Debbie TUCKER
Kincumber,NSW
Summary
Dynamic multi-skilled Clinical Nurse Consultant (level 3) and Clinical Lead for a State wide telepsychiatry outreach service, with post-graduate psychology qualifications. Extensive experience at NSW Health, with expertise in comprehensive psychological evaluation and treatment planning, telehealth service delivery, service development, clinical governance, education, model of care formulation, policy and procedure. Strengths in interdisciplinary collaboration and networking, application of evidence-based practice, working cohesively in a team environment and leadership. Known for ability to engage in proactive critical thinking and problem-solving to achieve best outcomes for consumers with a passion for service development in the mental health space.
Overview
36
36
years of professional experience
Work History
Clinical Nurse Consultant/ Clinical Lead
NSW Health
10.2020 - Current
- Undertake complex comprehensive mental health assessments and provide care recommendations to referrers and consumers to optimize clinical outcomes and access to appropriate care where there are moderate to severe or complex mental health concerns.
- Provide expansive clinical consultancy and liaison to multiple service groups across NSW.
- Clinical services planning, development and management.
- Work in partnership with multidisciplinary teams across NSW to enhance consumer care.
- Serve as a clinical resource to clinicians throughout NSW.
- Multi-disciplinary workforce education and up-skilling.
- Clinical supervision for senior clinicians and mentoring for new clinicians.
- Continuous quality improvement.
- Devise and implement policy and procedure.
- Apply evidence based research and best practice to contemporary clinical practice.
- Leadership in state and national specialist clinical groups.
- Good communication and alignment with clinical and corporate governance.
Clinical Nurse Consultant
NSW Health
07.2014 - 10.2020
- Developed and implemented training programs for nursing personnel in specialized areas.
- Provided expert consultation on complex cases, influencing treatment decisions and care pathways.
- Mentored newly hired nurses, ensuring proper orientation to facility procedures and fostering professional growth through ongoing support.
- Fostered a culture of continuous learning within the clinical team by sharing best practices and encouraging open communication on opportunities for improvement.
- Implemented quality improvement initiatives aimed at enhancing the overall standard of patient care throughout the facility- complex care meetings.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to enhance patient outcomes and safety standards.
- Engaged in and promoted contemporaneous documentation.
- Clinical resource for the local health district.
- Created educational information for consumers.
Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Clinician
NSW Health
04.2013 - 07.2014
- Delivered evidence-based therapeutic interventions to support client mental health and well-being.
- Conducted comprehensive assessments to identify client needs and develop individualized treatment plans.
- Facilitated group therapy sessions, promoting peer support and fostering a collaborative environment.
- Monitored client progress, adjusting treatment strategies based on ongoing evaluations and feedback.
- Coordinated with multidisciplinary teams to ensure integrated care delivery and improved patient outcomes.
- Conducted thorough assessments to diagnose mental health disorders and develop appropriate treatment plans.
- Evaluated treatment outcomes using standardized assessment tools and adjusting therapeutic interventions accordingly for optimal results.
- Coordinated referrals to community resources, addressing clients'' social determinants of health needs effectively.
- Participated actively in weekly case conferences discussing progress/needs of clients to inform overall treatment approach.
- Advocated for clients'' needs within the broader mental health system, ensuring access to necessary services and resources.
- Prepared reports to summarize clients' mental health status and treatment progress.
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Registered Nurse
NSW Health
09.2001 - 04.2013
- Administered complex medications and treatments to critically ill neonates in accordance with established protocols.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to develop and implement individualized care plans for NICU patients.
- Monitored vital signs and conducted thorough assessments to ensure optimal patient outcomes and timely interventions.
- Educated families on neonatal care practices, fostering trust and enhancing overall patient support systems.
- Administered comprehensive neonatal care, monitoring vital signs and responding to critical changes in patient conditions.
- Mentored junior nursing staff, providing guidance on best practices and fostering a supportive learning environment.
- Team leader
- Led quality improvement initiatives that streamlined workflows and increased efficiency within the NICU setting.
- Cultivated strong relationships with parents and caregivers, providing emotional support throughout their infant''s NICU stay.
