Nurse Practitioner Mental Health
Resume:
Dr. Karen L Spencer ACNP-BC
Waldorf MD 20601
**************@*****.***
Experienced, accomplished and results driven Advanced Practice Nurse with a proven track record of clinical excellence and leadership. Acknowledged and granted awards for excellence in pain management. Recognized by colleagues for leadership accomplishments and capabilities. Developed and implemented an Interdisciplinary Pain Management Service which was the first service to be run and managed by a Nurse Practitioner (NP) in the entire Department of Veterans Affairs. Proven leader with the ability to mentor individuals and lead teams. Core competencies include:
Team Building Decisiveness Leading Change
Developing Others Negotiation Program Management
Clinical Specialties
Pain Management Dermatology Urgent Care
Academia: Didactic, Online & Curriculum Development
Selected Accomplishments
• Worked with multidisciplinary team to select new Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA) pumps. Then we developed the policy and procedure for their use and maintenance. Individually developed a policy to decrease the loss of the PCA keys.
• Served as Chairperson of the Advanced Practice Council for eight of the twelve years I worked at the Washington DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) by election.
• Worked with the members of the Advanced Practice Council (APC) and negotiated a 15% raise for the group after having been initially denied one.
• Scored 95% patient satisfaction and 90% clinician satisfaction rate when surveyed regarding the Interdisciplinary Pain Service.
• To complete difficult negotiations to maintain clinical elective sites and gain two more in Primary Care while detailed as Program Manager of the VANAP-GE program.
• Collaborated with other members of the APC to encourage members of the Medical Staff to take a vote and do so in favor of Independent Prescriptive Authority for the NP's at the Washington DC VAMC.
• Named 2020 Doctor of the Year by the Top 100 Registry of Business Leaders and Professionals for my accomplishments in Pain Management.
Professional Experience
Assistant Professor-D 1/2020 to 7/2020
Chamberlain University
Full time clinical and didactic faculty during COVID-19 transition.
• Developed clinical assignments that based on student feedback, made them “feel like (I was there in the hospital.” These included but were not limited to; case studies, a Group Project, assignment, YouTube video assignments and Therapeutic Communication assignments.
• Reviewed/revised PowerPoint slides for course orientation.
• Developed PowerPoint slides for course orientation.
• Held extra online sessions to assist students with study habits, test taking and orienting to the online environment.
• Taught Mental Health clinical, Pathophysiology, and Fundamentals clinical.
Pain Nurse Practitioner in the Department of Mental Health 6/2012 to 6/2019
Washington DC VAMC
Advance Practice clinician in the Department of Mental Health with a myriad of responsibilities. Practice was based on Doctorate Capstone Project. It was expanded to have included at one time the inpatient locked acute unit and education of the Psychiatry Residents. Called upon to diagnose and treat minor skin issues due to Dermatology background for the inpatient population. Continued to diagnose and treat minor skin and scalp issues for pain patients also.
• Provided educational groups to the Veterans admitted to the inpatient locked Mental Health unit. Developed the curriculum and most of the handouts for these groups.
• Provided pain management to the Psychiatry Residents and Medical Students. The Washington DC VAMC was the first Psychiatry Residency program in the Department of Veterans Affairs to offer formal pain education. Developed the curriculum and most of the handouts. Using a pre post-test format, data indicated a 30% increase in post test scores.
• Provided education and mentoring to staff on the acute locked mental health unit.
• Provided group education to Veterans with substance abuse issues. Developed the curriculum and most of the handouts. Reviewed the information to ensure the information being presented was current and evidence based.
• Worked collaboratively with Addiction Therapists in the Substance Abuse Recovery Program to determine Veterans that needed pain management assistance.
• Precepted Nurse Practitioner students.
• Successfully mentored four Doctor of Nursing Practice students to completion of their degree.
• Flexible with providing coverage to Consult, Emergency and Mental Health Walk-In Clinic when needed.
• Collected data that indicated fiscal responsibility and sustainability of the service by actual and avoidance revenue.
• As Chairperson of the APC I attended other committee meetings and reported back to the council. I negotiated with other administrators on behalf of Advanced Practice Nursing at the DC VAMC.
• Set up sub-committees to work on developing better relationships between the Nurse Practitioners and the physicians and another to move the overall reputation of Nurse Practitioners forward in the facility.
