Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
Generic
Melissa Nicklaus

Melissa Nicklaus

Chandler,AZ

Summary

Quality-focused Nurse Supervisor with exceptional career managing clinical nursing functions and direct department activities. Experienced helping staff solve clinical issues and improving resource utilization. Superior work ethic with top strengths in problem solving and conflict management.

Overview

17
17
years of professional experience

Work History

Quality Manangement Nurse Supervisor

Department of Economic Security in the Developmental Divison of Disabilities
2021.05 - Current
  • Provide support/guidance to nursing staff and assist with all aspects of Quality-of-Care (QOC) investigations via standardized processes; ensure thorough, timely, and member-centric investigations; ensure appropriate referrals to oversight entities and law enforcement.
  • Provides clinical oversight to all Quality Assurance (QA) district staff when investigating QOC concerns and contractual concerns regarding division members.
  • Conduct tracking and trending of member, service site, provider, and Division concerns.
  • Ensure appropriate follow-up and corrective actions are established and monitored through resolution.
  • Appropriately elevate cases and/or trend concerns through QM Sub-Committee structure and to Division leadership.
  • Tracking and monitoring member and systemic care concerns; evaluate cases to determine need for involvement of executive leadership.
  • Ensure quality of care to all DDD members by providing our members’ dignity and respect with focus on unique situations and special health care needs.
  • Promote member-centric care and timely communication to members/families; address all identified needs/concerns and ensure appropriate care coordination.
  • Responsible for supervision of nursing staff which includes hiring, training, 1:1 meetings, coaching, day to day oversight, completing Performance Appraisals, authorizing leave, approving Time Cards, etc.
  • Maintain all necessary documentation to support work of unit; provide technical assistance to staff on process improvement; ensure inter-rater reliability of unit work.
  • Participate in operational reviews, technical assistance, and focused studies/reviews to ensure compliance w/contract and policy requirements.
  • Audit cases and provide guidance to staff to ensure alignment with Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) policies to promote “audit-ready” unit.

Health Services Director

Eternal Spring of Gilbert
2019.10 - 2021.05
  • Provide supervision and coordination of 45 care staff to maintain care of residents in Assisted living, independent living, and Memory care
  • Conduct ongoing reviews of staff along with annual performance reviews and situational feedback
  • Monitoring medications, lab work, appointments, and daily needs of residents
  • Work with all outside agencies such as pharmacy, doctors, Hospice, home health, therapies, and hospitals to ensure residents needs are being met
  • Participated in Daily Stand-up meetings with department heads to discuss census information, admissions, and discharges for residents
  • Assessments of residents to ensure physical, emotional, and social needs of residents are being met.

Resident Services Director

Atria Chandler Villas
2018.05 - 2019.10
  • Provide supervision and coordination of approximately 25 care staff to maintain care of residents in Assisted living and independent living
  • Scheduling of care staff to ensure adequate staffing in community
  • Conduct ongoing reviews of staff along with annual performance reviews and situational feedback
  • Participate in education and training of new care staff
  • Monitoring medications, lab work, appointments, and daily needs of residents
  • Performed ongoing assessments to pinpoint resident needs, established optimum service plans and built medication system in full compliance to state, federal and company regulations.
  • Supervised day-to-day operations and activities of caregivers, intervening to issue service improvement guidance
  • Analyzed resident and caregiver feedback on residential conditions and programming to develop and initiate improvements

RN Mananger

Banner Desert Hospital
2016.08 - 2018.05
  • RN manager of Renal Diabetic, Medical surgical unit
  • Provide supervision and direction to new grad nurses on night shift and assisted all nurses with direct care needs of patients
  • Conducted ongoing reviews of RN staff, along with performance reviews, and situational feedback
  • Provided peritoneal dialysis to all patients throughout hospital while on duty
  • Monitoring medications, lab work, appointments, and all needs with case management for appropriate discharge planning
  • Performed ongoing assessments to pinpoint patient needs, established optimum service plans, and educate staff on policies/procedures to maintain compliance with state, federal, and company regulations.
  • Collaborated with physicians to quickly assess patients and deliver appropriate treatment while managing rapidly changing conditions
  • Administered medications via oral, IV, and intramuscular injections and monitored responses
  • Provided direct patient care, stabilized patients, and determined next course of action
  • Managed care from admission to discharge
  • Collected blood, tissue, and other laboratory specimens and prepared for lab testing

Director of Nursing

Pekin Manor Skilled facility
2013.11 - 2016.08
  • Assured nursing organizational structure supports clinical and administrative standards and goals that enable facility to achieve ongoing survey readiness
  • Remain in compliance with all federal and state standards
  • Developed and manage nursing services budget
  • Conducted random and scheduled audits for CNA's and nurses to ensure clinical staff are following policy and procedures
  • Communicated nursing needs with all departments including but not limited to therapy, social services, dietary, medical records, pharmacy, insurance agencies, and billing departments
  • Direct oversight of Alzheimer's/Dementia unit, ensuring adequate staff supervision and coordination of nursing staff to assist with delivery of nursing care, wellness care, and activity needs.
  • Oversaw and approved recruitment, hiring and orientation of new nursing staff
  • Participated in management team meetings to discuss resident status, census changes, and resident complaints or concerns
  • Worked closely administration to develop and implement best practices to improve patient outcomes
  • Established new policies and updated existing policies to improve standard of care for patients
  • Identified department issues to recommend corrective actions

RN/Director of Care Delivery

HCR Manor Care
2007.05 - 2013.11
  • Assisted Director of Nursing and Assistant Director of Nursing with planning, implementation, and evaluations of all nursing services through all levels of licensure
  • Reinforced Director of Nursing in establishment and implementation of short- and long-range organization goals, objectives, strategic plans, policies, and operating procedures
  • Provided billing assistance and in-house training on Medicare/Medicaid rules and regulations
  • Minimum Data Set (MDS) training
  • Acted as mentor to new nursing staff hires and monitored new nursing staff development throughout new hire orientation phase
  • Monitored and recorded patient condition, vital signs, recovery progress and medication side effects
  • Coordinated care with physicians and other clinical staff to prepare for treatment, carry out interventions and enhance continuum of care to deliver comprehensive services.
  • Promoted professional development opportunities to encourage nurses to pursue continuous training

Education

Bachelor of Science in Nursing -

Chamberlain College of Nursing
06.2012

Diplomia In Nursing -

Graham Hospital School of Nursing
05.2007

Skills

  • Process Improvements
  • Policy Updates
  • Clinical Management
  • Utilization Management
  • Corrective Action Implementation
  • Compliance Oversight
  • Case Review
  • Clinical Supervision
  • Quality Improvement
  • Utilization Review
  • Policy Development
  • Quality Assurance

Timeline

Quality Manangement Nurse Supervisor

Department of Economic Security in the Developmental Divison of Disabilities
2021.05 - Current

Health Services Director

Eternal Spring of Gilbert
2019.10 - 2021.05

Resident Services Director

Atria Chandler Villas
2018.05 - 2019.10

RN Mananger

Banner Desert Hospital
2016.08 - 2018.05

Director of Nursing

Pekin Manor Skilled facility
2013.11 - 2016.08

RN/Director of Care Delivery

HCR Manor Care
2007.05 - 2013.11

Bachelor of Science in Nursing -

Chamberlain College of Nursing

Diplomia In Nursing -

Graham Hospital School of Nursing
Melissa Nicklaus