This document is a resume for Angela A. Tennis, an experienced registered nurse with over 10 years of experience working in neonatal intensive care units and post-partum/special care nurseries. She has extensive experience caring for infants with congenital heart defects and other medical conditions. She is skilled in critical care, patient/family education, and leading practice improvements. She currently works as a staff nurse at Agnesian Healthcare in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, where she helped establish a new special care nursery.

1. ANGELA A. TENNIS, RN BSN
388E 2nd
Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin 54935
920-266-8076  tennisa@agnesian.com
LinkedIn Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/tennisangela
QUALIFICATIONS PROFILE
Experienced Critical Care Registered Nurse dedicated to quality patient care, improving patient/family
education and satisfaction. Possess a strong personal interest for improving patient outcomes for all
children, most specifically for patients with Congenital Heart Defects. Strong patient/family advocate with
a drive to continually search for innovative practice changes to improve patient care and overall outcomes
at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. Helped the startup of the new Special Care Nursery using my
experiences at CHW to choose protocols, provided education to staff and much more.
 Exceptional ability to prioritize patient need and organize the management of multiple
patients with rapidly changing needs.
 Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively among multiple disciplines, coordinate
family centered care, and perform as an effective patient advocate.
 Exceptional knowledge base of healthcare needs for the cardiac population, as well as a
personal understanding concerning the needs and struggles of the families of those patients.
Demonstrated tirelessly and enthusiastic pursuit of continued education concerning care of
patients with Congenital Heart Defects. Often cited as a resource for the Cardiac patient
population by others within the NICU, including those in management and the medical staff.
 Displayed astounding flexibility to assist in meeting the demands of a unit and hospital with
continuously changing patient need. Admitted and discharged at moment’s notice, agreed to
multiple assignment changes in a single shift, floated willing to the Cardiac unit on multiple
occasions, as well as assisted ancillary staff with duties during downtime to aide in the
overall satisfaction of patient care.
 Exhibited initiative in creating alternative care practices to meet specific patients’ needs.
Independently created new patient care plans and effectively communicated rational for the
changes to support staff and patient families, often with amazing acceptance by those
involved with the patient’s care.
 Show initiative and leadership as a resource and support for the development of a more
advanced Special Care Nursery at Agnesian. Enthusiastically educate co-workers,
Pediatricians, as well as families struggling. Share frequently improvements identified in the
areas of patient outcome and safety needed to increase the level of care provided.
 Encourage and support change initiatives with staff education and psychological support
often critically required for change success. Exhibit positive attitudes to change eagerly
offering solutions to care practice change barriers and staff resistance. Encouraged transition
to Mom/Baby care vs. separate post-partum/ nursery nurse care environment when resistance
to change was high and staff demonstrated negative and defiant behaviors in addition to
increasing the level of care provided to infants born with special needs.
 Excel in compassion, education, and emotional support for parents of drug addicted infants.
Provide positive reinforcement and educate often concerning the discomfort and risks to

