Karen Stewart
Prospect,British West Indies
Summary
I am a highly skilled nursing professional knowledgeable in nursing research application and clinical leadership. Over the past six or so years, I have acted as the Director of Nursing/Chief Nursing Officer during periods to cover vacation, and this has assisted in my growth and resilience in adapting to rapid change. I possess strong staff recruitment and retention capabilities, clinical decision-making, and process improvement. I am adept in conflict resolution and very committed to enhancing patient care through innovative practices. I am passionate about ensuring high-quality patient care and as a facilitator for the Service Plus workshop; I seek to teach staff the importance of customer service. I have experience in supporting teams through difficult times, for example, during COVID-19, as well as projects such as the nurse call system and the pulmonary rehabilitation programme. My career goal includes advancing into senior healthcare management to drive impactful changes within the healthcare system. In recent times, I have embark on improving my skills in coaching to assist in developing high functional teams and support staff growth.
Overview
32
32
years of professional experience
20
20
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Senior Nursing Officer - Inpatient
Cayman Health Services Authority
2021.06 - Current
- Supervises six unit Nurse Managers who lead approximately one hundred and thirty-eight staff, including the Respiratory Therapy and Portering services.
- Performance evaluation of Nurse Managers and Respiratory Therapists.
- Devised strategies to enhance efficiency in the nursing department.
- Contributed significantly towards successful hospital accreditation through exemplary nursing leadership.
- Handle complaints, providing practical and timely outcomes.
- Led quality improvement initiatives within the nursing departments.
- Managed clinical staff, ensuring adherence to hospital policies and procedures.
- Participates in committees and projects as required.
- Develop initiatives to improve patient outcomes, such as the pulmonary rehabilitation program.
Registered Nurse 2003-2005, Nurse Manager
Cayman Islands Health Services Authority
2007.11 - 2021.06
- Company Overview: This is one of the major hospitals of the three islands and comprises 127 beds.
- Duties include managerial as well as duties as a Registered Nurse
- Appraisal of staff, clinical supervision of staff, and roster/off duty of staff
- Budgeting and revenue management.
- Writing of policies/protocols.
- Auditing and policy/protocol implementation.
- Provide holistic care for ventilated patients.
- Provide holistic care for dependency patients.
- Inotropes management.
- Transfer patients via air from one island to another and interhospital
- Respond and actively participate in cardiac arrest codes throughout the hospital.
- Utilized clinical knowledge to improve ward efficiency.
- Fostered a positive work environment through effective communication techniques.
- Evaluated performance metrics and implemented strategies for improvement.
- Enhanced patient care quality by implementing evidence-based nursing practices.
Team Leader /Senior Staff Nurse
St. Thomas Hospital (Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust)
London, UK
2005.06 - 2007.10
- Company Overview: St Thomas Hospital is one of the leading healthcare providers in South London, a large multidisciplinary hospital. It is well known for its advancement in medical care
- Managerial duties: appraisal and managed a team of 5 nurses
- Management of shift, and assigned 15-17 staff per shift
- Teaching of staff and nursing students.
- Acted as clinical development teacher for 6 months.
- Provide nursing care of post cardiac surgery patients. requiring inotropes, intra-aortic balloon, swan ganz.
- Participate in chest opening during emergency on unit
- Removal of chest drains.
- Provide recovery care of patients post general surgery.
Sister/ Senior Staff Nurse
Charring Cross Hospital
London, UK, UK
2002.01 - 2003.11
- Company Overview: Charring Cross Hospital is an undergraduate teaching hospital.
- Managerial duties: appraisal, organize team away days
- Mentoring and orientation of staff
- Provide nursing care to critically ill patients post neurosurgery and require intracranial pressure monitoring.
- Provide nursing care to patients requiring renal replacement therapy
- Provide nursing care to patients requiring cardiac output monitoring, swan ganz, oesophageal Doppler, and PICCO.