• Past Chairperson of the Shared Governance and Evidence Based Practice Councils. Held memberships on the Hospital Pain, VISN Pain, National Pain, VISN Nursing Executive Leadership, Nursing Executive Leadership and Nurse Executive Council.
* I was fired from this position secondary to undue bias. During my Appeal Hearing both the Facility Director and the Chief of Staff admitted that they did not follow the Facility Bylaws and that they investigated me because I complained about my supervisor. I can produce the transcripts with these statements upon request.
Detailed as REACH VET Coordinator 12/2016 to 3/2017
REACH VET is a program that is designed to capture Veterans at high risk for suicide. Secretary Shulkin monitored this program very closely because suicide was on his list of priorities.
• Selected because of superior organization skills
• Developed a way to track progress that had become the national standard.
• Developed the local method of how to remind providers to do their REACH VET notes.
Detailed to Program Manager VANAP-GE Program
• I was selected for this detail because I have extensive education experience in and out of the classroom.
• Able to identify NP Residents who had deficiencies, develop and implement performance improvement programs for them.
• Worked with the NP Residents to determine their learning needs. Developed didactic lectures or scheduled guest lectures to meet these needs.
• Reviewed and revised the Orientation Handbook based on input from stakeholders.
• Worked collaboratively with other team members and stakeholders to prepare for the Office of Academic Affairs site visit.
Pain Service Coordinator 8/2006 to 6/2012
Washington DC VAMC
The Chronic Outpatient Pain Clinic managed veterans with varied pain issues in the outpatient area only. I got the idea for doing an inpatient pain service because of this.
• Position required team building and negotiation. I was responsible for keeping the schedule balanced. This was done by the secretarial staff over whom I had no supervisory capabilities.
• Clinical management of pain patients requires savvy and negotiation to assist patients to understand pain it’s different and the reasons for the medications being prescribed.
• Managed the clinic when the Service Chief was gone out on vacation. This could be add long as six weeks. I made sure all meetings continued to be held and urgent patients were seen.
• Conducted the Pain Orientation Class. Reviewed current literature to ensure content being presented was current, evidence based and the handout read at no higher that an eighth grade reading level.
• Developed an algorithm for nursing staff to assist them to know what to provide for pain based on signs and symptoms.
Adjunct Faculty 6/2011 to 6/2012
Georgetown University
• Adjunct-faculty for an online NP program. Taught Physical Assessment and Research.
Adjunct Faculty 8/2010 to 12/2010
Sacred Heart University
Sacred Heart had a very newly established online program. I taught BSN and Master’s level students.
• At the BSN level I taught Physical Assessment.
• For the Masters students I taught Policy and Research courses
Adjunct Faculty. School year 08/09
Trinity University Washington DC
Adjunct faculty for senior level RN to BSN students. Taught Leadership and Management.
Interim Nurse Manager/Nurse Practitioner 10/2005 to 7/2006
Gladys Spellman, Cheverly MD
• As Nurse Manager I made sure the staffing was adequate to minimize overtime demonstrating fiscal responsibility.
• Even though I was not directly responsible for this, I made sure all staff had their educational competencies completed to ensure overall patient safety.
• Managed staff conflicts to promote unit harmony.
• Working with primary and consulting physicians, I managed urgent and ongoing patient issues.
Nurse Practitioner Sickle Cell Pain Clinic 5/2004 to 9/2005
Anand and Associates LLC. MD
This was a dual Oncology Sickle Cell practice. The physician managed the oncology patients and I managed the Sickle Cell clinic.
• Managed the ordering of supplies and opiate medications for the practice.
• When the physician was gone I was left in charge of the office.
• Implemented a patient and family newsletter that contained information and entertainment news.
• Implemented a Sickle Cell support group.
Dermatology Nurse Practitioner. 5/2003 to 5/2004
Image Medical, MI
Dermatology office that manager mostly cosmetic patients. There was some medical dermatology.
• Assisted with the development of treatment protocols.
• Assisted with the orientation of a newly hired Physician Assistant.
• Developed patient information handouts.
• Worked with the Office Manager to implement HIPPA regulations
Dermatology Nurse Practitioner 1/2001 to 8/2003
Heidelberg Dermatology
Medical dermatology office in Detroit Michigan. This is where I was trained in all of my diagnostic and procedural skills. Those skills include but are not limited to: punch biopsy, I&D, mole, wart and cyst removal. Also acted as Clinical Manager
• As Clinical Manager I was responsible for, interviewing and the eventual hiring, training and supervision of staff.
