Clinical Nurse Specialists

The Clinical Nurse Specialists at UCSF Medical Center are clinical experts, leaders, educators, and researchers in their areas of clinical expertise. They are available for clinical consultation by nurses, physicians, and other health care providers.

Adult Division

Critical Care

Cass Piper, RN, MS, CCRN: Adult Cardiovascular Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist
Cass is responsible for clinical nursing practice, staff education, and patient consultation in the area of cardiovascular critical care. She has expertise in cardiopulmonary monitoring, ventricular assist devices, the management of pulmonary hypertension patients and the care of vascular and cardiothoracic surgical patients including heart/lung transplant. She co-chairs the Critical Care Practice Committee, a work group that examines critical care practice issues with a goal of providing safe, high quality, evidence-based care.

Hildy Schell, RN, MS, CCRN, CCNS: Adult Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist
Hildy has expertise in the monitoring and management of adult critically ill and injured patients and cardiopulmonary monitoring, continuous renal replacement therapies, solid organ transplantation, acute lung injury/ARDS, sepsis/SIRS, and prevention of hospital acquired infections. She has been nationally recognized for her work in support of critical care patients and the nurses who care for them. Hildy is the co-editor of the book, Critical Care Nursing Secrets, which is a popular critical care reference for clinicians and students. She is Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Physiological Nursing at UCSF School of Nursing.

Acute Care

Susan Barbour RN MS FNP CWON: Wound care Clinical Nurse Specialist
Susan is responsible for the care of patients undergoing ostomy surgery, both during the hospital and after care. She is available for wound consultations from the staff, physicians or patients including complex surgical wounds, with expertise in fistula management. Her goal is to support and enable the staff nurse to take care of these types of patients and their families. For many years Susan has been involved with the hospital-wide patient education committee assisting the staff in developing written materials for patients. She provides education for staff in wounds, ostomy care, and general surgical care with an emphasis on nursing advocacy and compassionate care.

Stephanie Gilbertson-White RN, MS, CNS: Pain Clinical Nurse Specialist
Stephanie specializes in providing pain management support for bedside nurses house wide, including staff development, patient education, and consultation. She works as a liaison between nursing and the Acute Pain Service. She represents nursing on the Medical Center Interdisciplinary Pain Committee. In addition, she coordinates and mentors unit based nurses in the Pain Resource Nurse program. Stephanie has expertise in medical management of acute and chronic pain, acute post-operative pain, and palliative care.

Carla Graf MS, RN APRN-BC: Geriatric Clinical Nurse Specialist
Carla directs the UCSF Elder Life Program. This CNS is responsible for assisting with the management of the older adult inpatient with a focus on geriatric syndromes such as delirium, dementia, skin, incontinence, falls prevention, restraint reduction and impaired functional status. She is also responsible for training and mentoring unit based geriatric resource nurses. Carla is also an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Physiological Nursing at the UCSF School of Nursing.

Elise Hazlewood, RN, MS, CNS: Cardiovascular Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist
Elise is a resource to the bedside nurse in the area of cardiovascular acute care. She is focused on improving the quality of care for adult medical/surgical cardiovascular and thoracic patients through clinical support and staff development. She provides ongoing patient and staff education, as well as patient consultation as requested by staff, patients, or families.

Melissa Lee RN, MS, APRN, BC: Medical-Surgical Clinical Nurse Specialist
Melissa is responsible for assisting the bedside nurse with management of nursing care with the general medical-surgical patients. She provides education to the nursing staff, patients and their families. She is available for consultation throughout the hospital, but has a focus on the general/orthopedic/plastic surgery unit and the medical-surgical transitional care unit with primary services including urology and oral head and neck surgery. With experience and training in palliative care she is a resource on end of life nursing care.

Mary M. Sullivan RN, MSN, APRN, BC, CDE: Diabetes Clinical Nurse Specialist
Mary is responsible for diabetes patient education in the adult population. This includes blood glucose monitoring, insulin administration, and insulin pump therapy and glycemic management of the inpatient. In addition, Mary is available to staff for consultation, and conducts many in-service programs for nurses, physicians, and pharmacists. She has been instrumental in developing and disseminating a computer-based learning module to update nurses and physicians on the latest practices for glycemic control in acutely ill adults. She is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Family Health Care Nursing at UCSF School of Nursing.

