Registered Nurse Consultant Expert Witness

Expert Witness No.2073

Education

1996, Bachelors of Science, Nursing, University of Phoenix

1981, AAS Degree, Nursing, Samuel Meritt College of Nursing Oakland, CA, Saint Mary’s College, Moraga, CA

Licenses

Licensed Registered Nurse, State of California

Certifications

1990-Present, Certified Registered Nurse Intravenous (CRNI)
1988-Present, Certified Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC)
1990-Present, Certified Midline
2006-Present, ACLS Re-Certified
Certified to verify PICC tip location on a radiograph (check X-ray)
Chemotherapy certified

Experience

1986-Present, A Local Hospital, Intravenous and PICC Nurse Specialist

1998-Present, A Health Care Company, Intravenous Home Care Business

1996-1998, Apria Health Care, Staff Nurse

1981-1988, Mercy General Hospital, Staff nurse and charge nurse on 40 bed surgical unit.

1988-1994, Mercy Hospital, Staff float nurse to all medical and surgical units.

Current Professional Experience

Evaluate and provide for appropriate vascular access for patient from neonates to the elderly.

Insert PICC (peripherally inserted central catheter) lines using both traditional methods and ultrasound-guided insertions.

View chest radiograph and verify PICC tip placement and need for repositioning.

Serve as preceptor in training, educating and certifying intravenous nurses for advanced procedures such as PICC insertion and midline catheter insertion.

Administer appropriate care and monitoring of all types of central venous catheters including managing complications.

Insert all types of peripheral catheters and manage complications such as, infiltration, extravasation, phlebitis and infection.

Coordinate staffing for the past 15 years according to budget guidelines.

Communicate effectively with all members of the health care team to provide safe and quality care.

Serve as resource person in educating the staff.

Utilize the nursing process to plan and implement an intravenous care plan specific to the needs of the client.

Administer all types of IV medications, solutions, blood and blood products and chemotherapy.

Provide intravenous care and IV therapies both in the acute care setting and in the home care setting.

Provide individual training and orientation to newly hired home care nurses.

Participate in devising data collection tools to perform quality assurance activities.

Formulated the policies, procedures and standardized procedures in the acute care setting based upon current nursing guidelines, standards of care and practice, current research data and the caregivers scope of practice.

Formulated the following policies, procedures, and standardized procedures:

Procedures

Peripheral intravenous insertion procedure
Venous access port procedure
PICC insertion procedure (devised charting form)
Midline insertion procedure
Central venous catheter procedures and protocols
Use of t-PA to clear catheter occlusions
Therapeutic phlebotomy
Phentolamine administration to treat and renergic extravasations
IV drug administration procedures
Skin testing administration (devised charting form)
Chest radiograph to verify PICC location
Subdermal and topical skin anesthesia use
Protocols
PICC protocol
Midline protocol
Venous access port protocol
Peripheral intravenous therapy protocols

Specialty Projects

Devise and update IV policies and procedures 1988-present
Devise and update current PICC insertion record and chart forms
Clinical preceptor since 1991 including PICC educator
IV competency testing skills lab 1992-present (covering a variety of topics)
Regional IV Task Force (1994-2000)
PICC educator for regional certification class with clinical
Component 1990-1991 and clinical training to Mercy Folsom nurses in 2006
Instructor for pediatric IV skills lab UC Davis and Mercy
National and local member of Intravenous Nurse Society