Leslie Smith
Germantown
Summary
Clinical nursing specialist with strong foundation in patient care and medical knowledge. Proven ability to enhance clinical outcomes through collaboration and adaptability. Skilled in patient assessment, treatment planning, and evidence-based practice. Recognized for reliability and efficiency in dynamic healthcare environment.
Overview
39
39
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Clinical Nurse Specialist
National Institutes of Health
09.2014 - Current
- Mentored nursing staff through professional development opportunities, enhancing their skill sets and competencies.
- Maintained professional development by attending relevant conferences, workshops, and seminars, staying informed on emerging trends and best practices within the nursing field.
- Served as a clinical expert resource for fellow nurses, fostering a collaborative work environment focused on ongoing learning and growth.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to provide holistic care and improve patient satisfaction.
- Implemented quality improvement initiatives that led to measurable enhancements in patient safety and satisfaction levels.
- Assessed the effectiveness of existing clinical procedures using data analysis techniques, identifying areas for potential improvement or optimization.
- Contributed to policy development within the organization by providing valuable insights from a nursing perspective.
- Improved patient outcomes by implementing evidence-based care practices and clinical guidelines.
- Facilitated training sessions for new hires, ensuring they were well-equipped to perform their duties efficiently and safely.
- Assessed patient conditions by performing thorough examinations and asking appropriate medical questions.
- Evaluated patient progress and responses to various treatments.
- Oversaw various projects including patient sign installation and replacement of closed system transfer device
- Interdisciplinary team member on toilet lid installation group to protect staff and patients against multi drug resistant organisms and hazardous drugs.
Nursing Director, Medical Oncology/Hematology Unit
Washington Hospital Center
09.2013 - 09.2014
- Manager of hematology/medical oncology unit
- Increased retention of staff
- Improved nurse sensitive outcomes such as decreasing falls rate and central line infection rate
- Improved engagement of nursing staff in unit governance
- Monitored unit budget to ensure financial objectives were met.
- Increased HCAHPS scores in areas of pain control, nurse communication, response time
Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist
Washington Hospital Center
10.2010 - 09.2013
- Clinical Nurse Specialist for inpatient units including medical and surgical oncology as well as ambulatory care at Washington Cancer Institute.
- Co-chair of Nursing Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI) Committee which developed Vascular Access Device Policy, initiated education of nursing staff in care of central lines, and monitored CLABSI rates and auditing of central lines. This initiative has resulted in an 80%
decrease of CLABSIs throughout the hospital and standardization of central line care. - Development of Oncology Nursing Bridge Program at Washington Hospital Center.
- Instructor of ONS Chemotherapy, Introduction to Oncology Nursing, and Oncology Certification Review courses
- Assisted with Commission on Cancer (CoC) Accreditation
- Assisted with National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) accreditation
- Assisted with the Quality Oncology Program Initiative (QOPI) accreditation
- Developed oncology nursing competencies for MedStar Washington Hospital Center
- Oversaw Washington Hospital Center's Oncology Nursing Policies and Procedures.
- Co-chair of the Falls Performance Improvement Committee.
- Peer Review Committee member
- Assisted oncology units with developing staffing plans
- Assisted with development of Nursing Navigator Model of Care
- Provided education to nurses in non-oncology areas that administer chemotherapy and biotherapy.
- Rotated through Rapid Response and Code Blue Team.
Staff Nurse
The Arthur G. James Comprehensive Cancer Center
11.1991 - 09.2013
- Staff nurse on an inpatient hematology unit for patients diagnosed with acute and chronic leukemias, lymphoma or multiple myeloma
- Provided nursing care for patients participating in Phase I, II or III clinical trials.
- Cared for telemetry patients and those receiving cardiac drips, vasopressors and inotropes.
- Charge nurse on various shifts.
- Unit council member and chair.
- Preceptor for new nurses and nursing students.
- Chair Nursing Research Council.
Infusion Nurse Manager
University Home Care
01.1998 - 01.2005
- Manager for infusion team of home care agency.
