Susie Watkins PhD, RN

Biography

As a graduate from Illinois State University Mennonite College of Nursing with a MSN and PhD (c), I have pursued my passion in leadership and education to develop future and current professional nurses. I have began my journey in nursing research within the primary care nursing setting to substantiate the value nurses add to clinical practice, safety, and quality. I have worked as a Quality Services Clinical Educator from April 2011 to 2017 at OSFMG. I have developed and instructed the ambulatory clinical associates on current evidence based practice guidelines such as: emergency care, Basic Life Support, anticoagulation, moderate sedation, central line care, defibrillation, practice policy, laboratory collection, Medical Office Assistant development, vital signs, Primary Care Transformation initiatives, Ankle Brachial Index diagnostic evaluation, Basic EKG, phlebotomy, injection administration, medication reconciliation safety, CDC immunization recommendations, No Interruption Zones, general orientation, needlestick and sharp injury prevention, standing orders, and nurse telephone triage protocols. I have also participated in projects including: Quality Improvement in Primary and Specialty Ambulatory patient care services for chronic disease management, PCMH, MU, ACO, Care Coordination, Patient Experience, Hormone therapy, Safe Medication Administration-No Interruption Zone Initiative, Primary Care Transformation, and Medicare wellness prevention services. I began my ambulatory clinical education role as an EpicCare Ambulatory Credentialed Trainer, certified to teach the Electronic Medical Record application to current end-users. Before working as an ambulatory clinical educator I worked as a hospital relocation education specialist to design orientation programs for hospital relocation projects, and currently still provide consultation on healthcare relocation and transitions with Turner Medical Research Solutions. My first 10 years of professional nursing practice started with 3 years of medical-Surgical and cardiac step-down nursing, long-term care staff nursing, and operating room circulating and coordination. I have a passion for life-long learning and development as healthcare continues to change and evolve with scientific evidence.