Brenda Biggerstaff
Oncology Program Manager at St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center- Claim this Profile
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Bio
Credentials
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Certified Health Coach
Institute for Integrative NutritionMar, 2017- Nov, 2024
Experience
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St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center
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United States
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Hospitals and Health Care
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1 - 100 Employee
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Oncology Program Manager
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Aug 2012 - Present
Manager of survivorship programs and resources within the DCC to include: American Cancer Society Resource Center, Integrative Therapy Program and support programs. Prepare, coordinate, and deliver educational information, presentations, and workshops in the community. Attend community health fairs. Coordinate annual events such as the Annual Breast Cancer Survivor Retreat, National Cancer Survivor Day and October Breast Cancer Survivor Celebration. Maintain relationships with community partners and host fundraisers as needed. Implement services, programs, and events when gaps in services are identified. Market programs and events for the organization by maintaining an email list serve and bi-monthly newsletter, develop flyers, Facebook postings, public service announcements, and attend radio shows. Serve as the outreach coordinator for the DCC’s Cancer Committee and report the number of outreach activities performed during a fiscal year. Serve as a member of the Breast Center Advisory Board. Work collaboratively with Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI), Breast Center of Excellence and other areas within the center to assess needs for grant funding. Work closely with CHI to write grants, track funding, and write mid-year and final reports. Organize cancer prevention programs to include the Free Oral Head and Neck Cancer Screening and created the first Free Skin Cancer Screening and Genetic Cancer Screening events.
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Palliative Care Social Worker
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Mar 2010 - Aug 2012
Assist with the increase of palliative care referral volume. Provide counseling service interventions in a culturally sensitive manner for patients and their families who are facing a life threatening illness or end of life decision(s). Interventions include, but are not limited to; providing comprehensive counseling regarding philosophy and delivery of palliative care, decision making process, emotional response(s) expressed by patient and family, advance care planning, patient/family acknowledgement of life-limiting diagnosis/prognosis, anticipatory grief process, life-long coping styles and current strategies for coping, end of life issues, transition to hospice services, process of death and dying, and how family can support the patient. Another intervention utilized is the facilitation of family conferences with patients, families, staff, and care providers. Developed bereavement program and comfort kits for patients and families to provide support and assist them with coping skills in an unfamiliar environment. Presented information regarding the bereavement program and comfort kits to the SMC foundation board and received funding for both. Other accomplishments include, event planning and coordinating, presentations to SMC hospital staff and physicians, public speaking at events and on the radio, and the development of policy and procedures. I was also a member of SMC Ethics Committee and was able to act as a behavioral counselor for Smart Moves for Kids, a program aimed to fight childhood obesity. I was able to build and maintain a professional relationship with Colorado State University-Pueblo, School of Social Work. Through this relationship, I obtained social work student interns for their field placement and established a role as a field instructor for social work interns within the palliative care department.
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Social Worker-Case Management Department
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Jun 2009 - Mar 2010
Responsible for coordinating and implementing post-discharge plans in coordination with the Case Managers through the use of Extended Care Integrated Network (ECIN). Also, responsible for assisting with advocacy and referrals to other community resources; such as, medication assistance, taxi vouchers, bus vouchers, homeless shelters, family conferences, nursing home placements, assisted living placements, set up & or transfer dialysis patients to new area, life line, order Durable Medical Equipment (DME) as patients require it, and communicate/report to Department of Social Services Adult Protective Services, Child Protective Services, and Pueblo Police Department. Furthermore, I implemented the Annual Nursing Home Meeting to encourage networking and communication for timely discharges and developed a PowerPoint presentation to display the social worker’s role within St Mary Corwin for new employees within the case management team. I developed an action plan and process improvement model for SMC care management team for timely nursing home placements and discharges. Additionally, a member of the Palliative Care Committee and practiced as the social worker for this committee as needed.
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St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center
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United States
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Hospitals and Health Care
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1 - 100 Employee
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Social Worker-Case Management Department
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Mar 2006 - Mar 2008
Responsible for coordinating and implementing post-discharge plans in coordination with the Case Managers through the use of Extended Care Integrated Network (ECIN). Also, responsible for assisting with advocacy and referrals to other community resources; such as, medication assistance, taxi vouchers, bus vouchers, homeless shelters, family conferences, nursing home placements, assisted living placements, set up & or transfer dialysis patients to new area, life line, order Durable Medical Equipment (DME) as patients require it, and communicate/report to Department of Social Services Adult Protective Services, Child Protective Services, and Pueblo Police Department. Furthermore, I implemented the Annual Nursing Home Meeting to encourage networking and communication for timely discharges and developed a PowerPoint presentation to display the social worker’s role within St Mary Corwin for new employees within the case management team. I developed an action plan and process improvement model for SMC care management team for timely nursing home placements and discharges. Additionally, a member of the Palliative Care Committee and practiced as the social worker for this committee as needed.
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Education
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2008 - 2009
Colorado State University
Master's degree, Social Work -
2000 - 2005
Colorado State University-Pueblo
Bachelor's degree, Social Work
Community
