Claudia Elizabeth

Curriculum Vitae

Objective

To be an effective, results-driven health care professional who consistently provides safe, patient-centred care. To initiate my own learning opportunities and grow in clinical and educational skills as well as equip and inspire student/junior nurses to meet each patient’s individual need in a culturally respectful and clinically professional manner, striving to achieve the goals of best care and evidence-based practice.

Key Clinical Achievements

Demonstrating leadership

Effectively used leadership skills whilst being the nurse-in-charge to manage my team of nursing staff during a cardiac arrest. We achieved return of spontaneous circulation within 3 minutes and before the medical team arrived. I received very positive feedback for my prompt actions and leadership from medical staff and nursing management

Detected ventricular tachyarrhythmia

Effectively and accurately interpreted a ventricular tachyarrhythmia whilst in an elevator in transit with a patient. Safely and independently treated it with defibrillation as the patient became unresponsive. Received very positive feedback from medical staff and senior nursing staff

Identified safeguarding concern

Effectively identified and escalated a serious safeguarding concern which had previously been missed during the patient’s admission. Collaborated with members of the multidisciplinary team and senior management in order to conclude an action plan in a very timely manner and received very positive feedback from management regarding my leadership in following up this matter.

Implementing practical learning

Initiated a monthly practical learning activity on the cardiothoracic unit called “ECGs of the Month” whereby ECGs of interest are shared with the nursing team to stimulate discussion and improve knowledge on how to interpret them. Received very positive feedback from management as the initiative was recognised by the company’s governance team as contributing to service improvement

Additional Development

Green Leadership Programme

Green Leadership Programme

Serving as Arrhythmia Clinical Nurse Specialist

Serving as Arrhythmia Clinical Nurse Specialist

Green Leadership Programme

Green Leadership Programme

Preceptorship & Practice Supervisor Course

Preceptorship & Practice Supervisor Course

Green Leadership Programme

Green Leadership Programme

Professional Experience

LONDON BRIDGE HOSPITAL

HCA HEALTHCARE UK

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
Profile

HCA Healthcare has been providing healthcare for more than 50 years. It began with a small hospital, Park View Hospital, founded by doctors, in Nashville, U.S. In 1995 HCA entered the UK healthcare market, and has since built a world-class network of over 30 facilities in London and Manchester.

Today HCA is the largest private healthcare provider in the world, and one of the leading private healthcare providers in the UK. Its founding philosophy of putting patients first has guided it every day since 1968. It provides compassionate care to patients no matter what they need - from clinical research, primary care (including a private GP service), outpatient and day-case treatment, through to complex and urgent care

In the UK, HCA Healthcare UK, is the only private hospital group to have the highest level of critical care beds in all of its facilities and positively takes on new challenges, in innovation and advancing clinical care. Importantly, HCA's scale enables it to invest in networks of facilities with a specialist focus. Both here in the UK and in the US, networks staffed by experts in their fields, deliver high quality care for patients.  

LONDON BRIDGE HOSPITAL

HCA HEALTHCARE UK

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
Profile

LONDON BRIDGE HOSPITAL

HCA HEALTHCARE UK

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM

Junior Sister

2021 - Present
  • Performing the role of nurse-in-charge effectively and safely, providing sound clinical support to the nursing team and providing a reliable and safe point of call throughout the shift

  • Using excellent communication skills to collaborate with consultants, senior management, and members of the multidisciplinary team to facilitate great care provision to all patients

  • Ensuring a safe skill-mix is maintained for future shifts by effectively organising staffing and contributing to problem solving when there are deficits or superfluous staff rostered

  • Undertaking audits in order to monitor quality of care and service, feeding back results to the wider nursing team to promote excellence and learning

  • Using great listening and interpersonal skills to de-escalate patient complaints at the ward level

  • Using leadership skills to mediate misunderstandings between staff members when they occur during shift and steering conversation to reach positive conclusions as well as establishing clear action plans in order to move forward in a professional manner

