Dr. Brenda Tousley
DNP, CNS, ACCNS-AG, AGCNS-BC, ASC-BC, CLNC




Brenda Tousley RN, CNS, ACCNS-AG, AGCNS-BC, CLNC
Professional Summary:
Experienced Clinical Nurse Specialist, bedside critical care nurse, and nurse educator proficient in ensuring high standards of competent care for a wide variety of patients with diverse needs. Passionate and motivated, with a drive for excellence. Excellent communication and problem solving skills.
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Strong clinical judgment
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Excellent communication skills
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Professional bedside manner
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High level of autonomy
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Patient / family focused
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Adept at prioritizing/managing deadlines
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Problem solver
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Excellent educator of staff nurses, students and patients/families
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Board certified Clinical Nurse Specialist (AGCNS-BC, ACCNS-AG)
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Board certified critical care nurse (CCRN-K)
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Board certified acute stroke coordinator (ASC-BC)
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Mentor and advocate for evidence based practice
Experience
North Colorado Medical Center; Greeley, CO United States
Clinical RN Stroke Program Manager October 2019 - Present
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Responsible for program management and development for Joint Commission Certified Primary Stroke Center
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Provide leadership through coaching and mentoring of staff and providers to assure evidence-based quality stroke care
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Leadership for performance improvement activities to assure maintenance of certification
Front Range Community College; Colorado Community College System
Faculty, RN-BSN Completion Program January 2020 - Present
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Development of online courses for RN-BSN completion program
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Online teaching for RNs and dually-enrolled ADN nursing students
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Includes providing feedback and grading weekly assignments
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Provide clinical oversight for practicum experiences
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Actively participate in program improvement and accreditation activities
Banner Ft. Collins Medical Center; Greeley, CO United States
RN House Senior Manager February 2016 – October 2019
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Assure appropriate staffing to provide safe, competent and efficient care throughout the facility.
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Serve as resource to staff, families, and providers to help resolve conflict or concerns. Understand and use the appropriate chain of command as needed.
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Interpret policy & procedure to facilitate safe, effective, efficient and timely patient care.
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Assure understanding and compliance with regulatory standards by all staff and providers. Support and encourage continuous quality improvement activities.
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Provide leadership through coaching and mentoring of staff; support a culture of learning. Function as a role model and encourage staff to participate in their own development.
North Colorado Medical Center; Greeley, CO United States
Staff Nurse Critical Care Float Pool March 2014 – February 2016
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Provide bedside care to critical care patients, assessing, monitoring and individualizing the plan of care to assure optimal outcomes.
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Provide education to patients and families on plan of care while hospitalized, medications, tests and procedures and discharge instructions.
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Areas of responsibility include the Intensive Care Unit, CardioVascular Care Unit, Western States Burn Center and the Emergency Department.
Clinical Nurse Specialist July 2011 – March 2014
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Provide specialized direct and indirect care to acute and critically ill patients.
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Mentor and coach staff to improve their clinical inquiry and critical thinking skills.
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Collaborate with other health care professionals and service providers to ensure optimal patient care.
Clinical Nurse Specialist January 2002 - July 2004
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Responsible for the care of cardiovascular surgical patients; duties included rounding on patients with the CV surgeons, writing orders, provided education to both patients and staff to assure competent safe care.
Registered Nurse June 1992 - January 2002
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Provided bedside care to critical care patients, assessing, monitoring and individualizing the plan of care to assure optimal outcomes. Case management of diverse patient populations to ensure they received the proper care and treatment through the continuum of care. Data analyst for Project Impact within the critical care unit; providing insight into the care provided and identification of opportunities for improvement of care at the bedside by nursing and physicians. Interim manager for brief stint.
Front Range Community College; Ft. Collins, CO United States
Adjunct Clinical Faculty August 2006 – May 2013
Adjunct Clinical Faculty August 2014 - May 2019
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Supervise students' laboratory and clinical work.
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Evaluate students' performance in the clinical setting.
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Provide oversight and one on one education to 6-8 nursing students in the clinical setting.
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Foster clinical inquiry and critical thinking skills in student nurses.
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Create a safe environment that is conducive to learning.
McKee Medical Center; Loveland, CO United States
Clinical Nurse Specialist July 2004 - July 2011
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Provide specialized direct and indirect care to acute and critically ill patients admitted to intensive care and progressive care units.
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Mentor and coach staff to improve their clinical inquiry and critical thinking skills.