• Wrote and developed policy as necessary.
• Was able to develop and implement a reasonable accommodation position for an elderly employee.
• Developed a streamlined and standardized orientation processes.
• Developed a tracking method for office instruments that saved the office over $1,000.00 in one year by preventing lost instruments.
Senior Vocational Health Instructor 8/2000 to 6/2001
Synergy Training
Senior Vocational Health Instructor for High School students at a school called Heart Academy. It was a school for students interested in health careers. They graduated with the ability to take their Certified Nursing Assistant test.
Emergency Department Nurse Practitioner. 10/1998 to 4/2000
Emergency Resources Inc.
Nurse Practitioner in a medium sized inner city Emergency Department. I read my own chest, knee and shoulder images. I worked with children aged 3 to adults age 75. I diagnosed and treated a myriad of Urgent Care issues including management of skin and scalp lacerations.
Emergency Department & Observation Unit Educator 9/1996 to 12/1998
Bon Secours Hospital
Nurse educator in an Emergency Department in a small suburban hospital. Participated in unit and hospital orientation. Member of Shared Governance Committee in both units.
• Developed a self-learning module to teach nursing staff how to draw blood while starting an IV.
• Developed “Back School” at the behest of the Nurse Manager.
• Implemented an Emergency Department Reference Manual.
• Developed and implemented an new orientation processes for RN’s starting on the Observation Unit
Adjunct Faculty. 9/1992 to 6/1995
Oakland Community College
As adjunct faculty I provided clinical and lab instruction for Nursing students at Freshman and Sophomore levels. I taught Fundamentals and Med-Surg.
Adjunct Faculty 1991 to 1995
Highland Park Community College
Provided clinical and lab instruction to Nursing students in the Associate and Licensed Practical Nursing programs. I taught Fundamentals.
Staff Nurse 1/1992 to 1/1997
Mercy Hospital
Staff nurse in a large inner city Emergency Department
Staff Nurse and Clinical Instructor 4/1988 to 8/1993
Henry Ford Hospital
Henry Ford Hospital is one of the largest hospitals in Metro Detroit. I worked there as a staff nurse in the Medical ICU.
• Taught two years in their Diploma program as clinical instructor.
• Worked two years add an on-call hyperbaric nurse
• Precepted new RN's
Staff Nurse 1/1986 to 4/1988
Staff nurse on a Bone Marrow Transplant/ General Oncology unit.
Education
Hampton University: Graduated 1985 BSN
Wayne State University: Graduated 1998. MSN Major: Acute Care NP Minor: Nursing Education Specialist Certificate
Rush University: Graduated 2009 Doctor of Nursing Practice. Capstone: A Nurse Practitioner Model for Care: The Development and Implementation of an Inpatient Interdisciplinary Pain Consult Service.
Leadership Development Institute
LEAN Green Belt
LEAN Yellow Belt
Motivational Enhancement Therapy training
Motivational Interviewing training
Certified in Battlefield Acupuncture
Awards
June 2019: Continental Who’s Who: Recognized for Excellence in Pain Management
February 2019: World Wide Leaders in Health Care: Recognized for Excellence in Pain Management
February 2009: Voted one of 100 Extra ordinary Nurses by Sigma Theta Tau, Gamma Beta Chapter.
Presentations
August 2016: Mental Health Grand Rounds. Pain Management with Special Considerations go the Mental Health Patient.
December 2013: National Polytrauma Nursing Meeting: Pain Management for the Mental Health Patient.
June, September and October 2013: Department of Mental Health. Pain Management for the Mental Health Patient.
September 2011: Serious and Common Dermatologic Conditions: Recognizing and Treating Them
February 2011: Poster Presentation. A Nurse Practitioner Managed Model for Care: The Development and Implementation of the Inpatient Interdisciplinary Pain Consult Service.
November 2009: Who, What, When, Where, Why, Huh? Prescribing opiates for a veteran population.
Licenses and Credentials
State of Maryland RN and ACNP
ANCC Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
BLS
DEA pending
Research
Impact of Resilience on Pain Outcomes: Literature review in process.
References available upon request.
Contact this candidate