  • Performing the role of nurse-in-charge effectively and safely, providing sound clinical support to the nursing team and providing a reliable and safe point of call throughout the shift

  • Using excellent communication skills to collaborate with consultants, senior management, and members of the multidisciplinary team to facilitate great care provision to all patients

  • Ensuring a safe skill-mix is maintained for future shifts by effectively organising staffing and contributing to problem solving when there are deficits or superfluous staff rostered

  • Undertaking audits in order to monitor quality of care and service, feeding back results to the wider nursing team to promote excellence and learning

  • Using great listening and interpersonal skills to de-escalate patient complaints at the ward level

  • Using leadership skills to mediate misunderstandings between staff members when they occur during shift and steering conversation to reach positive conclusions as well as establishing clear action plans in order to move forward in a professional manner

STAFF NURSE

2020 - 2021
  • Caring for a variety of cardiac, thoracic and vascular patients within a ward setting by admitting them, preparing them for their surgeries/procedures and organising their discharges

  • Caring for patients with a range of acuity, i.e., immediately post procedure (e.g. coronary stenting, cardiac ablation, varicose vein ablation) or day 0 post thoracic surgery or day 2 post cardiac surgery

  • Providing patient education and reassurance regarding surgeries/procedures which include but are not limited to cardiac bypass graft and valvular surgery or interventional cardiac procedures with stent or device implantation

  • Liaising with the multidisciplinary team regarding individualising health education for patients and working with them to achieve the goals of each patient’s care plan

  • Performing ECGs, venepuncture, cannulation and monitoring cardiac telemetry as part of everyday nursing care and maintaining communication with senior nursing staff and medical staff by providing updates on care plan or progress in recovery

  • Using excellent communication skills to effectively escalate concerns about deteriorating patients and providing prompt nursing care in order to meet their needs and promote better outcomes

  • Prioritising the patient’s involvement in their treatment plan by engaging them in conversations about their progress and discussing any concerns surrounding the discharge process

  • Supporting student nurses who are on placement by working with them and engaging them in learning opportunities whilst also explaining and teaching cardiac related topics to enhance their experience

  • Caring for a variety of cardiac, thoracic and vascular patients within a ward setting by admitting them, preparing them for their surgeries/procedures and organising their discharges

  • Caring for patients with a range of acuity, i.e., immediately post procedure (e.g. coronary stenting, cardiac ablation, varicose vein ablation) or day 0 post thoracic surgery or day 2 post cardiac surgery

  • Providing patient education and reassurance regarding surgeries/procedures which include but are not limited to cardiac bypass graft and valvular surgery or interventional cardiac procedures with stent or device implantation

  • Liaising with the multidisciplinary team regarding individualising health education for patients and working with them to achieve the goals of each patient’s care plan

  • Performing ECGs, venepuncture, cannulation and monitoring cardiac telemetry as part of everyday nursing care and maintaining communication with senior nursing staff and medical staff by providing updates on care plan or progress in recovery

  • Using excellent communication skills to effectively escalate concerns about deteriorating patients and providing prompt nursing care in order to meet their needs and promote better outcomes

  • Prioritising the patient’s involvement in their treatment plan by engaging them in conversations about their progress and discussing any concerns surrounding the discharge process

  • Supporting student nurses who are on placement by working with them and engaging them in learning opportunities whilst also explaining and teaching cardiac related topics to enhance their experience

HIGH DEPENDENCY UNIT, CARDIOTHORACIC SERVICES

THE ROYAL BROMPTON & HAREFIELD NHS FOUNDATION TRUST

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
Profile

HIGH DEPENDENCY UNIT, CARDIOTHORACIC SERVICES

THE ROYAL BROMPTON & HAREFIELD NHS FOUNDATION TRUST

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM

COVID-19 ICU NURSE

COVID-19 ICU NURSE

2020
  • From March to May 2020, HDU was transformed into a temporary ICU to support the existing ICU department

