California

Expert Witness No. 371

California


EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

1998 – 2005   
California State University, Sacramento
Sacramento, CA
Masters in Nursing (Completed 8.05)
Case Management Certificate Program (Completed 5.03)

2002 – 2003   
University of Florida
Life Care Planning Certificate Program

1985 - 1987   
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Masters in Public Administration, Health Services Administration

1978 - 1980   
California State University, Sacramento
Sacramento, CA
Bachelors of Science, Nursing

1973 - 1977   
University of California, Davis
Davis, CA
Bachelors of Science, Zoology

CURRENT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

1990 - Present    Catholic Healthcare West: Mercy General Hospital, Sacramento, CA
1997- Present: Staff Nurse; Emergency
Provide acute care nursing services including triage, trauma, and primary emergency nursing services to patients of all ages and presentations to the emergency department, which is an accredited chest pain center, an accredited primary stroke center, and provides level 2 emergency services.

1990- 1997; Clinical Coordinator/Assistant Manager, Emergency
Provided acute care nursing services to all types and ages of emergency patients while directing the operations of the emergency department.  Coordinated research program for acute myocardial infarction (MI - heart attack) patients and assisted with research of acute stroke patients.   Clinical expertise included emergency, pediatrics, medical surgical intensive care, and recovery room.

1991- Present    Consulting, Sacramento, CA
Nurse Consultant
Provide legal nurse consulting services which include expert witness services: medical record analysis, case evaluation and testimony regarding adherence to or deviation from the standard of care.  Provide evaluations and litigation support including literature research, comprehensive medical chronologies, and written summaries.  Other consulting services include Life Care Planning, Case Management,  Medicare Set Aside allocation; and estimating the lifetime medical cost projections for catastrophic events and chronic conditions.
 
1997 - Present    Los Rios Community College District, Sacramento, CA
Nursing, Assistant Professor
Provide periodic clinical instruction to nursing students for Los Rios Community College Associate Degree Nursing programs.  Provided full time Nursing instruction in 2000 and 2003. Approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing at the
highest instruction level to teach Med- Surg, Pediatrics, and Geriatrics.

October 2008 – Present California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Sacramento, CA California Prison Health Care Services
Risk Management, Litigation Management Unit, Third Level Appeals-Health Care
Nursing Consultant Program Review
Review, research, and perform clinical investigation of third level  health care appeals filed by patients confined in California prisons or on parole to determine if care is in accordance with regulatory and departmental policies, and meets the standard of care. Identify potential risk management issues and work collaboratively with intra and interdepartmental clinical staff to implement strategies which promote risk reduction and improvement in quality patient care along the health care continuum.

PAST PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2000 – 2008, October 2004-October 2008    
California Department of Health Services/Public Health, Sacramento, CA 
Chronic Disease and Injury Control Division, Chronic Disease Control Branch
Medicine and Public Health Section
Center for Gerontology
Nurse Consultant III Specialist and Chief
Developed clinical protocols; provided professional education and technical assistance to Public Health Nurses and County Health Department grantees of the Preventive Health Care for the Aging/Adults  (PHCA) program. Responsibilities included monitoring clinical, contractual, and fiscal program elements; performed on-site programmatic and chart reviews to ensure delivery of quality services according to regulatory and professional standards of nursing practice. The PHCA
program was an evidence based research program administered by public health nurses to underserved areas in the community. Data was collected and analyzed in collaboration with the University of San Francisco Institute for Health and Aging School of Nursing. The research protocol included over 200 data elements which included evaluation of participant's achievement of Healthy People 2010 goals, fall risk prevention measures, medication management and safety, and nutrition and health diets.

Provided  nursing  leadership  and  consultation  to  other  branch  and  division programs including: Osteoporosis and Prevention Program, California Arthritis Prevention Program, Alzheimer's Disease Program, School Health Services, Best Practices in Childhood Asthma Program, California Asthma Public Health Initiative,  Well-Integrated  Screening  and  Evaluation  for  Women  Across  the Nation  (WISEWOMAN),   California   Heart   Disease   and   Stroke   Prevention Program,   California   Diabetes   Program,   Office   of   Oral   Health:   California Children's Dental Disease Prevention Program, and Physical Activity, Nutrition, and Obesity Prevention Program; and external agencies, programs, and coalitions regarding various healthy aging issues across the lifespan.

April 2003 – October 2004
Maternal Child and Adolescent Health Branch, Child and Adolescent Health Unit Nurse Consultant II
Provided nursing consultation services, policy development and program recommendations for Maternal Child and Adolescent Health programs including comprehensive case management programs :Adolescent and Family Life Program and Adolescent Sibling Pregnancy Prevention Program; Oral Health and School Health Services.  Program consultation and technical assistance encompassed a collaborative   approach   with   program   grantees.    Responsibilities   included development  of  scope  of  work,  providing  programmatic  technical  assistance, monitoring  contractual  and  fiscal  program  elements,  and  performing  on-site programmatic and chart reviews to evaluate the programs and ensure quality and delivery of services according to statewide standards.