- Liaison between nursing, physicians and pharmacy.
- Oversaw all infusion patients admitted to agency.
- Developed chemotherapy and infusion policies for agency according to Oncology Nursing Society and Infusion Nursing Society standards.
- Responsible for quality improvement related to infusion.
Staff Nurse
Ohio State University Medical Center
06.1986 - 11.1991
- Staff nurse on an endocrine/ general medicine unit.
- Charge nurse on various shifts.
- Preceptor for new nursing staff
Education
Doctor of Nursing Practice - Executive Leadership
George Washington University
Washington, DC05-2021
Master of Science - Adult Clinical Nurse Specialist
Mount Carmel School of Nursing
Columbus, OH05-2009
Bachelor of Science in Nursing - Nursing
The Ohio State University
Columbus, OH06-1986
Skills
- Patient care coordination
- Leadership and management
- Evidence-based practice
- Patient education
- Direct patient care
- Clinical decision making
- ELNEC Trainer
- Ommaya Competent
- Hepatic Arterial Infusion Pump Competent
- Oncology Nursing Society Chemotherapy Immunotherapy Credentialed
Affiliations
- National Capital Chapter Oncology Nursing Society-Members Chair
- Oncology Nursing Society
- National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists
- Maryland Affiliate of Clinical Nurse Specialists
- Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Honors Society
Certification
- Bone Marrow Transplant Certified Nurse
- Advanced Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist
- State of Ohio Nursing Licensure
- State of Maryland Nursing Licensure
Awards
2023 CEO Award: Put A Lid On It Team
2023 CEO Award: Parenteral Medication Administration Group
2023 CEO Award: Opioid Administration Implementation Team
2022 CEO Award: 3NE CVAD Revalidation Team
2022 CEO Award: Biosimilar Rituximab Implementation Team
2023 CEO Award: Opioid Guidelines Implementation Group
2023 CEO Award: CVAD SOP/PRO Update Implementation Team
2023 CEO Award: Updating the Parenteral (IV) Medication Administration Guideline
2023 CEO Award: Put A Lid On It Team
2016 National Institutes of Health Clinical Center Director’s Award in Patient Care (2 awards)
2017 Excellence in Nursing-Oncology/Critical Care Chief’s Award
2018 National Institutes of Health CEO Award
2019 National Institutes of Health Scholarship and Innovation Recognition
2020 National Institutes of Health CEO Award
2020 National Institutes of Health CEO Award
2021 National Institutes of Health Nurse Executive Award for Oncology/Critical Care
2015 National Institutes of Health Clinical Center Director’s Award in Patient Care
2009 Nursing Clinical Excellence Award The James Cancer Hospital
Publications
2020: Anderson, V. and Smith, L. (2020). Cancer immunotherapy update: Review of immune checkpoint inhibitor and CAR T-cell therapy adverse effects and treatments. American Nurse Journal, 15(9), 2-9.
2020: Cole, C., Green, D., Ning, F., Trewhitt, K., Ekwede, I., McCoy, A., Smith, L., & Annunziata, C. (2020). First-in-human phase I study of intraperitoneally administered interferon alpha and gamma-activated autologous monocytes in platinum-resistant or refractory ovarian cancer. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2020.38.5_suppl.1 Journal of Clinical Oncology 38, no. 5_suppl (February 10, 2020) 1-1.
