Sonia V. Casiano, ma, rn

*** ******* **** **** #**, New York, NY 10025

H- 212-***-**** ac18bk@r.postjobfree.com

C- 917-***-**** (primary)

Professional Profile

Highly experienced and innovative health care professional, with expertise in the design, implementation and coordination of administrative and clinical initiatives, with a focus on quality, effective and safe patient care. A strong leader who is able to work collaboratively with medical, other clinical staff and with all levels of personnel. Successfully led the Joint Commission and Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) surveys in three hospitals of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation. With over 10 years of experience in Quality Management/Regulatory Affairs and over 30 years of Medical-Surgical, Critical Care and Nursing as well as Executive Hospital Administration, is well poised to be a successful and effective Chief Nurse Officer or Chief Operating Officer.

Education

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, Teachers College, New York, NY

Master of Arts in Nursing Education – 1979

UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS, College of Nursing, Manila, Philippines

Bachelor of Science in Nursing – 1970

Licensure

Registered Professional Nurse – New York, and Illinois (License # 041.443331)

Experience

Nursing Leadership

Performed the interim Chief Nurse Officer role in a 200-bed acute care safety net hospital in Chicago. Managed to reduce Agency expenditure from a high of approximately over 40% to as low as 9% through the successful initiation and coordination of a Nurse Residency program; provided Nursing administrative leadership in the evaluation, selection, and procurement of a state-of-the-art Nurse Call System, in conjunction with Finance and Information Technology; saw through the training of Nursing staff and the successful implementation of smart IV pumps in concert with Pharmacy to reduce IV Infusion-related medication errors as well as maintained a compliance rate of 96% benchmarked against industry standards; improved morale among the Nursing staff and developed a cohesive working relationship with the medical staff and other department heads.

Functioned as Deputy Director of Nursing in Harlem Hospital Center in the absence of the Chief Nurse Officer. Engaged the Nursing staff in Performance Improvement projects which resulted in improved outcomes including reduction of falls, pressure ulcers and use of restraints/seclusion.

Provided administrative and clinical direction to the nursing staff of the Operating Room, Post-Anesthesia Care Unit, Pre-Admission Testing Center, Ambulatory Surgery Unit, Endoscopy Unit, Pain Management Initiative and the Clinical Pathway Program. Additional responsibilities included the organization and coordination of the Nursing Scheduling Office and for the phased-in implementation of an on-line Clinical Documentation Systems.

Directed the 80-bed Surgical Services floor with a staff of 120 personnel, Specialty Services (trauma, neurology, general surgery, urology, oral maxillary, gynecology, plastic, hand, ophthalmology and ENT) with a staff of 50 personnel and Rehabilitation Medicine including all occupational and physical therapy programs at Lincoln Hospital. Recruited, developed, scheduled and evaluated the performance of clinical and support personnel. Controlled capital, payroll and operating expense budgets. Provided clinical supervision and strategic planning for departments. Led departments through a highly successful Joint Commission survey.

Provided administrative, educational and clinical management for all critical care units including ICU/CCU, Cardiovascular, Post-Anesthesia Recovery Room and Emergency Services at Lenox Hill Hospital.

Quality Management/Regulatory & Medical Affairs/Risk Management

Worked closely with the Risk Manager in providing surveillance, monitoring and follow-up of reportable adverse events in RL Solutions. Ensured that relevant risk reduction strategies are implemented accordingly. In conjunction with the Director of Infection Control, participated actively in creating templates for the Sepsis Program and in monitoring the hospital’s adherence to infection prevention practices in order to reduce incidence of Hospital Acquired Infections.

Functioned as a per diem quality management professional for Harlem Hospital Center. Coordinated the Hospital-Wide Performance Improvement Committee in conjunction with the Medical Director and the Network Director of Quality Management; worked with Chiefs of Services/Department Heads in developing and monitoring service-specific performance indicators; wrote the quarterly Executive Summaries of the Senior Vice-President to the Quality Assurance Committee of the HHC Board of Directors; assisted in the preparation of the quarterly Board Reports and Governing Body Reports; provided administrative and clinical oversight to the quality management reviewers in the analysis of process core measures and other corporate performance indicators; assisted in the coordination of regulatory surveys including The Joint Commission and the New York State Department of Health/CMS Surveys and performed other tasks as requested.

Provided corporate-wide administrative and clinical coordination in the review of all Health & Hospitals Corporation facilities’ quarterly Quality Assurance Reports to the Board of Directors. Provided quality management/regulatory support to 11 acute care hospitals; 4 skilled nursing facilities; 6 large diagnostic and treatment centers and HHC Health & Home Care. NYC HHC is a $6.7 billion integrated healthcare delivery system with its own 420,000 member health plan, MetroPlus.

Responsible for the overall coordination of organization-wide administrative and clinical coordination of Quality Management/Regulatory Affairs/Medical Affairs/Risk Management/Patient Safety and Cancer Registry processes at Elmhurst Hospital Center in collaboration with the Deputy Medical Director for Quality and Medical Affairs.

Prepared and coordinated the submission of the quarterly reports to the Health and Hospital Corporation’s Quality Assurance Committee of the Board of Directors as well as to the HHC Governing Body.

Coordinated all regulatory surveys including The Joint Commission, New York State Department of Health, CMS and other survey agencies. Successfully led the Joint Commission Accreditation Survey processes at two HHC facilities leading to excellent outcomes.