Carol S. Viele RN, MS, CNS: Clinical Nurse Specialist Hematology-Oncology-Bone Marrow Transplant
Carol is a nationally recognized expert on nursing care of cancer patients, with a focus on cutting-edge therapies, including bone-marrow transplant. She is responsible for education and teaching of both the inpatients and the staff at the medical center, including material on specific chemotherapeutic agents, administration techniques, and managing patients’ symptoms related to their treatment or disease. Carol is also an Assistant Clinical professor in the Dept of Physiological Nursing.

Emergency Services

Tina Quon RN MSN CEN: Emergency Department Clinical Nurse Specialist
As the ED CNS, Tina is responsible for clinical practice, staff education, research and auditing. She provides focused knowledge and skill in the clinical care of patients and provides clinical support to improve patient quality of care and patient outcomes in the emergency and acute setting. She also acts as a resource throughout the hospital, assisting staff nurses in the management of patients who develop sudden, acute changes in status.

Children’s Hospital

Critical Care

Shelley Diane, RN, MS, CNS, PNP, CCRN: Pediatric Intensive Care Clinical Nurse Specialist
Shelley has clinical expertise in the monitoring and management of critically ill infants and children with acute lung injury/ARDS, shock, solid organ transplant, neurologic disorders, trauma, and oncologic emergencies. She is part of the PICU multidisciplinary team and is responsible for improving patient outcomes by developing nursing education programs and assisting at the bedside with high-risk therapies such as continuous renal replacement and multiple organ transplant. She is a seasoned speaker for UCSF Children’s Hospital pediatric outreach program and a recognized national speaker. While always promoting best practices and nursing autonomy, Shelley also devotes her energies to the community. She was recently recognized by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors for her leadership in coordinating resources to provide immunization clinics for inner city children and teachers in collaboration with UCSF's community outreach program.

Lori D. Fineman RN MS CCRN: Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Clinical Nurse Specialist
Lori has clinical expertise in the management of critically ill infants and children with congenital heart disease. This includes areas of preoperative care, postoperative care, extracorporeal life support, and continuous renal replacement therapies. Lori has been involved in multi-center clinical trials and is internationally recognized as a lecturer in the area of pediatric cardiac intensive care.

Elizabeth Kennalley, CNS:




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Orientation Clinical Informatics About Clinical Informatics UCare Informatics Training Intranet Professional Development Professional Development Annual Review Certification Clinical Ladder Continuing Education Orientation Professional Connections Residency Program Training Programs WebCT Contact Us UCSF School of Nursing Research & Innovation UCSF School of Nursing Contact Us	Clinical Nurse Specialists The Clinical Nurse Specialists at UCSF Medical Center are clinical experts, leaders, educators, and researchers in their areas of clinical expertise. They are available for clinical consultation by nurses, physicians, and other health care providers. Adult Division Critical Care Cass Piper, RN, MS, CCRN: Adult Cardiovascular Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist Cass is responsible for clinical nursing practice, staff education, and patient consultation in the area of cardiovascular critical care. She has expertise in cardiopulmonary monitoring, ventricular assist devices, the management of pulmonary hypertension patients and the care of vascular and cardiothoracic surgical patients including heart/lung transplant. She co-chairs the Critical Care Practice Committee, a work group that examines critical care practice issues with a goal of providing safe, high quality, evidence-based care. Hildy Schell, RN, MS, CCRN, CCNS: Adult Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist Hildy has expertise in the monitoring and management of adult critically ill and injured patients and cardiopulmonary monitoring, continuous renal replacement therapies, solid organ transplantation, acute lung injury/ARDS, sepsis/SIRS, and prevention of hospital acquired infections. She has been nationally recognized for her work in support of critical care patients and the nurses who care for them. Hildy is the co-editor of the book, Critical Care Nursing Secrets, which is a popular critical care reference for clinicians and students. She is Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Physiological Nursing at UCSF School of Nursing. Acute Care Susan Barbour RN MS FNP CWON: Wound care Clinical Nurse Specialist Susan is responsible for the care of patients undergoing ostomy surgery, both during the hospital and after care. She is available for wound consultations from the staff, physicians or patients including complex surgical wounds, with expertise in fistula management. Her goal is to support and enable the staff nurse to take care of these types of patients and their families. For many years Susan has been involved with the hospital-wide patient education committee assisting the staff in developing written materials for patients. She provides education for staff in wounds, ostomy care, and general surgical care with an emphasis on nursing advocacy and compassionate care. Stephanie Gilbertson-White RN, MS, CNS: Pain Clinical Nurse Specialist Stephanie specializes in providing pain management support for bedside nurses house wide, including staff development, patient education, and consultation. She works as a liaison between nursing and the Acute Pain Service. She represents nursing on the Medical Center Interdisciplinary Pain Committee. In addition, she coordinates and mentors unit based nurses in the Pain Resource Nurse program. Stephanie has expertise in medical management of acute and chronic pain, acute post-operative pain, and palliative care. Carla Graf MS, RN APRN-BC: Geriatric Clinical Nurse Specialist Carla directs the UCSF Elder Life Program. This CNS is responsible for assisting with the management of the older adult inpatient with a focus on geriatric syndromes such as delirium, dementia, skin, incontinence, falls prevention, restraint reduction and impaired functional status. She is also responsible for training and mentoring unit based geriatric resource nurses. Carla is also an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Physiological Nursing at the UCSF School of Nursing. Elise Hazlewood, RN, MS, CNS: Cardiovascular Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist Elise is a resource to the bedside nurse in the area of cardiovascular acute care. She is focused on improving the quality of care for adult medical/surgical cardiovascular and thoracic patients through clinical support and staff development. She provides ongoing patient and staff education, as well as patient consultation as requested by staff, patients, or families. Melissa Lee RN, MS, APRN, BC: Medical-Surgical Clinical Nurse Specialist Melissa is responsible for assisting the bedside nurse with management of nursing care with the general medical-surgical patients. She provides education to the nursing staff, patients and their families. She is available for consultation throughout the hospital, but has a focus on the general/orthopedic/plastic surgery unit and the medical-surgical transitional care unit with primary services including urology and oral head and neck surgery. With experience and training in palliative care she is a resource on end of life nursing care. Mary M. Sullivan RN, MSN, APRN, BC, CDE: Diabetes Clinical Nurse Specialist Mary is responsible for diabetes patient education in the adult population. This includes blood glucose monitoring, insulin administration, and insulin pump therapy and glycemic management of the inpatient. In addition, Mary is available to staff for consultation, and conducts many in-service programs for nurses, physicians, and pharmacists. She has been instrumental in developing and disseminating a computer-based learning module to update nurses and physicians on the latest practices for glycemic control in acutely ill adults. She is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Family Health Care Nursing at UCSF School of Nursing. Carol S. Viele RN, MS, CNS: Clinical Nurse Specialist Hematology-Oncology-Bone Marrow Transplant Carol is a nationally recognized expert on nursing care of cancer patients, with a focus on cutting-edge therapies, including bone-marrow transplant. She is responsible for education and teaching of both the inpatients and the staff at the medical center, including material on specific chemotherapeutic agents, administration techniques, and managing patients’ symptoms related to their treatment or disease. Carol is also an Assistant Clinical professor in the Dept of Physiological Nursing. Emergency Services Tina Quon RN MSN CEN: Emergency Department Clinical Nurse Specialist As the ED CNS, Tina is responsible for clinical practice, staff education, research and auditing. She provides focused knowledge and skill in the clinical care of patients and provides clinical support to improve patient quality of care and patient outcomes in the emergency and acute setting. She also acts as a resource throughout the hospital, assisting staff nurses in the management of patients who develop sudden, acute changes in status. Children’s Hospital Critical Care Shelley Diane, RN, MS, CNS, PNP, CCRN: Pediatric Intensive Care Clinical Nurse Specialist Shelley has clinical expertise in the monitoring and management of critically ill infants and children with acute lung injury/ARDS, shock, solid organ transplant, neurologic disorders, trauma, and oncologic emergencies. She is part of the PICU multidisciplinary team and is responsible for improving patient outcomes by developing nursing education programs and assisting at the bedside with high-risk therapies such as continuous renal replacement and multiple organ transplant. She is a seasoned speaker for UCSF Children’s Hospital pediatric outreach program and a recognized national speaker. While always promoting best practices and nursing autonomy, Shelley also devotes her energies to the community. She was recently recognized by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors for her leadership in coordinating resources to provide immunization clinics for inner city children and teachers in collaboration with UCSF's community outreach program. Lori D. Fineman RN MS CCRN: Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Clinical Nurse Specialist Lori has clinical expertise in the management of critically ill infants and children with congenital heart disease. This includes areas of preoperative care, postoperative care, extracorporeal life support, and continuous renal replacement therapies. Lori has been involved in multi-center clinical trials and is internationally recognized as a lecturer in the area of pediatric cardiac intensive care. Elizabeth Kennalley, CNS:
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