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Sheila L. DiRocco, MSN, APRN, AGCNS-BC (she/her/hers)

Clinical Nurse Specialist-Peri-Operative Services
Bayhealth Medical Center
Marydel, Maryland, United States

My name is Sheila DiRocco and I have been a nurse at Bayhealth for 18 years. I began my career in the emergency department for the first three years of my career at Bayhealth and then became a member of the peri-operative team (beginning in Day Surgery as a pre-op/post-op nurse before doing pre-admission testing). During this time, I pursued a MSN (beginning at Delaware State in Public Health and Education) and completed my degree in 2019 at Wesley College with a MSN and a board certification as an Adult/Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist. I began my current role in peri-operative services in January 2020.
What is a CNS, you ask? A Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is a Master’s or Doctoral prepared Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) whose function is to improve outcomes in patient care. The CNS is an expert in clinical practice, education, leadership, research, and consultation. They use their skills to influence the spheres of Patient Care, Nursing, and Organization/Systems to improve outcomes.
Currently, I serve on many committees to address issues related to the surgical patient, beginning in the PAT phase, through their stay and after they are discharged home. I work collaboratively with interdisciplinary teams to assure the best outcomes for our patients. Some of my current projects include surgical site infection, enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS), post-op deep vein thrombosis, post-op respiratory failure, patient satisfaction, and surgical readmissions to name a few. I am currently conducting research on post-operative urinary retention and pressure injury prevention. Pressure injury prevention has a completion date of December 2022. The completion date for post-operative urinary retention is projected for September 2022.

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