2021: Smith, L. (2021). Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation. Seminars in Oncology Nursing, 37(2), 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soncn.2021.151135
2023: Green, D. S., Ning, F., Duemler, A., Myers, T. G., Trewhitt, K., Ekwede, I., McCoy, A., Houston, N., Lee, J. M., Lipkowitz, S., Zimmer, A., Pavelova, M., Villanueva, E. N., Smith, L., Blakely, A., Casablanca, Y., Highfill, S. L., Stroncek, D. F., Collins-Johnson, N., Panch, S., … Annunziata, C. M. (2023). Intraperitoneal Monocytes plus IFNs as a Novel Cellular Immunotherapy for Ovarian Cancer: Mechanistic Characterization and Results from a Phase I Clinical Trial. Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, 29(2), 349–363. https://doi.org/10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-22-1893
2023: Smith, Leslie, DNP, APRN-CNS, BMTCN, AOCNS, Ali-Napo, Ruth, Ben-Zeev, Deborah & Olawuyi, Justina. (2023). Optimizing Blood Culture Collection Volumes. AJN, American Journal of Nursing, 123, 53-56 https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NAJ.0000995368.45516.ec
2024: Lee, L., Son, E., Farmer, N., ……Smith, L.,Risch, S., Wallen, G. (2024). Nature-based virtual reality (VR) intervention to manage stress in family caregivers of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients: A two-phase pilot study protocol. Frontiers in Psychology. Doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1295097
2024: Smith, L. & Smith, S. (2024). Hematologic and immune disorders. In Makic, M.B. & Morata, L. T. Sole’s Introduction to Critical Care Nursing (9th ed., pp. 451-490). Elsevier.
Presentations
2006: Poster: "Chemotherapy Administration" The James Cancer Hospital/Ohio State
Medical Center Excellence Fair.
2008: Presentation: "Psychosocial Issues" Oncology Certification Review Course given by the
Columbus Chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society
2009: Presentation: "Evidenced-Based Clinical Practice" to new nursing employees at The James.
2009: Poster: "Guitar Hero and Personalized Nursing Care: The Formation of an Inpatient Support
Group" to Sigma Theta Tau Spring Conference 2009 and Columbus Chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society Spring Conference 2009.
2009: Article: "Flavopiridol: An Old Drug Made New Again" published in The Link, Columbus
Chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society's newsletter
2012: Article: “The Hot Chemo Bath Conversation: What is it Really About” published in
The
Link, Columbus Chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society's newsletter
2012: Presentation “Global Impact of Cancer” to Washington, DC high school seniors for
Capstone Week
2012: Presentation “Frankly Speaking About Cancer: New Discoveries” to Washington, DC
community through Washington Cancer Institute
2012: Breast Cancer Screening: presentation and teaching of self breast exams to population of
Muslim women in Baltimore, MD community
2012: Presentation: “Oncology for the MedicalSurgical Nurse” Preconference session at the
Salt Lake City, Utah: Association Medical-Surgical Nurses Conference
2012: Presentation: “Nursing Perspectives on Early Post Operative Chemotherapy and
LongTerm Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy” Berlin, Germany: 8th World Congress on Peritoneal Surface Malignancies,
2012: Presentation: “The Role of Nursing Care in the Prevention of Post Operative Infections”
Berlin, Germany: 8th World Congress on Peritoneal Surface Malignancies
2013: Presentation: “Updates in Oncology” Spotlight on Advanced Practice Nursing, Bethesda,
Maryland
2013: Presentation; "Colorectal Cancer Screening" presented to senior community in Washington,
DC 2016 Poster Presentation: Development of a Process to Facilitate Implementation of Clinical Trials at the Bedside: From Research Idea to Execution”. [Poster]. Orlando, FL: International Association of Clinical Research Nurses
2017: Presentation: “Nursing Assessment and Management of Patients Receiving Car Cell Therapy” Leukemia/Lymphoma Society Luncheon at Oncology Nursing Society Congress, Denver, Colorado
2017: Mikula, M. & Smith, L.(2017). Three Checkpoints for Safety: Defining a Standard of Practice for Independent Double Checks of Chemo/Biotherapy Across the Continuum of Care. [Poster presentation]. Denver, CO: Oncology Nursing Society Congress.
2017: Continuing Education Offering: “Maximizing the Safety of CAR T-Cell Therapy”. Jackon, S. and Smith, L. Program for MedScape Nursing Education Series.