  • Rose to the challenge and rapidly adapted to provide level 3 critical care to intubated patients suffering from coronavirus

  • Managed patients with single or multiple organ failure, some of which were too unstable to be de-proned

  • Increased capability and confidence in caring for unconscious, ventilated patients as well as gaining material exposure to ICU nursing

  • From March to May 2020, HDU was transformed into a temporary ICU to support the existing ICU department

  • Rose to the challenge and rapidly adapted to provide level 3 critical care to intubated patients suffering from coronavirus

  • Managed patients with single or multiple organ failure, some of which were too unstable to be de-proned

  • Increased capability and confidence in caring for unconscious, ventilated patients as well as gaining material exposure to ICU nursing

STAFF NURSE / NURSE-IN-CHARGE

STAFF NURSE / NURSE-IN-CHARGE

2019 - 2020
  • Caring for a variety of patients who have undergone cardiothoracic surgeries and arrive to HDU between Day 0 and Day 1 post operation for close monitoring

  • Managing a patient load safely and in a time-effective manner in order to optimise recovery from surgery in the 24-48-hour critical post operation period

  • Understanding and applying critical knowledge surrounding haemodynamic status and managing inotropic agents according to best practice and organisational guidelines

  • Understanding and applying knowledge surrounding respiration, ventilation, and various oxygen therapies, along with relevant equipment, with a goal to improve, correct and optimise gas exchange and tissue perfusion

  • Utilising effective and thorough patient assessment skills to uphold safe nursing practice and striving to make informed clinical decisions in collaboration with medical staff and allied health teams

  • Personalising engagement with patients in their vulnerable post-operative states to educate, support and encourage them along in their recovery, assisting them to mobilise and participate in chest physiotherapy to improve their outcomes

  • Communicating effectively with senior nursing staff regarding patient care plans and facilitating step down transfers to the ward in a timely manner

  • Managing patients with post-operative complications requiring renal replacement therapy and fluid status monitoring

  • Managing surgical drains effectively and utilising pain management skills to improve the patient’s experience in HDU


  • Caring for a variety of patients who have undergone cardiothoracic surgeries and arrive to HDU between Day 0 and Day 1 post operation for close monitoring

  • Managing a patient load safely and in a time-effective manner in order to optimise recovery from surgery in the 24-48-hour critical post operation period

  • Understanding and applying critical knowledge surrounding haemodynamic status and managing inotropic agents according to best practice and organisational guidelines

  • Understanding and applying knowledge surrounding respiration, ventilation, and various oxygen therapies, along with relevant equipment, with a goal to improve, correct and optimise gas exchange and tissue perfusion

  • Utilising effective and thorough patient assessment skills to uphold safe nursing practice and striving to make informed clinical decisions in collaboration with medical staff and allied health teams

  • Personalising engagement with patients in their vulnerable post-operative states to educate, support and encourage them along in their recovery, assisting them to mobilise and participate in chest physiotherapy to improve their outcomes

  • Communicating effectively with senior nursing staff regarding patient care plans and facilitating step down transfers to the ward in a timely manner

  • Managing patients with post-operative complications requiring renal replacement therapy and fluid status monitoring

  • Managing surgical drains effectively and utilising pain management skills to improve the patient’s experience in HDU


UNDERGRADUATE NURSING SCHOOL

LA TROBE UNIVERSITY

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
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UNDERGRADUATE NURSING SCHOOL

LA TROBE UNIVERSITY

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

CLINICAL PLACEMENT EDUCATOR

CLINICAL PLACEMENT EDUCATOR

2018 - 2019
  • Facilitating first and second year student placements in various clinical settings

  • Delivering induction sessions at the beginning of placements in order to orientate students to their allocated units

  • Providing tailored teaching sessions relevant to the clinical setting that the students are exposed to

  • Providing practical learning opportunities through effective communication with nursing staff and unit managers