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Collaborate with other health care professionals and service providers to ensure optimal patient care.
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Also functioned as interim manager at various times throughout my tenure at McKee. As interim manager I provided oversight of the unit, assuring both quality of care and adequacy of staffing.
Cross Country Travel, United States
Critical Care Nurse August 1991 – May 1992
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Provided bedside care to critical care patients, assessing, monitoring and individualizing the plan of care to assure optimal patient outcomes.
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Collaborate with other health care professionals and service providers to ensure optimal patient care.
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Provided education to patients and families on plan of care while hospitalized, medications, tests and procedures and discharge instructions.
Ireland Army Community Hospital, Ft. Knox, KY
Army Nurse Corp October 1987 – June 1991
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Provide specialized direct and indirect care to acute and critically ill patients admitted to intensive care and progressive care units.
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Mentor and coach staff to improve their clinical inquiry and critical thinking skills.
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Collaborate with other health care professionals and service providers to ensure optimal patient care.
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As a member of the Army Nurse Corp, learned leadership skills, quality improvement and providing patient care in less than ideal circumstances.
Education
University of Colorado; Aurora, CO United States Post Master’s Certificate – Adult Gerontology CNS August 2014
Doctor of Nursing Practice Fall 2014-Spring 2018
University of Northern Colorado; Greeley, CO United States
MS/Nursing – CNS Education & Chronic Illness focus December 1998
BS/Nursing June 1987
Professional affiliations
National Alliance of Certified Legal Nurse Consultants
American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants
American Association of Critical Care Nurses
Volunteer, Virtual Exam Development Committee, 2016
Volunteer, Continuing Education Review Panel, 2010-present
Volunteer, ECCO 3.0 Advisory Group 2014-present
Reviewer, AACN Scope & Standards of Acute and Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist Practice, 2009
Member and Officer, Northern Colorado Chapter AACN,
President, Northern Colorado Chapter AACN, 2009
Secretary, Northern Colorado Chapter AACN, 2007 and 2008
Member, AACN Awards Review Committee, 2006-2007
Member, AACN Advanced Practice Advisory Team, July 2001-2002
Secretary, High Plains Chapter, AACN
National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists
Member, NACNS Research and Practice Committee, 2001-2002
Member, NACNS Legislative/Regulatory Committee, 2001-2002
Banner Ft. Collins Medical Center
Co-lead, NoCo Region Sepsis Core Measure Committee, 2015-2016
Member, NoCo Region Restraint Regulatory Committee, 2015-2016
Member, Banner Health NEC Clinical Practice & Patient Safety Committee
North Colorado Medical Center
Chair, Banner Health CNS Committee, 2015
Facilitator, Reigniting the Spirit of Caring
Chair, Patient Care Service Executive Council, 1999-2002
Member, North Colorado Medical Center Bioethics Committee, 2001-2004
Member, North Colorado Medical Center Institutional Review Board, 1999-2004
Co-Coordinator, Annual ‘Heart Care Conference’, 1998-2004
McKee Medical Center
Held various shared leadership positions
Peer Review (mentor and member)
Practice (mentor for unit based and member of housewide)
Policy & Procedure (chair)
Magnet (member and lead for 2 forces)
Facilitator, Reigniting the Spirit of Caring
Other Affiliations
Member, User’s Group Planning Committee, Project IMPACT, Inc. 1999-2002
Director, 2nd Annual Combat and Disaster Nursing Symposium, US Army
Professional Presentations
Podium presentation, ‘Oh, the lessons we learned! The trials and tribulations of increasing sepsis bundle compliance and improve patient outcomes’ at 31st Annual Rocky Mountain Interprofessional Research and Evidence-based Practice conference – April 2019
Clinical Vignette, ‘Using PI to Impact Cost & Quality’ presented at
5th Annual Project Impact User’s Group Meeting, 2001
Poster Presentation, ‘Rocket Rounds’ presented at 4th Annual Project Impact
User’s Group Meeting, 2000
Poster Presentation, ‘Eliminating VAP in ICU’ presented at the 2nd Annual
Research Conference, 2006
Break-out session, ‘ResearchQuest – A research ‘road trip’ presented at the 4th
Annual Research Conference, 2008
One-day seminar for PESI Healthcare, Patient Crisis: Identifying signs and symptoms
before the patient crashes, 2009-2010
Research
Co-Principal Investigator, McKee Medical Center 2008-2009
Perceptions of Caring by staff nurses and patients