New Jersey




Expert No. 3676

Professional Experience

07/03 to Present
Assistant Clinical Professor
University

Teaching and Clinical Practicum
•Effective instruction of graduate students in the Doctorate for Nursing Practice in Leadership program and undergraduate nursing students at sophomore, junior and senior levels.
•The application of knowledge to direct patient or client care and to the delivery of services in the clinical setting
•Clinical instruction for the Experience in Leadership Program with senior nursing students in the emergency department, cardiac catherization laboratory and the Mobile Intensive Care Unit at The Valley Hospital,  Ridgewood, New Jersey
•Introduction of practice innovations that reflect cutting-edge practice modalities; interpretation and application of research results, as well as the design and execution of applied research in the clinical setting
•Identification of problems requiring investigation by research faculty
•Collaboration with agency personnel to enhance clinical practice
•Integrate research findings into practice and teaching.
•Faculty advisor

09/09 to Present
Faculty Liaison Emergency Management Council Newark Campus
University

09/08 to Present
College of Nursing Faculty Liaison Health Services

Implementation and participation in the Influenza Point of Distribution Center (POD).This mass clinic for flu immunizations serves an emergency preparedness pre-pandemic exercise to administer up to 1,000 flu shots in five hours, as would be necessary in the event of a flu pandemic. Both the Centers for Disease Control and the NJ Department of Health consider protection against seasonal flu to be an integral part of pre-pandemic planning.

07/04 to 08/08
Project Manager/Principal Investigator
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Nursing Center for  
Bioterrorism and Emerging Infectious Disease Preparedness,
HRSA GrantT01HP01407

•Coordinator and conference leader for the "2007 Update on Emerging Infectious Diseases and Bioterrorism"
•Development of  a case study and simulation workshop on “Pandemic Avian Flu” to provide intermediate and advanced level training for individuals from the health care setting who are engaged in providing patient care.
•Coordinator and workshop leader for the, "Pandemic Avian Flu Case Study and Simulation Workshop", January, 2007.
•Co-coordinator for the Community Preparedness Conference, "The Unmet Needs and the Public’s Role in Disasters", October, 2006.
•Coordinator and conference leader for the 2nd Annual Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases, "Pandemic Flu and Avian Influenza", October, 2005
•Contributing member of the NJ Preparedness Training Consortium Executive Committee
•Development and implementation of programs/lectures and in-services for the continuing education of health care professionals
•Development and management of the operating budget for HRSA GrantT01HP01407
•Member of the NJ Preparedness Training Consortium Executive Committee.

07/05 to Present    
Administrative Director of Nursing
Palisades Medical Center
Health Care System

•Provide on-site administrative coverage for all patient care services of an urban acute care facility.
•Provide clinical direction for nursing staff to ensure that standards of practice for patient care are maintained
•Maintain effective communication skills and working relationships with management team, staff, physicians, and ancillary departments
•Facilitate resolution of clinical conflicts to facilitate safe and quality patient care
•Problem-solve and establish plans of action/referrals in the absence of administrative and clinical departmental leadership. 
•Facilitate placement of patients when bed resources are limited by coordinating bed placement and transfers
•Review and maintain appropriate staffing levels based upon patient acuity levels
•Collaborate and coordinate with Clinical Shift Supervisor and/or clinical experts to meet specialized/specific patient care needs. 

07/04 to Present
Legal Nurse Consultant

•Review and provide opinions regarding nursing practice standards
•Provide initial case screenings for merit.
•Identify standards of care, causation and damage issues.
•Conduct research and summarize medical literature.
•Identify and review application of multidisciplinary standards of care and regulatory requirements.
•Prepare chronologies of medical events and comparing and correlating them to the allegations.
•Educate counsel regarding medical facts and issues relevant to the case.

03/03 to 07/04
Legal Nurse Consultant
Law Offices of Floyd G. Cottrell 

•Collaborated with attorneys in preparing or analyzing complaints, answers, and motions for summary judgment, interrogatories, deposition and trial outlines, queries for direct and cross examination, document production requests, trial briefs and status reports.
•Identified and retaining expert witnesses.
•Reviewed and issued opinions regarding nursing practice standards
•Provided initial case screenings for merit.
•Liaison among attorneys, physicians and clients.
•Identified standards of care, causation and damage issues.
•Conducted research and summarizing medical literature.
•Identified and applying multidisciplinary standards of care and regulatory requirements.
•Prepared chronologies of medical events and comparing and correlating them to the allegations.
•Educated attorneys regarding medical facts and issues relevant to the case.
•Organized medical records and other medically related litigation materials.

