
Staff RN
Tucson VA Medical Center, Tucson, Arizona

Staff nurse in a 9 bed surgical intensive care unit providing immediate post-operative care for patients recuperating from open heart surgery, neurosurgery, vascular, thoracic and gastrointestinal surgery. Acted as charge nurse on a rotating basis.

August 1984-December 1985
Staff RN
Tucson VA Medical Center

Acted as charge nurse on evening shift for a 44 bed medical/surgical/oncology ward. Certified to administer chemotherapeutic agents. Acted as chairperson for the inservice committee.

EDUCATION
1984, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh


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