Elena Vasquez, RN, MSN

Senior Critical Care Nurse · ICU & Rapid Response

elena.vasquez@email.com  ·  (312) 774-5530  ·  Chicago, IL  ·  linkedin.com/in/elenavasquez

Licenses & Certifications

RN License: Illinois Board of Nursing · No. [XXXXXXX] · Exp. [MM/YYYY] · Compact: Yes  ·  CCRN — AACN  ·  BLS — AHA  ·  ACLS — AHA  ·  TNCC — ENA  ·  NIH Stroke Scale

Summary

Critical care nurse with 9 years managing complex, high-acuity patients in ICU and rapid response settings across Level I trauma centers. Consistent record of stabilising deteriorating patients, leading unit-wide quality initiatives, and mentoring the next generation of clinical nurses. Brings the precision of an intensivist and the composure of someone who has run a code at 3am more times than she can count.

Clinical Skills

Critical Care: Ventilator Management, Hemodynamic Monitoring, Vasoactive Drip Titration, Arterial Lines  ·  Procedures: Vascular Access, CLABSI Prevention, Rapid Response, Code Leadership  ·  Systems: Epic, Cerner  ·  Leadership: Charge Nurse, Preceptorship, Protocol Development

Experience

Lead Critical Care RN — Medical ICU

Northwestern Memorial Hospital · Chicago, IL | Jun 2019 – Present

1. Managed care for 2–3 ventilator-dependent MICU patients per shift with average APACHE II score of 24, maintaining unit mortality rate 11% below national benchmark.
2. Championed early mobility protocol for intubated patients, reducing average ICU length of stay by 1.8 days and ventilator-associated pneumonia rate by 44% over 12 months.
3. Served as rapid response team lead for a 420-bed facility, responding to an average of 9 activations per week with code-to-stabilisation time consistently under 4 minutes.
4. Precepted 11 new ICU nurses through a 16-week critical care orientation; 10 remain in the unit with an average tenure of 3.2 years.
5. Co-authored sepsis bundle compliance initiative raising adherence from 61% to 94% within two quarters, earning unit NDNQI recognition for clinical excellence.

Registered Nurse — Surgical ICU

Rush University Medical Center · Chicago, IL | Aug 2016 – May 2019

1. Provided post-operative critical care for cardiothoracic, vascular, and transplant surgical patients, managing hemodynamic monitoring and vasoactive drip titration across a 24-bed SICU.
2. Reduced central line-associated bloodstream infection rate by 67% by leading a CLABSI prevention task force that revised insertion and maintenance protocols hospital-wide.
3. Received DAISY Award in 2018 for extraordinary patient and family-centred care during a prolonged multi-organ failure case.

Staff Registered Nurse — Medical-Surgical

Advocate Lutheran General Hospital · Park Ridge, IL | Sep 2014 – Jul 2016

1. Delivered care to 6–8 patients per shift on a high-volume 36-bed med-surg floor, consistently scoring in the 90th percentile for patient satisfaction on Press Ganey surveys.
2. Floated to step-down and telemetry units managing cardiac monitoring for up to 10 patients with zero adverse rhythm events attributable to delayed recognition.

Education

MSN, Nursing Leadership & AdministrationDePaul University · Chicago, IL | May 2019

Thesis: Reducing ICU Readmission Through Structured Nurse-to-Nurse Handoff Protocols

BSN, NursingUniversity of Illinois at Chicago | May 2014

Magna Cum Laude · GPA: 3.8 / 4.0

Awards & Professional Development

CCRN Recertification — Critical Care RNAACN · 2023

NDNQI Unit Recognition — Clinical ExcellencePress Ganey · 2022

DAISY Award for Extraordinary NursingRush University Medical Center · 2018