2018: Smith, L., Mikula, M., Ekwede, I., Reap, K. & Griffith, B. (2018). Intraperitoneal Cellular Therapy: Nurse Developed Administration Strategies Act to Operationalize Research Protocols. [Poster Presentation]. Washington, DC: Oncology Nursing Society Congress
2018: Wilkins, A., Smith, L., & Miller. R. (2018). Implementing a Nurse-Driven Distress Screening Pilot in a Research-Based Radiation Oncology Department. [Poster Presentation]. Washington, DC: Oncology Nursing Society Congress.
2018: Presentation: “CAR T-Cell Therapy: An Overview for Oncology Nurses”. MedScape Breakfast at Oncology Nursing Society Congress, Washington, DC.
2019: Continuing Education Offering: “Understanding and Optimizing CAR T-Cell Therapy for Patients With B-Cell Malignancies”. i3Health. Jackson, S. and Smith, L.
2020: Poster Presentation: “To Infinity and Beyond: Developing a Nursing Cellular Therapy Program of Care” Smith, L., Aaron, J., Mikula, M. and Kolakowski, D. Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Meetings of ASTCT and CIBMTR
2021: Frith, B., Parrish, V., Adams, A., Smith, L. (2021). Implementing Hepatic Arterial Pump Infusion Nursing Care in an Ambulatory Day Hospital [Poster]. Virtual: Oncology Nursing Society Congress.
Todd, P., Smith, L., Elliott, D., Bergvall, E. & Kolakowski, D. (March 2021). Resurgence of the Clinical Nurse Specialist in America’s Research Hospital and the Organizational Impact. National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists 2021 Conference. Virtual Podium Presentation.
2021: Presentation: Smith, L. (June, 2021). Biologics and Immunotherapy: What you should
know. WOCNext. Virtual.
2021: Smith, L. (August 2021). Lymphoma: Essentials for Oncology Nurses. 5th Annual School of Nursing Oncology. Virtual.
2021: Smith, L. (September 2021). 5 Key Themes to Incorporate Into Your Leadership. DC Women’s Leadership Conference. Virtual
2022: Smith, L. (2022, March 1). Diagnosis and management of liquid malignancies leukemia and lymphomas [Classroom lecture]. University of Maryland, Virtual.
2022: Smith, L. (2022, July 29). What’s new in lymphoma [Presentation]. 6thAnnual School of Oncology Nursing, San Diego, CA.
2022: Smith, L. & Risch, S. (2022, August 25). Demystifying cancer genomics [Chapter program]. National Capital Chapter meeting, Virtual.
2022: Smith, L. (2022, September 14). Disseminated intravascular coagulation [Podcast]. Oncology Nursing Society, podcast.
2022: Smith, L. (2022, August 19). Smith discusses evolving landscape of lymphoma treatments. Oncology Nursing News. https://www.oncnursingnews.com/view/smith-discusses-evolving-landscape-of-lymphoma-treatments
2023: Smith, L. (2023, February). Disseminated intravascular coagulation[Podcast]. National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists.
2023: Smith, L. (2023, May 9). Diagnosis and management of liquid malignancies leukemia and lymphomas [Classroom lecture]. University of Maryland: Baltimore.
2024: Smith, L., Mikula., M, Aaron, J., Michelin, A, Thomas, A. (April 2024). Closing the lid on staff exposure to hazardous drugs and multi drug resistant organisms. 2024 Oncology Nursing Society Congress. Washington, DC.
Timeline
Clinical Nurse Specialist
National Institutes of Health
09.2014 - Current
Nursing Director, Medical Oncology/Hematology Unit
Washington Hospital Center
09.2013 - 09.2014
Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist
Washington Hospital Center
10.2010 - 09.2013
Infusion Nurse Manager
University Home Care
01.1998 - 01.2005
Staff Nurse
The Arthur G. James Comprehensive Cancer Center
11.1991 - 09.2013
Staff Nurse
Ohio State University Medical Center
06.1986 - 11.1991
Doctor of Nursing Practice - Executive Leadership
George Washington University
Master of Science - Adult Clinical Nurse Specialist
Mount Carmel School of Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Nursing - Nursing
The Ohio State University
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