8/98 to 03/03   
Director Emergency Department Services
Englewood Hospital and Medical Center
Affiliate Mount Sinai Medical Center

•Overseer the goal and direction of the ED Leadership Team inclusive of the MICU
•29% increase in ED volume related to the leadership of the ED.
•Transition to four level acuity based triage system
•Developed and implemented a Patient Satisfaction program in which the ED nurses   achieved an overall rating of 100% for ED patients who were admitted to an inpatient bed and a overall rating of 93% for emergency department patients in the 30-40,000 patient database.
•Twenty-four hour administrative responsibility for all patient care services of an urban Emergency Department.
•Developed and Implemented Partners in Caring Team based approach to ED nursing
•Developed and implemented a Plan of Action that eliminated mandatory overtime, nursing agency usage and re-engineered the staffing matrix of the ED, with a cost savings of $23,000/month.
•Developed and implemented advanced triage/fast track program
•Developed and implemented Triage/Nursing Record Flow Sheet
•Team leader for EMTALA Performance Improvement Emergency Department initiatives
•ED/Nursing/Bed Management Process Improvement Team Leader
•Patient Flow Process Improvement Team Leader
•Developed and implemented an education program for the nursing staff which encompassed current clinical practice issues and studies.
•Initiated a progressive continuing education program for nursing staff  focusing on safe and quality patient care indicators including  conflict management
•Developed and implemented a Call Back/ Patient Satisfaction Program
•Developed and implemented chest pain pathway and thrombolytic therapy delivery system
•Development and implementation, (lecturer), of a comprehensive education program for the ED for the Bloodless Open Heart Surgery Project.
•Mentor for BSN students for the UMDNJ/Ramapo College/EHMC nursing program

6/85 to 8/98  
Director Ambulatory Services/Nurse Manager/Staff Nurse/Charge Nurse
Emergency Department/Medical Clinics
The General Hospital Center at Passaic

•Twenty-four hour managerial responsibility for all patient care services of an urban Emergency Department.
•Initiated a progressive continuing education program for nursing staff.
•Project Manager for the new 1.2 million dollar Emergency Department.
•Responsibilities included; development and implementation of a Fast Track; advanced triage; policies and procedures; operational budget and capital expenditures; new staffing matrix; development of a patient flow process; implementation of bedside registration and expansion of the role of the Chest Pain Center to include observation capabilities for non-urgent chest pain patients.
•Developed and implemented quick read radiology program
•Developed and implemented a cross-training program for the Patient Care Associates and Clerical Associates inclusive of education to telemetry.
•Member of the Chest Pain Critical Pathway Task Force.
•Development of a PI program for the Emergency Department and Medical Clinic.
•Revised the patient flow process and scheduling of all clinics.
•Implementation of 24 hour/day triage.
•Developed statistical tools for holding hours, diversion and acuity measurement for staffing.
•Developed and implemented a departmental quality improvement program.
•Prepared the department for both New Jersey State Department of Health and JCAHO site inspections.
•Responsible for all personnel issues within department including recruitment, annual performance evaluations and resolution of all disciplinary concerns.

12/84 to 6/85  
Staff Nurse
Englewood Hospital and Medical Center
Emergency Department

6/83 to 12/84       
Staff/Charge Nurse
Saint Michael’s Medical Center
Telemetry/Respiratory/ICU Step-Down Unit/CCU

Education

Ph D, 2010
Rutgers, The State University, College of Nursing

Master of Arts in Health Care Administration, 1998
Nurse Executive Cohort Program
Teachers College, Columbia University

Bachelor of Science, Nursing, Cum Laude, 1983
Rutgers, The State University, College of Nursing

Professional Affiliations

Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science
Sigma Theta Tau, National Honor Society of Nursing
New Jersey Organization for Nurse Executives
Emergency Nurses Association
New Jersey State Nurses Association
Rutgers University College of Nursing Alumni Association

Professional Certifications

ANCC Nurse Executive Board Certified
Rutgers University Human Subject Compliance Certified
Certified in Research Training:  Developing Nurse Scientists
American Heart Association, BLS Provider
American Heart Association, PALS Provider
American Heart Association, ACLS Provider
American College of Surgeons, Advance Trauma Life Support Participant
Former board Certified Emergency Nurse, Emergency Nurses Association
Former board Certified Trauma Nurse Core Course Provider, Emergency Nurses Association
Intra-Aortic Balloon Certified
Critical Care Certified, Hemodynamics Certified, St. Michael’s Medical Center

Licensure

Professional Registered Nurse, State of New Jersey
Professional Registered Nurse, State of New York
Professional Registered Nurse, State of Pennsylvania
 
Academic Honors/ Awards

2011    Grand Marshal for Rutgers College of Nursing Convocation
2009    Recipient of the Kirby Fellowship for Academic Achievement in the PhD Program
2009    Marshal for Rutgers College of Nursing Convocation
2008    Grand Marshal for Rutgers College of Nursing Convocation
2008    Recipient of the Kirby Fellowship for Academic Achievement in the PhD Program
2008    EOF Faculty of the year
1989    Nurse of the Year, The General Hospital Center at Passaic.
1983    Sigma Theta Tau, National Honor Society of Nursing

Service

Rutgers College of Nursing PhD Committee
The Emergency Medicine Patient Safety Foundation National Education Board
Institute for Emergency Nursing Research Advisory National Council
Faculty Council for Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark Campus
Reviewer, The Journal of Emergency Nursing
Poster Judge for the 23rd Annual Scientific Sessions of the Eastern Nursing Research Society

Publications/Presentations

Available Upon Request

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