  • Assessing learning needs and understanding individual requirements in context of the student’s personal learning goals and adjusting the teaching approach as the student progresses through placement

  • Supporting students in a professional manner through difficult situations that require emotional debriefing

  • Facilitating group discussions surrounding best practice and promoting critical thinking, guiding the students to identify the skill in themselves and how to apply it to their nursing practice

  • Facilitating first and second year student placements in various clinical settings

  • Delivering induction sessions at the beginning of placements in order to orientate students to their allocated units

  • Providing tailored teaching sessions relevant to the clinical setting that the students are exposed to

  • Providing practical learning opportunities through effective communication with nursing staff and unit managers

  • Assessing learning needs and understanding individual requirements in context of the student’s personal learning goals and adjusting the teaching approach as the student progresses through placement

  • Supporting students in a professional manner through difficult situations that require emotional debriefing

  • Facilitating group discussions surrounding best practice and promoting critical thinking, guiding the students to identify the skill in themselves and how to apply it to their nursing practice

CORONARY CARE UNIT

WESTERN HEALTH

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
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CORONARY CARE UNIT

WESTERN HEALTH

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

CLINICAL NURSE SPECIALIST

CLINICAL NURSE SPECIALIST

2017 - 2018
  • Developing my professional portfolio which revolved around caring for cardiac monitored patients in CCU by creating strategic resources & documentation for improving nursing practice specific to cardiac-monitored patients

  • Providing simple and easy-to-digest information to ultimately uplift the capability of junior and casual staff and enable them to quickly meet the high nursing standards upheld within CCU

  • Facilitating education sessions covering specialist topics including:

    • Indications for cardiac monitoring and relevant nursing considerations

    • Unique patient case studies

    • Organisational policies surrounding cardiac enzyme monitoring

    • Chest pain management

  • Maintaining a high level of clinical knowledge & decision-making skills in order to uphold clinical standards that are designed to improve quality of practice

  • Acting as a central resource person and fostering a positive culture within the workplace through constant quality engagement with all staff, predominantly new or junior staff. In addition, ensuring a regular presence and engagement in preceptorship programs

  • Developing my professional portfolio which revolved around caring for cardiac monitored patients in CCU by creating strategic resources & documentation for improving nursing practice specific to cardiac-monitored patients

  • Providing simple and easy-to-digest information to ultimately uplift the capability of junior and casual staff and enable them to quickly meet the high nursing standards upheld within CCU

  • Facilitating education sessions covering specialist topics including:

    • Indications for cardiac monitoring and relevant nursing considerations

    • Unique patient case studies

    • Organisational policies surrounding cardiac enzyme monitoring

    • Chest pain management

  • Maintaining a high level of clinical knowledge & decision-making skills in order to uphold clinical standards that are designed to improve quality of practice

  • Acting as a central resource person and fostering a positive culture within the workplace through constant quality engagement with all staff, predominantly new or junior staff. In addition, ensuring a regular presence and engagement in preceptorship programs

CARDIAC CATH LAB (CCL) NURSE

CARDIAC CATH LAB (CCL) NURSE

2017
  • Completed 12-week rotation in Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory whereby knowledge of relevant procedures and coronary anatomy was explored and learned in a clinical setting

  • Learnt how to prepare, manage, and use a surgical sterile field, initially under supervision and close guidance but progressed to safe independence

  • Progressed to independently perform as scout nurse during CCL procedures in a time effective manner, providing required equipment whilst maintaining sterility, administering relevant medications according to organisational policy, and constantly performing patient assessments throughout procedures to maintain patient safety

  • Progressed to independently assist the primary operator/interventionist as scrub nurse for coronary artery bypass graft studies, angiograms and angioplasties through correct usage of sterile equipment and constant communication with the doctor performing the intervention

  • Successfully developed skills in removal of femoral arterial sheaths post angiograms