2. infant our main focus of our care rather than parental rights decisions. Often create a trusting
relationship as a result, increasing the impact of education provided as well as honesty.
Certifications and Proficiencies
Certifications: Registered Nursing License, 156653 State of Wisconsin; NRP Certified
2015; CPR Certified 2015, S.T.A.B.L.E Certified 2014; Cardiac S.T.A.B.L.E completed at
CHW.
Proficiencies: Patient/family education; Critical Care skills (central line care, intra-cardiac line
care, epidurals, proficient use of cardiac medications, sedation, arterial line monitoring and lab
draws; respiratory support including Heated High Flow Nasal Cannula, CPAP, Trach/vent,
oscillators, and conventional ventilators, numerous enteral feeding devices, drains, chest tubes,
pneumothorax needle assistance etc…); staff training; electronic and paper documentation;
creating care plans; developmental care plans; cue based feeding; coordinating care conferences;
end of life cares, etc… Staff education and development of practice changes and protocol
review.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 1/200708/2011
Staff Nurse, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Serve as staff nurse in the NICU caring for critically ill infants with a wide range of birth defects and
illnesses including; congenital heart defect pre and post-surgical care, acute congestive failure,
prematurity (including micro-preemies as young as 22 weeks gestation), various GI defects and infections,
omphalocele, gastroschisis and silo care, RDS, hypoplastic lungs, diaphragmatic hernia, polycystic kidney
and dialysis, neurological defects/disorders, seizure detection and care, VP Shunt management, cooling
protocol care and initiation, hematological disorders, skin disorders/defects, infants with multiple system
defects, genetic disorders, Beckwith Wiedemann Syndrome, Turner’s Syndrome, Marfan’s Syndrome,
Trisomy 21 and 18, spina-bifida, mylomenengocele care pre-op, post-surgical care, post-procedure care
(procedures include: PDA ligation, Atrial septostomy, pulmonary stenting, pulmonary balloon or
valvotomy, heart catheterization, Bi-directional Glenn Post-op care,Fontan completion Post-op care, laser
eye surgery, osteogenesis imperfect, amniotic banding, cloaca, epidermolysis bullosa, tracheal agenesis
type IV, craniofacial deformities from cleft lip and palate, Pierre Robin, Choanal Atresia, congenital
herpes culture and care, etc..) patient family education; staff education; postmortem cares; palliative care:
lactation assistance and support; among many other duties.
 Well known for exceptional ability for working with families in crisis and who demonstrated
dysfunctional coping mechanisms. Often worked closely with management, security, hospital
executives), unit nursing and medical directors, social work, phycologists, child life,
multidisciplinary medical staff etc…providing exceptional care to these families, while
maintaining hospital integrity. In addition, include cost consideration and stewardship when
providing care above and beyond expectation to families such as this.
 Often cited as a resource for the Cardiac patient population by others on my unit, including those
in management and the medical staff. Chosen as a Cardiac preceptor, from a staff of 150+ nurses

3. with experience ranging from 1-20 years, for a pilot orientation format that was diagnosis specific.
The coordinators chose preceptors thought to be most proficient with that diagnosis.
Agnesian Healthcare, Wisconsin, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin 12/2012-Current
Staff Nurse, Post-Partum/Special Care Nursery
Special Care Nursery (Provide Advanced Respiratory Support up to CPAP with Cardio Respiratory
Monitoring/Care of Premature Infants >34 Weeks Gestation/Phototherapy/IV antibiotics/Management
of Infants during Withdrawal/Assist UVC Placement/Assist with Stabilization and Care of Infant with
Pneumothorax/Resuscitation and Stabilization of Newborns that demonstrate difficult transition or
advanced neonatal distress etc...), Provide pre-transport stabilization and preparation for more critical
infants. Special Care Nursery Task Force, Special Care Nursery Subcommittee, Mom/Baby Care,
delivery resuscitation and assessment of healthy newborns, OB Medical/Surgical RN, Postpartum RN,
S.T.A.B.L.E Support Instructor, Care for Infants Born to Opioid Addicted Mothers. Worked in post-
partum performing Mother/Baby care providing both care of self and infant postnatal, monitor new
mother’s for complications such as hemorrhage and infection, and provide breast feeding assistance
newborn care education to new parents. Caring for mothers post Cesarean section, management of
mothers receiving magnesium infusions, and deliver blood transfusions.
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
Bachelor of Science in Nursing, BSN (2006)
UW OSHKOSH – Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Licensure
Registered Nurse (RN), State of Wisconsin
Bachelor of Science in Biology with Microbiology Minor (2004)
UW OSHKOSH – Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Associate ofScience, Art and Science (Ethnic Studies) (1999)
UWC-FOND DU LAC –FOND DU LAC, Wisconsin
REFERENCE
Available upon request.