- Supported breastfeeding mothers by providing lactation assistance and education on breast milk expression techniques for their hospitalized infants.
- Assisted with complex procedures such as intubation, umbilical line placement, and lumbar punctures to ensure optimal patient outcomes.
- Maintained accurate documentation of patient assessments, interventions, progress, and discharge planning in electronic medical records systems.
- Actively participated in daily rounds with physicians, offering insights on patient progress from a nursing perspective to inform decision-making processes.
- Assessed patient pain levels using validated tools and provided appropriate interventions for pain management, ensuring optimal comfort during procedures and recovery periods.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to develop and implement individualized care plans.
Clinical Coordinator, Clinical Educator, CNS
NSW Health
11.1989 - 09.2001
- Assisted in the management of a 27 bed intensive care unit, acted in the Nurse Unit Manager role as required.
- Coordinated day to day running of the unit, managing referrals, discharges, staff of up to 14 registered nurses plus ancillary staff. High level managerial and problem-solving skills.
- Very high degree of clinical skills, critical thinking, team work and multi-disciplinary liaison.
- Supervised and managed daily activities of clinical team consisting of physicians, nurses, and support staff.
- Ensured compliance with regulatory standards and best practices through diligent oversight of clinical procedures, documentation, and staff training.
- Coordinated, monitored, assigned, and documented patient and clinical care activities.
- Implemented new policies and educated staff on changes.
- Optimized resource allocation by regularly monitoring clinic operations and adjusting staffing levels as needed.
- Resource management - ordering stock, arranging equipment repairs, sourcing urgent supplies.
- Mentored junior staff members, fostering a culture of professional growth and continuous improvement within the clinical team.
- Coordinated patient care activities, ensuring seamless communication among healthcare teams
- Implemented process improvements to enhance operational efficiency and patient satisfaction
- Developed training programs for new clinical staff, fostering skill development and compliance
- Championed a positive work environment by fostering open dialogue between educators, clinicians, administrators, and other stakeholders involved in the delivery of patient care.
- Evaluated clinical competencies of staff members, identifying areas for improvement and providing targeted training solutions.
- Boosted employee retention through engaging professional development opportunities focused on skill enhancement and career growth.
Education
Master of Professional Psychology -
University of New England
Armidale04-2017
Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Practice -
University of New England
Armidale04-2014
Bachelor of Psychology (Hons, First Class) -
University of New England
Armidale04-2013
Graduate Diploma Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing -
University of Technology Sydney
Sydney, NSW04-1993
Diploma of Applied Science (nursing) -
University of Technology Sydney
Sydney, NSW04-1988
Skills
- Clinical assessment
- Healthcare management
- Ethical practice
- Professional networking
- Interdisciplinary collaboration
- Advanced nursing practice
- Clinical decision making
- Clinical leadership
- Patient education
- Care coordination
- EMR systems
- Team development
- Clinical quality improvement
- Care planning and management
- Staff education
- Evidence-based practice
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Problem-solving
- Attention to detail
- Time management
- Multitasking
- Reliability
- Excellent communication
- Critical thinking
- Organizational skills
- Diagnosis and treatment
- Patient assessments
- Interpersonal skills
- Analytical thinking
- Professionalism
Accomplishments
Development of a new model of care and clinical governance framework.
Completed a service evaluation and publication in conjunction with the University of NSW.
Chair of various committees across NSW Health.
Conference speaker - domestic and international.
Clinical supervisor.
Developed and ran workforce education workshops.
Timeline
Clinical Nurse Consultant/ Clinical Lead
NSW Health
10.2020 - Current
Clinical Nurse Consultant
NSW Health
07.2014 - 10.2020
Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Clinician
NSW Health
04.2013 - 07.2014
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Registered Nurse
NSW Health
09.2001 - 04.2013
Clinical Coordinator, Clinical Educator, CNS
NSW Health
11.1989 - 09.2001
Master of Professional Psychology -
University of New England
Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Practice -
University of New England
Bachelor of Psychology (Hons, First Class) -
University of New England
Graduate Diploma Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing -
University of Technology Sydney
Diploma of Applied Science (nursing) -
University of Technology Sydney
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