Heather Foster

I am a Registered Nurse with 16 years of healthcare experience, working in a variety of different clinical settings including the emergency department, outpost nursing stations, pharmaceutical research, preoperative care and home care environments. I have numerous leadership qualities that have elevated me from being a frontline nurse to managing a team of nurses, working as an Operations Manager in a Clinical Research Organization as well as a Program Manager in a home care service provider company. I am proficient with all Microsoft programs and numerous web-based communication platforms. I am extremely organized and capable of working autonomously as well as in a team environment. 

Work Experience

Program Manager • Spectrum Health Care • March 2022-Present

Manage a team of 90 home and community care nurses. Oversee recruitment, scheduling, training, and performance management of frontline nurses. Actively involved in numerous projects and committees, including accreditation, new grad/IEN training program, ethics committee, DEI working group, ETHP Leading Project, provincial opioid taskforce working group and rollout of multiple innovative medical technologies.

Registered Nurse, PACU • Unity Health • October 2020 - Present

Returned to frontline nursing while completing Masters program. Provide critical care for patients emerging from anesthesia to ensure effective pain management and maintain hemodynamic stability. Skills include epidural, PCA, airway management, chest tube, hemovac, ECG/cardiac monitoring, blood transfusion, IV insertions etc. Regular Charge Nurse responsibilities.

Manager, Operations • Syneos Health • 2017 – 2019

Managed a team of 60 nurses, paramedics, and foreign-trained physicians. Responsible for overseeing all operations at a clinical research organization, including performance management, staff recruitment, onboarding and scheduling, overseeing and developing the employee training program, clinical study protocol/ICF review and development of standard operating procedures. 

Supervisor/Group Leader • Syneos Health • 2014 – 2017

Supervised a team of clinical research nurses/paramedics in the pharmaceutical industry, providing clinical support during all study-related activities. Participated in performance management, SOP/study protocol review and staff training/onboarding, with a portfolio of approximately 15 direct reports.

Clinical Research Nurse • Syneos Health • 2013 – 2014

Safety monitoring for subjects at a phase one clinical research organization. Duties included cardiac monitoring, IV insertions, blood draws, ECG’s, ensuring compliance with study protocols and restrictions, adverse event monitoring, screening for potential subjects and performing regulated dosing and study procedures.

Registered Nurse, Northern Outpost Nursing • Bayshore/Dynamic Medical Solutions • 2009-2012

Travel nursing in small community hospitals in rural Alberta, working in ER, pediatrics and acute care positions. Primary healthcare provider for fly-in Indigenous communities in northern Ontario. Assessed, diagnosed, prescribed medications, and provided treatments using extensive medical directives. Provided primary care, emergency care and organized medical evacuations for patients of all ages. Assisted with immunization programs for children and adolescents. Extensive experience working with Indigenous and Mennonite populations.

Registered Nurse, Emergency Department • Michael Garron Hospital • 2007-2014

Managed care for critically ill patients of all ages in a fast-paced and unpredictable environment, working in ambulatory care, telemetry, resuscitation room and triage. Knowledge of cardiac monitoring, resuscitation services, Foley/NG tube insertion, ventilator monitoring, venipuncture/IV insertion, ECG interpretation, full body assessment, chest tube and JP management.

Education

Master of Health Management • 2021 • McMaster University

Critical Care Course • 2013 • Durham College

Bachelor of Science in Nursing • 2007 • McMaster University