Certifications, Specialized Training, & Competencies
The certifications below represent a broad range of training that supports my commitment to safe, evidence-based patient care and continued professional growth as a nurse.
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American Heart Association
Expiration: August 2027Training in high-quality CPR, AED use, and team-based response to cardiac and respiratory emergencies.
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American Heart Association
Expiration: March 2028Advanced training in the recognition and management of cardiac arrest, stroke, and other life-threatening cardiovascular emergencies.
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American Academy of Pediatrics
Expiration: March 2028Specialized training focused on the assessment and resuscitation of newborns immediately after birth, emphasizing evidence-based neonatal care.
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Cine-Med / HHS Office of Minority Health
Completed: 2025Training in culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS) to support equitable, patient-centered maternal healthcare.
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ItemCine-Med / HHS Office of Minority Health
Completed: 2025Foundational training in culturally and linguistically appropriate healthcare practices to improve communication and reduce health disparities.
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Registered Nurses Advanced Skills and Medical Professionals
Completed: 2026
Education on recognizing signs of abuse or neglect and fulfilling the legal and ethical responsibilities of mandated reporters in healthcare.
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Azusa Pacific University
Completed: 2025Training in Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) to identify and address substance use and behavioral health concerns.
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Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Completed: 2026Training focused on improving communication, teamwork, and patient safety within interdisciplinary healthcare teams.
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Association for Vascular Access & B. Braun Medical Inc.
Completed: 2025Training in peripheral intravenous (PIV) insertion and vascular access best practices for both adult and pediatric patients, with a focus on safe technique, complication prevention, and patient comfort.
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ELNEC / American Association of Colleges of Nursing
Completed: 2025Education focused on providing compassionate, evidence-based care for patients experiencing serious illness or end-of-life conditions.
BSN Competencies
Patient-centered care is about individualizing care so that it meets each patient’s unique needs. This means going beyond treating their physical symptoms or only addressing their disease. Their emotional, spiritual, and cultural needs should also be addressed, and this can be tailored in their care plan, how they are communicated with, etc. When using patient centered care to guide clinical decisions, patients are treated as partners in their care and are involved in the decision-making. This can empower patients and improve patient outcomes. I learned this competency through my own experience as a patient when I did not receive what I felt was patient-centered care. When presenting with health concerns I was given default treatments without further testing and this made me feel very dismissed. If my provider had made me feel more involved with the decisions this would have given me a much better experience. Because I know wat it feels like it is now a top priority of mine to ensure that patients are treated as a whole person and that all of their needs are met. I show this in my practice by making sure to center the patient in every way that I can. For example, last week in clinical I performed a head-to-toe assessment on a patient that was Spanish-speaking only and I was given the option whether to use a translator or not. I decided to take the extra step of using one because it was important to me that the patient understood everything that I was doing, was able to ask questions if needed, and was fully involved in the process. It can be easy to prioritize efficiency when working in fast-paced or stressful environments. However, prioritizing the patient in small ways such as this can make a big difference in their overall care.
Patient-Centered Care
Safety
Safety is about ensuring that harm is prevented through following proper guidelines, protocols, and demonstrating good clinical judgement. In healthcare, some examples of safety practices can be related to proper medication handling and dosage, identifying risks such as for falls, or using assessment skills to identify early changes in patient conditions. Safety is always the highest priority because failing to implement safe practices can lead to serious harm or even death in some circumstances. I have always understood the importance of safety, but throughout my life it was reinforced through my experiences in school and work. My first job was working in a restaurant, and a lot of safety measures were put in place to ensure safe food handling. This included wearing gloves when handling food, storing food at certain temperatures, sanitation techniques, and more. Taking these steps was necessary to prevent things like cross-contamination or formation of bacteria in food so that customers would not get sick. Safety has been relevant in almost all of my experiences. Another good example of safety was my first healthcare job as a PPE assistant during the pandemic. It was my job to ensure that all of the proper PPE was used by staff members and that it was donned and doffed in the correct sequence to optimize infection control. This was critical to prevent the spread of the virus to staff or other patients. In nursing a big part of safety is following procedural guidelines.
Teamwork and collaboration means effectively working with others to reach a shared goal. For example, in a group project all members divide tasks to complete the shared goal of completing an assignment. However, teamwork shows up in various settings such as school, work, sports, and more. An important part of teamwork is that each individual contributes in their own way, but each member is just as valuable. In healthcare, patients are cared for through the contribution of various roles such as nurses, physicians, respiratory therapists, social workers, CNAs, and more. While the goal is to treat patients, this would not be possible without the functions of the entire team. I learned this competency when I was very young; however, I have built upon this skill throughout my whole life. My first memory of being part of a team was playing on a soccer team when I was around six years old. This is where I first learned how to work together with the other players in order to score the most goals possible. In school I then participated in group work and activities which helped strengthen this skill. Finally, I got my first job in a restaurant where teamwork and collaboration was implemented to provide great customer service and keep the restaurant moving smoothly. I now exemplify teamwork and collaboration through taking the lead when completing group assignments in nursing school. I often help delegate tasks and keep my groups organized with due dates and planning. Additionally, my previous job as an ER tech was a great example of when I was a part of a team in a healthcare setting. I was an essential role in the emergency department as I supported the nurses by completing tasks like EKGs, wound care, splinting, patient transport, and always lending them a helping hand. I would also respond to codes and had various responsibilities in emergency situations that contributed to my growth as a strong team member.
Teamwork & Collaboration
Quality Improvement
Quality improvement is about continuously monitoring data and reassessing outcomes to ensure that healthcare systems are performing in the most effective and safest ways possible. This includes using tools like charts, identifying gaps, and implementing new measures to improve outcomes. Quality improvement is essential in healthcare so that patients are receiving the highest quality care possible. Nurses can implement individual quality improvement by assessing their own performance and seeking feedback through colleagues or patients. I learned quality improvement through understanding the importance of evidence-based practice and how continuously evaluating research can be implemented. Additionally, I have learned about where there are gaps in healthcare and how data can be used to identify barriers, challenges, and areas which can be improved in order to bridge these gaps. Especially when working in the ER setting I saw how consistent protocols and ongoing evaluation are critical to increasing outcomes for both patients and staff. I am consistently working on this in school through being open to feedback from instructors and evaluating how I can improve. While at clinical, I demonstrate quality improvement by asking my preceptor a lot of questions, reviewing my charting and documentation for errors, and getting feedback from them as well to understand how I can strengthen my skills as a student nurse. To me it is about always demonstrating the willingness to learn, make mistakes, and being open to growth.
Informatics is using information and technology to effectively communicate with other hospital staff, document in patient charts, and support clinical decision making. Technology plays a major role in healthcare as it holds all the important patient information and medical records needed to implement care. This includes notes, assessment documentation, medications and prescriptions, and patient charting. Electronic health records such as EPIC are critical to keeping patient information organized and accessible. I learned this competency when I began working in healthcare as an ER Registration Rep. One of the most important parts of my job was ensuring that patient demographic and insurance information was collected and up to date in the system. In order to properly document this I had to be proficient in utilizing EPIC as well as using programs to verify insurance was active and addresses were verified. Since then, I continued to build on my knowledge through working in various other roles in healthcare where I had to document my own patient care. I currently show competence in my practice at clinical as I am consistently using this technology on a daily basis to guide my patient care. In my population health clinical I review patient charts so that I can identify care gaps where patients may be overdue on important lab work, and conduct post-discharge guidance to ensure that patients understand their discharge instructions. Additionally, in my critical care clinical I use this information to give a thorough end-of-shift report and effectively communicate with the other nurses. Overall, informatics is an essential part of my practice.