Provided administrative and clinical oversight for the performance improvement activities and patient safety programs of the hospital.

Collaborated with Departmental Chiefs in improving compliance to Core Measures including Acute Myocardial Infarction, Community Acquired Pneumonia, Congestive Heart Failure and Surgical Care Improvement Prevention. Initiated concurrent unit-based core measure performance monitoring. Participated actively in the coordination of hospital-wide efforts to enhance Patient Perception of Care Surveys as it related to Value-Based Purchasing.

Assisted the Network Deputy Executive Director of Quality Management/Regulatory Affairs at Generations+/Northern Manhattan Network in setting up the infrastructure of the Utilization Management at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center.

Program Development & Implementation

Responsible for the administrative oversight and implementation of the Pain Management and Clinical Pathway Programs at Harlem Hospital Center geared toward improving organizational performance. Conducted hospital-wide staff education on Pain Management as well as organized a Pain Clinic in conjunction with the Anesthesia Department.

Provided clinical and administrative oversight for the initiation of Harlem Hospital Center’s Bariatric Program in the Operating Room.

Instrumental in procurement and implementation of the Automated Nurse Scheduling System. Wrote capital expense justification proposal, leading to the award of a $500,000 project budget. Collaborated with software consultants on hospital-wide implementation. Trained supervisors in utilization of system to track employee attendance, sick days and vacations. Utilized program to accurately analyze and re-evaluate hospital staffing patterns. Continues to provide administrative oversight to the Nursing Information Systems Office in monitoring staffing adequacy and effectiveness.

Devised a plan to improve quality of patient care through reallocating financial and human resources. Analyzed unit budgets, patient load and special projects to devise an improved staffing allocation plan. Developed plan, which reduced per diem, supplemental and overtime payroll expenditures, while funding the hiring of additional FTEs. Monitored expenditures of each department through analysis of monthly unit reports.

Instituted unit-based discharge planning. Guided head nurses in working with utilization management and social work staff to begin discharge planning at the time of patients’ admission. Program resulted in a significant reduction in the length of patient stay, with institution planning to eventually train all registered nurses for PRI and Screen certifications.

Health Care Administration/Hospital Leadership

As a member of the hospital’s executive team at Norwegian American Hospital in Chicago, assisted the CEO and COO in coordinating special projects such as in spearheading a Patient Throughput Committee, aimed at facilitating timely discharges to accommodate ED admissions and direct admissions; provided leadership in hospital-wide efforts at reducing 30-day readmissions; ensured administrative oversight of the Behavioral Health Units and worked in conjunction with the Director of the Primary Stroke Program in maintaining the hospital’s Primary Stroke Center designation. Participated in the annual review of the Hospital’s Strategic Plan.

Assisted the COO in the strategic planning, operation and evaluation of clinical and support services of a 640-bed tertiary teaching facility. Coordinated the preparation and submission of a Cost Impact Survey and Rate Appeal, resulting in a $3.5 million reimbursement rate adjustment, based on Part 405 state health code regulatory change.

Coordinated the expansion of Harlem Hospital Center’s Neurosurgical Service and Bariatric Service including the acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment and instrumentation as well as the recruitment and development of a dedicated clinical staff. Works collaboratively with Finance in developing a business plan and in fine-tuning the requisite infrastructure for an effective and efficient Neurosurgical program.

Oversaw the construction of two new operating rooms and worked with the new Chief of Cardiac Surgery on staffing of suites at Lenox Hill Hospital. Managed multi-million-dollar construction and purchasing budgets. Served as a liaison between Medical Director, Director of Nursing and Administration throughout all phases of project. Ensured compliance with regulatory requirements.

Employment History

Norwegian American Hospital 07/15 to 5/16 Consultant Interim Chief Nurse Officer/Executive Team Member

Harlem Hospital Center 05/13 to 06/15

Quality Management/Regulatory Affairs

Associate Director of Quality Management (Per Diem)

Corporate Office of the NYC Health & Hospitals Corporation 07/12 to 01/18/13

Director of Health Care Standards

Elmhurst Hospital Center, Elmhurst, NY 01/10 to 1/01/12

Senior Associate Executive Director

Quality Management/Regulatory/Risk Management and Medical Affairs/Patient Safety/Cancer Registry

Lincoln Medical & Mental Health Center, Bronx, NY 11/04 to 12/10

Associate Executive Director

Quality Management/Regulatory Affairs/Patient Safety/Infection Prevention and Control/Guest Relations Department/Safety Department/Utilization Management

Harlem Hospital Center, New York, NY 01/01 to 11/04

Clinical Director of Nursing/Patient Care Services/Deputy CNO

OR/PACU/ASU/PAT/Endoscopy/Pain Management/Clinical Pathways

Private Duty, International Case 3/98 to 12/99

Nurse Manager

Lincoln Medical & Mental Health Center, Bronx, NY 3/96 to 12/97

Associate Director of Nursing, Surgical Services & Specialty Services

Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, NY 4/74 to 3/95

Nurse Administrator, Employee Health Services & Attending Only Unit (1/91 to 3/95)

Special Assistant to Senior Vice President Hospital Operations (12/88 to1/91)

Director of Nursing, Special Projects (10/88 to12/88)

Assistant Director, Critical Care (12/79 to 10/88)

Staff/Charge Nurse, Cardiac Care Unit (4/74 to 12/79)

References Available Upon Request

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