  • Completed 12-week rotation in Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory whereby knowledge of relevant procedures and coronary anatomy was explored and learned in a clinical setting

  • Learnt how to prepare, manage, and use a surgical sterile field, initially under supervision and close guidance but progressed to safe independence

  • Progressed to independently perform as scout nurse during CCL procedures in a time effective manner, providing required equipment whilst maintaining sterility, administering relevant medications according to organisational policy, and constantly performing patient assessments throughout procedures to maintain patient safety

  • Progressed to independently assist the primary operator/interventionist as scrub nurse for coronary artery bypass graft studies, angiograms and angioplasties through correct usage of sterile equipment and constant communication with the doctor performing the intervention

  • Successfully developed skills in removal of femoral arterial sheaths post angiograms

STAFF NURSE / NURSE-IN-CHARGE

STAFF NURSE / NURSE-IN-CHARGE

2014 - 2017
  • Managing patient flow within a 30-bed CCU whilst in constant communication with the hospital bed manager regarding admissions and discharges

  • Managing safe & effective staffing by supporting nurses on the shift as well as ensuring that the next shift is appropriately staffed

  • Strategic allocation of staff to a patient load based on capability and skills

  • Tactical management of behaviourally difficult patients and eliciting adequate support strategies where necessary whilst supporting nurses that are subject to verbal aggression

  • Supporting and guiding staff in clinical practice where patients with complex conditions require a high level of attention to detail to their treatment plan

  • Maintaining a high-level of communication with medical teams to ensure sound understanding of each patient’s condition and treatment plan, and ensuring nursing staff are practicing in accordance with each plan made

  • Managing patient flow within a 30-bed CCU whilst in constant communication with the hospital bed manager regarding admissions and discharges

  • Managing safe & effective staffing by supporting nurses on the shift as well as ensuring that the next shift is appropriately staffed

  • Strategic allocation of staff to a patient load based on capability and skills

  • Tactical management of behaviourally difficult patients and eliciting adequate support strategies where necessary whilst supporting nurses that are subject to verbal aggression

  • Supporting and guiding staff in clinical practice where patients with complex conditions require a high level of attention to detail to their treatment plan

  • Maintaining a high-level of communication with medical teams to ensure sound understanding of each patient’s condition and treatment plan, and ensuring nursing staff are practicing in accordance with each plan made

ASEPS AGENCY NURSING

HCA HEALTHCARE AUSTRALIA

Melbourne, Australia
Profile

ASEPS AGENCY NURSING

HCA HEALTHCARE AUSTRALIA

Melbourne, Australia

CRITICAL CARE NURSE

CRITICAL CARE NURSE

2018 - 2019
  • Applying confidence in nursing practice to a work style that requires excellent communication skills and flexibility

  • Upholding practice that is unwavering in safety and guided by best practice in order to care for patients in a variety of organisations

  • Utilising knowledge and skills in ECG interpretation to assist nursing teams that require assistance in safe monitoring of patients with cardiac telemetry

  • Caring for patients who are critically unwell and collaborating with medical staff and senior nursing staff in order to provide effective patient-centred care

  • Applying confidence in nursing practice to a work style that requires excellent communication skills and flexibility

  • Upholding practice that is unwavering in safety and guided by best practice in order to care for patients in a variety of organisations

  • Utilising knowledge and skills in ECG interpretation to assist nursing teams that require assistance in safe monitoring of patients with cardiac telemetry

  • Caring for patients who are critically unwell and collaborating with medical staff and senior nursing staff in order to provide effective patient-centred care

Academic Achievements

Scholarships awarded

$18,000 worth of scholarships awarded by Australian College of Nursing + Western Health between 2016-17.

Postgraduate studies

Postgraduate Diploma of Cardiac Nursing

2017

Postgraduate studies

Postgraduate Certificate in Cardiac Nursing

2016

Undergraduate studies

Undergraduate Bachelor of Nursing

2011-2013