Andrew Burton is applying for a position in critical care and summarizes his qualifications. He has over two years of experience as a charge nurse in cardiothoracic intermediate care at Georgetown Hospital, recognized for Magnet status. Previously, he worked in pulmonary care. He is known for clinical judgment, leadership in emergencies, and revising processes to improve patient safety such as a labeling system ensuring proper telemetry monitoring. He advocates for patient needs and received a SPIRIT award for excellence in patient care. He is eager to utilize his skills fully in critical care and help the hospital achieve high standards.

1. Andrew Burton, RN, BSN
3460 14th
St NW Apt 355 Washington, DC 20010
703.615.9160; abovab@gmail.com
Dear Linh Nguyen,
For over two years, I have worked on Georgetown University Hospital's Cardiothoracic
Intermediate Care Unit – a 609 bed-teaching hospital recognized with Magnet Status. My roles
have included acting as charge nurse and a preceptor. Previously, I worked at Lynchburg General
Hospital on the Pulmonary floor and Pulmonary Intermediate Care Unit for a year. My desire is to
transition to a critical care setting.
While I may not have experience working in an ICU, my experience, technical skills and assets
make me a prime candidate to transition to this new role. Among my piers, I am esteemed for my
clinical judgment and critical thinking – often being sought out for advice and input by fellow
nurses. Furthermore, I am calm and collected during emergent situations and readily take a
leadership role. Several of my colleagues have commented that they “wouldn't know what to do in
an emergency without [me].” I am ready to translate these skills into a higher acuity setting.
Since beginning my nursing career, my interests have broadened from basic patient care to the
advocacy for improved processes that lead to improved patient safety. Inefficient or outdated
practices can create risk for errors or oversight, and I have revised processes or new worked on
innovations to address such issues. As an example, our unit had issues with patients, who were
ordered for telemetry, going unmonitored for extended periods. The underlying problem was there
was no easy way to discern those who were ordered for telemetry from those who were not. I
developed a simple labeling system for the telemetry monitors that would inform nurses if a
patient was ordered for telemetry or pulse oximetry. Since its implementation, this system has
proven effective in ensuring patients are properly monitored.
I take a patient-oriented focus to nursing by focusing on the individual needs and demands of
each patient and their family. Every patient should be treated with kindness and respect, and it is
important to both involve patients' families in their loved one's care and promote patient
independence and self-determination. I am strong advocate for my patients' needs in open
discussion with doctors and others involved in their care. I often receive compliments by patients
on my professionalism and excellent care, and I recently received a SPIRIT award in recognition
of my excellence in patient care.
I am eager for the opportunity to work in a critical care setting where I can fully utilize my skills as
a nurse. I believe my experience and skills make me well suited for this position. Given the
opportunity, I work diligently to adapt quickly to this new environment while actively promoting
increased patient safety on a unit and hospital-wide scale. In this way, I believe I can help help
Northwest Hospital achieve its high standards of care. Feel free to contact me at 703.615.9160 or
abovab@gmail.com with any questions.
Sincerely,
Andrew Burton