Pamela Bearden MSN, RN, CCDS

Currently serving as an inpatient Clinical Documentation Specialist

• Carefully reviews patient charts for clarity on diseases, diagnoses and procedures to determine quality of care.
• Questions physicians regarding missing or unclear health record documentation and requests further information for clarification purposes.
• Educates physicians on the importance of accurate and clear documentation.
• Identifies and reviews hospital acquired conditions as well as patient safety indicators and sends them for second level physician review.
• Communicates with coding staff when there is a discrepancy in capture of ICD 10 codes, ICD 10 PCS codes, or selection of principal diagnosis.
• Serves as a member on the Mortality Task Force with physicians from ICU, ER, surgery and medicine as well as coding staff to review facility SMR 30.
• Performs audits on all inpatient moralities reviewing the case for missing/incorrect ICD 10 codes and ICD 10 PCS codes as well as any opportunities for queries before the HIMS coding staff completes coding of the chart.
• Serves as a member of the Surgery Capture Committee to ensure that surgeries are captured correctly in the inpatient vs outpatient setting.

Served as the Nurse Case Manager Team Lead for the Heart and Vascular ICCE (Integrated Centers of Clinical Excellence).

• Performed all functions of a nurse case manager.
• Supervised three nurse case managers and three social workers on heart and vascular team.
• Approved time off requests and maintained monthly calendar.
• Provided daily update to members of Heart and Vascular team regarding staffing, assignments, scheduling, and coverage.
• Precepted and mentored new employees.
• Tasked with completing monthly rounding on team members.
• Completed monthly audits with a concentration on required CMS documentation. Gave ongoing feedback to team members regarding job performance.
• Monitored estimated dates of discharge documentation to ensure that they were being placed within 24 hours of patient admissions.
• Assessed avoidable day documentation to identify trends in delay of discharges.
• Elevated difficult discharge issues to the Director of Case Management or associate Chief Medical Officer to identify solutions that would allow patients both a timely and safe discharge plan.
• Participated in weekly meetings with ICCE chief, ICCE administrator, physician champion, and nurse managers in order to reduce length of stay and readmissions for current inpatients on the heart and vascular services.
• Participated in three times monthly Leadership meetings with associate Chief Medical Officer, Director of Case Management, Managers, and other Team Leads within the Case Management department.
• Served in a combined role of Nurse Case Manager and Utilization Review Nurse until February 2017.

Served as a Nurse Case Manager for a variety of clinically complex patient populations including general surgery, general medicine, and cardiology.

• Developed and implemented a plan of care to achieve clinical outcomes and promote a safe and timely hospital discharge for clinically complex patients.
• Assessed patients and families to determine clinical, psychological, financial, and social issues that impact discharge planning.
• Used critical thinking to identify potential barriers to discharge early in hospitalization, and collaborates with interdisciplinary team to optimize the best discharge plan to meet the patient's needs.
• Communicated frequently with home health, hospice, IV infusion, and DME companies to coordinate services needed for patients based on individual needs.
• Documented variance tracking including readmissions, delays of discharge, and avoidable days.
• Precepted and mentored new employees.
• Updated estimated date of discharge daily to allow ancillary services such as pharmacy, echo, and radiology to anticipate discharges to avoid delays in discharge.
• Served in a combined role of Nurse Case Manager and Utilization Review Nurse beginning in October 2013.
• Completed federal, managed, and commercial insurance reviews for admission, continued stay, and discharge. Worked closely with precertification department and program coordinators to ensure an accurate and compliant billing process.
• Conducted utilization management reviews on new admissions and continued stay reviews.

Served as a heart transplant coordinator for a dynamic academic medical center.

• Assessed and treated patients in heart failure clinic in conjunction with supervising physician.
• Followed patients in the heart transplant clinic including adjusting immunosuppressant medications and coordinating their care with outside agencies.
• Assisted in gathering information for work up of patients needing heart transplants.
• Education of patients with heart failure regarding disease progression and post heart transplant needs.
• Assisted in development of LVAD program. 
• Participated in weekly Selection Committee meeting with heart failure attendings, cardiothoracic surgeons, dietitian, psychologist, financial counselors, and other heart transplant coordinators to discuss patients' candidacy for heart transplant and/or LVAD.
• Completed Certified Clinical Transplant Coordinator Certification. 

Served as a registered nurse in a cardiac intensive care unit. 

• Discussed cases with physicians and other health professionals to prepare comprehensive patient care plans.
• Performed tests and treatments including EKGs, arterial sheath removal, and care of swan ganz catheters and intra-aortic balloon pumps.
• Provided clinical care encompassing both acute and chronic medical conditions and injuries, admission and daily assessments, and discharge education.
• Precepted and mentored new CVICU nurses.
• Qualified charge nurse.
• Member of Rapid Response Team 
• Completed NIH Stroke Scale training
• Maintained ACLS certification.

Served as a registered nurse on a 14-bed telemetry unit.

• Discussed cases with physicians and other health professionals to prepare comprehensive patient care plans.
• Educated patients about disease prevention and health promotion activities.
• Performed tests and treatments including EKGs, arterial sheath removal, and cardioversions.
• Precepted and mentored new nurses to the unit. 
• Qualified charge nurse.
• Maintained ACLS certification.

Served as a clinical adjunct for groups of students working toward their associate degree in nursing. 

• Assisted students with day to day care of cardiology patients on a 26 bed telemetry unit. 
• Facilitated group discussions to link information taught in class to real life examples. 
• Evaluated students and provided feedback throughout the term. 

Served as a registered nurse in  an adult cardiothoracic intensive care unit.

• Assessed and managed critically ill cardiothoracic patients postoperatively following chest surgeries including CABG, valve replacement/repair, repair of aortic aneurysms, and/or heart transplants. 
• Managed equipment including ventilators, chest tubes and surgical drains, swan ganz catheters with cardiac monitoring, and multiple vasoactive medication drips. 
• Qualified charge nurse. 
• Maintained ACLS certification.