2000 – April 2003    Medi-Cal Managed Care, Office of Clinical Standards and Quality
Nurse Consultant II
Provided    nurse    consulting    services,        policy    development,    and    program recommendations while applying recognized clinical standards and quality principles.   Developed statewide clinical quality review training curriculum for ongoing training of professional staff which incorporated current State, Federal, and  professional  practice  standards.    Responsible  for  all  aspects  of  project coordination including budget and logistics for multi-site trainings.  Coordinated a
State Task Force charged to develop a methodology to define and identify the Children with Special Health Care Needs population to meet Federal requirements to  facilitate  the  delivery  of  coordinated  quality  services.    Prepared  multiple comprehensive reports integrating policy, statute and task force recommendations for administrative action.

1997 - 2000    Roseville City School District, Roseville, CA
School Nurse
Provided health related services to multiple K-8 school sites which included health and prevention education, special education assessments, community outreach, case management, and program coordination; while applying public health and acute care clinical standards.

1988 - 1990    NorthBay Medical Center, Fairfield, CA
Director of Emergency Services
Provided emergency nursing management for the trauma service, base station, emergency department in a multi-facility health care system.

1987 - 1988    Seton Medical Center, Daly City, CA
Supervisor, Emergency Department
Provided direct patient care and emergency department management for urban trauma service medical center.

1985 - 1987    Methodist Hospital, Sacramento, CA
Administrative Supervisor, Nursing Department
Responsible for hospital administration and supervision of all employees on the evening shift.  Provided patient care as needed in all clinical areas.

1980 - 1985    Sutter Memorial Hospital, Sacramento, CA
Charge Nurse and Staff Nurse
Provided acute nursing services in critical care units: coronary, intensive, medical/surgical and emergency.


LICENSURE

Licensed Registered Nurse, State of California 1980 - Present

California Public Health Nursing Certificate  1980 – Present


CREDENTIALS
1997 - Present: Professional Clear School Nurse Services Credential with Specialized teaching Authorization in Health
Lifetime: California Community College Heath Service Credential: Nurse
Lifetime: California Community College Instructor Credential Subject Matter: Health and Physical Care and Related Technologies, Nursing, Public Services and Administration

CERTIFICATIONS AND CERTIFICATES

Medicare Set-aside Consultant Certified (MSCC)    2005 - Present
Certified Case Manager (CCM)    2005 - Present
Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP)    2003 - Present
Legal Nurse Consultant Certified (LNCC)    1998 - Present
Professional Clear School Nurse Services Credential    1997 - Present
Case Management Certificate    1997 - Present
Pediatric Advanced Life Support Provider (PALS)    1992 - Present
Advanced Cardiac Life Support Instructor    1989 - Present
Nursing Executive, Board Certified (NE-BC)    1987 - Present
Trauma Nursing Core Course Provider (TNCCP)    1987 - 1991
Mobile Intensive Care Nurse (MICN)    1987 - 1990
Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN)    1986 - Present
Advanced Cardiac Life Support Provider (ACLS)    1980 – Present


PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Academy of Certified Case Managers     2006 - Present
American Association of Nurse Life Care Planners     2005 - Present
International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals     2003 - Present
Case Management Society of America     2002 - Present
National Association of School Nurses    1997 – Present
California School Nurses Association     1997 - Present
Greater Sacramento Area Chapter of the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants    1995 - Present
American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants    1991 – Present
Emergency Nurses Association    1986 – Lifetime Member
Sigma Theta Tau, National Honor Society of Nursing    1980 - Present
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi    1980 – Lifetime Member


AWARDS

State of California, Superior Accomplishment Gold Award   

Mercy General Hospital: President's Five Star Team Member   


PUBLICATIONS

Available Upon Request


EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS

Available Upon Request

COMMUNITY AND VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES

1995 - 2010    Greater Sacramento Area Chapter of the American Association of Legal Nurse Board member for 15 years including President in 1998 and 2004, Secretary, Treasurer, and Director at Large.

March 1999    CSUS Community Advisory Committee to the School Nurse Credential
Program; Invited participant

April 1999    Commission on Teacher credentialing accreditation process for California State University Sacramento, School Nursing Credential Program; Invited participant

March 2001    California Department of Health Services
Healthy Families/Medi-Cal for Children Outreach: Community Based and
School Outreach; Application reviewer.

February 2004    California School Health Coordinator Leadership Institute; California
Department of Education; School Health Connections
Invited guest representing California Department of Health Services; School Health Connections

February 2005    California Department of Health Services; California Asthma Among
School Aged Project; Application Reviewer; Sacramento, Ca.

June 2005- June 2008    Senate Bill 910 California Strategic Plan on Aging; Wellness and Prevention
Task Team Member; Chairperson 2006- 2008.

2006- 2007    Sacramento Chapter: Case Management Society of America
Education Committee member

July 2006 – July 2010    California School Nurses Association
Board Member at Large, Northern Section
May 2006 -June 2009    California Geriatric Education Center Advisory Committee;  UCLA April 2007     California School Nurses Association
Vision screening volunteer

2006- 2008    International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals; Education committee
2007 Forensic Conference Committee member

May 2007 - May 2008   Continuing Professional Education Program Advisory Committee member.
California Department of Public Health

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