Staff Nurse
Wellington Hospital
London, UK, UK
1999.08 - 2001.12
- Company Overview: Wellington Hospital is one of the largest private hospitals in London, with a specialty in cardiac care, neurorehabilitation and gynecology
- Provide nursing care for patients post-cardiac surgery
- Provide nursing care of post-cardiac patients requiring renal replacement therapy
- Provide nursing care to patients requiring intra-aortic balloon, swan ganz, continuous cardiac monitoring
- Weaning and extubation of patients
- Removal of chest drains.
- Documentation and billing using Meditech computerise system.
Registered General Nurse 1 & 11
Kingston Public Hospital
Kingston, Jamaica, Jamaica
1992.12 - 1999.07
- Company Overview: Kingston Public Hospital is the largest adult medical-surgical hospital on the island and one of the leading referral hospitals for the island.
- Provides nursing care to critically ill and high-dependency patients.
- In charge of evening and night shifts and act as nurse in charge in the absence of sister/charge nurse.
- Care for the patient during ambulance transfer.
Education
Registered General Nurse -
Kingston School of Nursing
Jamaica 1989.10 - 1992.10
Doctor of Nursing Practice -
Post University
USA 2021.04 - 2024.08
MSc Nursing Studies -
Sheffield Hallam University
United Kingdom 2019.09 - 2021.02
Bachelor of Science in Nursing Studies -
University of Derby
United Kingdom 2018.09 - 2019.08
MSc Public Administration and Development -
University of Birmingham
United Kingdom 2007.09 - 2010.06
Postgraduate Diploma Nursing - Master level studies
Napier University
United Kingdom 2001.09 - 2006.06
BA Healthcare Management -
University of Westminster
United Kingdom 1999.09 - 2001.06
Cardiorespiratory Nursing and Respiratory Support -
Thames University
United Kingdom 2000.09 - 2001.03
Critical Care Nursing -
University Hospital of the West Indies
Jamaica 1995.09 - 1996.09
Certificate - Transformational Coaching
Lead from Transformation
Canada 2024.01 - 2024.04
Certificate - NLP Coaching
Symbiosis Coaching
USA 2024.07 - 2025.02
Skills
- Nursing research application
- Resilient under pressure
- Advance Cardiac Life Support instructor
- Adapting to rapid change
- Clinical leadership
- Staff recruitment and retention
- Clinical decision-making
- Interpersonal communication
- Conflict Resolution
- Process Improvement
Affiliations
- Taekwondo, long walks and spending time with family
Accomplishments
Nurse Manager Award- December 2024
Certificate of Honour- meritorious service during Covid - 2021
Nurse of the Year 1998 - Jamaica
Nurse of the Year 1998 - Kingston Public Hospital
Timeline
Certificate - NLP Coaching
Symbiosis Coaching
2024.07 - 2025.02
Certificate - Transformational Coaching
Lead from Transformation
2024.01 - 2024.04
Senior Nursing Officer - Inpatient
Cayman Health Services Authority
2021.06 - Current
Doctor of Nursing Practice -
Post University
2021.04 - 2024.08
MSc Nursing Studies -
Sheffield Hallam University
2019.09 - 2021.02
Bachelor of Science in Nursing Studies -
University of Derby
2018.09 - 2019.08
Registered Nurse 2003-2005, Nurse Manager
Cayman Islands Health Services Authority
2007.11 - 2021.06
MSc Public Administration and Development -
University of Birmingham
2007.09 - 2010.06
Team Leader /Senior Staff Nurse
St. Thomas Hospital (Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust)
2005.06 - 2007.10
Sister/ Senior Staff Nurse
Charring Cross Hospital
2002.01 - 2003.11
Postgraduate Diploma Nursing - Master level studies
Napier University
2001.09 - 2006.06
Cardiorespiratory Nursing and Respiratory Support -
Thames University
2000.09 - 2001.03
BA Healthcare Management -
University of Westminster
1999.09 - 2001.06
Staff Nurse
Wellington Hospital
1999.08 - 2001.12
Critical Care Nursing -
University Hospital of the West Indies
1995.09 - 1996.09
Registered General Nurse 1 & 11
Kingston Public Hospital
1992.12 - 1999.07
Registered General Nurse -
Kingston School of Nursing
1989.10 - 1992.10