Cheryl Kirkwood

Dedicated and reliable job seeker with a strong desire to transition into a new career after many successful years as a registered nurse. Passionate about every role undertaken, eager to contribute skills and expertise to an organization that values potential. Known for strong work ethics, highly motivated to excel in new responsibilities, ensuring success for both self and the company.

I am currently looking to change career paths. I have been a Registered Nurse for many years and have made the decision that it is time of a change in my life. I love working with people although I feel it is time for a change. I an extremely enthusiastic about the change in my life and I am looking forward to what challenges may lie ahead.  Exceptional communication, public relations and organizational skills. Able to work effectively as an independent practitioner and as part of a team. Provides leadership skill when working as part of a team and functions well in a team setting. Provides accurate and concise documentation. Computer literate and able to use multiple different databases and processing applications. Works effectively under pressure and able to prioritize tasks to the benefit of all stakeholders. Committed to further professional development. Exceptional communication, public relations and organizational skills will contribute effectively to improving staff satisfaction, corporate image, and customer satisfaction. Maintain confidentiality at all times. Attends in-services and meetings as required to facilitate new programme implementation.

• 02/08/23, Present, Registered Nurse, Programmed Health Professionals
• 03/08/2022, 01/08/2023, Registered Nurse, Presbyterian Aged Care/Moran Group, Currently working as a Registered nurse within the Nursing Home, Hostel and Dementia unit. Ensuring residents quality of life is optimized. Attending to AN-ACC assessments. Attending regular health assessments for residents. Manage facility after hours including all staffing for nursing, catering, ancillary services. Safety and security of residents, staff and facility. Manage all nursing staff in facility on shift. Attend daily operational management tasks after hours. Provide support and education to staff. Monitor WH&S and manual handling standards. Monitor resident health and wellbeing and perform necessary assessments as required. Provide Palliative Care to residents at end of life. Provide support and education to families and loved ones in relation to end of life care. Maintain quality standards. Assist in preparing assessments for AN-ACC review.
• 16/05/2017, 30/07/2022, Registered Nurse, Silver Chain Palliative Care Service, Worked as a specialist palliative care nurse in the community caring for clients during their last days, weeks of life. Providing nursing, clinical, emotional and psychospiritual support for client and their family. Able to work independently and prioritise the needs of clients during difficult situations. Working with families during highly emotional times and being able to provide evidenced based best care guidelines in a manner that it easily understood along with the psychospiritual support with the grief process. Working within own scope of practice and ANCI competencies and standards. Working in rural communities on a daily basis providing support to clients and families that otherwise would not have received care. Administer injectable medications as a sole practioners continuing to follow the 5 rights of medication administration. Continue to use reflective practice on a daily bases, allowing myself to analyze the outcomes of care provided and what went well and what I can do better in the future.
• 22/11/2016, 12/05/2017, Registered Nurse, Wescott Presbyterian Aged Care, Stockton, NSW, Currently working as a Registered nurse within the Nursing Home, Hostel and Dementia unit. Ensuring residents quality of life is optimized. Attending to ACFI assessments. Attending regular health assessments for residents. Holiday relief for Hostel Manager. Manage facility after hours including all staffing for nursing, catering, ancillary services. Safety and security of residents, staff and facility. Manage all nursing staff in facility on shift. Attend daily operational management tasks after hours. Provide support and education to staff. Monitor WH&S and manual handling standards. Monitor resident health and wellbeing and perform necessary assessments as required. Provide Palliative Care to residents at end of life. Provide support and education to families and loved ones in relation to end of life care.
• 09/05/2005, 13/11/2016, Registered Nurse, Calvary Mater Hospital, Waratah, NSW, Worked as a Registered Nurse at in the Outreach Team and The Hospice at Calvary Mater Hospital. Working in both the areas of inpatient care and as part of the Outreach Nursing team. Well respected and able to work as part of a team or independently. Providing care for patients with life limiting illnesses in a caring and compassionate manner. Provides education to fellow members of staff on procedures and equipment that is used infrequently, i.e.: intrathecal infusions and access, Gemstar pumps, Male catheterization, Mc Kinley T34 infusion pumps, Grasby infusions. Provides education for staff on the use of waterlow and falls risk assessment tools. Clinical mentor for new graduate registered nurse and 3rd year nursing students. Clinical liaison with other health care professionals including Medical Practitioners, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Diversional Therapists, Pastoral Care, Social Work, Pharmacist, and other members of the nursing staff. Competently able to perform after hours management of the unit including liaising with VMO’s and NMCR. Continues to work within boundaries of professional practice. Provide symptom management strategies and liaise with medical staff. Continues to use the best evidence based practice. Continues to update skills and further education.
• 01/07/2013, 08/09/2013, Professional Development as Clinical Nurse Educator, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Implemented Clinical handover on the inpatient unit. Updated and redeveloped the competency for long term staff in the Outreach department. Updated and redeveloped the competency for new staff in the outreach department. Provided individualized professional development assistance to staff. Provided continual learning and educational needs of staff. Participated in policy development. Provided direct supervision and support to new graduate nurses on the unit. Assisted staff in recognizing their own learning needs. Facilitated staff in planning for their own future educational development opportunities.
• 16/02/2004, 08/05/2005, Registered Nurse, Hunter New England Area Health, Performed effectively as a New Graduate Registered Nurse working within current boundaries and seeking assistance as required. Continued to learn form other members of staff during my first year of practice. Complete my Post Graduate year with positive feedback for all unit concerned.
• 13/03/2000, 15/02/2004, Trainee Enrolled Nurse & Enrolled Nurse, Belmont District Hospital, Croudace Street, Belmont, NSW, Completed training through Belmont Hospital as an Enrolled Nurse in 2001. Since registration had worked the remained of employment at Belmont Hospital in the Emergency Department. Well respected within the unit and able to work as a team member unsupervised. Continued to work within the boundaries of professional practice. Demonstrates the ability to care for patients and their families in a variety of situations with honesty, compassion, dedication, reliability and integrity endeavoring to maintain patient privacy and confidentiality at all times. Was a valued member of the Emergency Department team where the situation is ever changing, therefore the staff must be able to adjust to the different environments in a busy Emergency Department. Dedicated to my role as a nurse whether it is as a student or as an Enrolled Nurse, has continued to carry a full workload at Belmont whilst undertaking the Bachelor of Nursing.

• Citizenship: Australian
• Date of Birth: 04/02/1964
• Marital Status: Married

• Vicki Lightfoot, Nurse Practitioner, Mercy Hospice, Calvary Mater Hospital, 0408959074 (Previous Manager)
• Val Szabo, Registered Nurse, Moran Aged Care, 0431576007 (Senior Register Nurse)

I have a 1931 Ford Model A car and my husband has a 1964 Ford Mustang. We enjoy driving our cars when we get the opportunity of a weekend. We enjoy walking in the bush, watching for birds and marsupials.. We has both recently registered to become wildlife rescuers and carers.