Natasja Hills

Rural Nurse Specialist

Westcoast DHB

Whataroa, Whataroa

12.2012 - Current

Run primary practice as an individual, with no other staff except on a doctor's day, once a week. This includes assessing patients, treating under standing orders, ordering, and even banking.
Perform well-child checks (Plunket) and B4 school checks.
Perform public health duties, visiting schools, and doing HEADDSS assessments at the high school.
Vaccinate, and follow the cold chain.
Provide women's health, cervical smear taking, and oral contraception.
Have a good report with all people, young, old, as well as different ethnicities.
Provide education and support for patients and their families about illness prevention, treatment options, and lifestyle modifications.
Use evidence-based practice initiatives to improve the quality of healthcare delivery.
Collaborate with physicians to manage patient care.
Initiate referrals when necessary for additional services or treatments not provided by the facility.
Monitor changes in patient conditions, utilizing critical thinking skills.
Mentor new nurses and nursing students while providing guidance on best practices in a specialty area.
Coordinated discharge planning activities with social workers, case managers, therapists, and home health agencies, ensuring continuity of care post-discharge.
Actively participate in quality improvement initiatives targeting improved patient safety outcomes.
Perform assessments related to pain management, including evaluation of response to pharmacologic agents.
Evaluate the effectiveness of interventions by collecting clinical data from multiple sources, and assessing outcomes.
Develop individualized care plans based on patient assessment data, and physician orders.
Utilize computer systems for ordering tests and procedures, documenting findings, tracking lab values, and entering medication orders.
Participate in interdisciplinary team meetings to discuss patient progress and plan of care.
Assess patients to determine their medical history, physical condition, and needs.
Analyze laboratory results, vital signs trends, medication side effects, and interactions to identify potential problems or deviations from expected outcomes.
Perform nursing procedures, such as wound care and medication administration.
Administered medications, IVs and injections in accordance with treatment plan directions.
Action emergency interventions to stabilize patients.
Observe and document independent medical examinations.
Deliver information regarding care and medications to patients and caregivers in comprehensible terminology.
Help patients and families feel comfortable during challenging and stressful situations, promoting recovery, and reducing compliance issues.
Coordinate with the healthcare team to establish, enact, and evaluate patient care plans.
Observe strict safety measures, including checking medication dosages before administration to patients.
Advocate for patient needs with the interdisciplinary team, and implement outlined treatment plans.
Administer local anesthesia to patients undergoing procedures such as suturing.
Conduct specified laboratory tests to help detect conditions and determine diagnoses.
Stock clinical workstations and procedure rooms with the necessary supplies.
Respond to emergency situations with speed, expertise, and level-headed approaches to provide optimal care, support, and life-saving interventions (PRIME trained).
Prepare medical equipment and tools to aid the physician during the examination and treatment of patients.