Nursing Corrections Emergency School Health Expert Witness

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

2013 – 2015
Capella University
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Doctor of Nursing Practice Summa cum laude

1998 – 2005
California State University
Sacramento, California
Master of Science, Nursing (Completed 8.05) – Summa cum laude
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, California
Masters in Public Administration, Health Services Administration

1978 – 1980
California State University, Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Bachelors of Science, Nursing

1973 – 1977
University of California, Davis
Davis, California
Bachelors of Science, Zoology

CURRENT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

1991- Present
Private Consulting
Legal 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.

PAST PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2000 – 2018 State of California: Various Consulting positions:
October 2008 – 2018  State of California, California Correctional Health Care Services, Elk Grove, CA
Policy and Risk Management Division, Third Level Appeals-Health Care/Grievances
Nursing Consultant Program Review
Reviewed, researched, and performed clinical triage, clinical reviews, and related investigation of third level health care appeals filed by patients confined in California prisons to determine if health care, mental health, and dental care was in accordance with regulatory and departmental policies, and met the standard of care. Identified potential risk management issues and worked collaboratively with intra and interdepartmental clinical staff to implement strategies which promoted risk reduction and improvement in quality patient care along the health care continuum. Performed special projects related to compliance and litigation as requested.

California Department of Health Services/Public Health, Sacramento, CA
October 2004 – October 2008  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 California, 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.

October 2015 – 2018 California State University, Sacramento, Sacramento, CA
College of Continuing Education
School Nurse Credential Masters in Nursing Program
Assistant Professor
Part time professor for graduate nursing students seeking their California school nursing credential. Co-instructor for Advanced Physical Assessment: Infant, Child, Adolescents.

1997 – 2018 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

1990 – 2011 Catholic Healthcare West: Mercy General Hospital, Sacramento, CA

• • 1997- 2011 Staff Nurse; Emergency
    Provided 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.

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

• California Community College Heath Service Credential: Nurse Lifetime
• California Community College Instructor Credential Lifetime
  Subject Matter:
  • • Health and Physical Care and Related Technologies
    • Nursing
    • Public Services and Administration

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
Nursing Executive, Board Certified (NE-BC) 1987 – Present
Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) 1986 – Present

CERTIFICATES AND VERIFICATIONS

Stop the Bleed Provider/Instructor 2019 – Present
Pediatric Advanced Life Support Provider (PALS) 1992 – Present
Advanced Cardiac Life Support Instructor 1989 – 2013
Trauma Nursing Core Course Provider (TNCCP) 1987 – 1991
Mobile Intensive Care Nurse (MICN) 1987 – 1990
Advanced Cardiac Life Support Provider (ACLS) 1980 – Present

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

American Nurses Association     – 2012 – Present
Academy of Correctional Health Professionals – 2011 – Present
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 Organization – 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 AND RECOGNITIONS

California School Nurses Organization Research Award 2017
California School Nurses Organization Research Award 2015
Emergency Nurses Association Connection: Featured in article: ENA Foundation
Scholarship Allows Member to Complete Doctoral Project November 2015
2014 Emergency Nurses Association Foundation Doctoral Scholarship 2014
California School Nurses Organization Service Award 2008-2010
Mercy General Hospital: President’s Five Star Team Member 2009
State of California, Superior Accomplishment Gold Award 2002