Adult Clinical Nurse Specialists and Advanced Practice Specialists
Marilyn Bazinski, DNP, RN-BC, AGCNS
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Pain Management
Dr. Bazinski serves as a nurse expert in the assessment and treatment of pain, consultant, educator, and mentor for the nursing and interprofessional teams at UCSF Medical Center. She is passionate about mentoring nurses and teaching the importance of providing comfort and mitigation of suffering as integral to safe and high-quality nursing care. Marilyn is a leader in incorporating non-pharmacologic methods in pain and symptom management and has a clinical and leadership interests in pain management with a focus on geriatrics, transitions of care, and the value and outcomes associated with the Pain Management CNS role in healthcare systems.
Sarah Berger, MS, RN, ACCNS-AG, CCRN
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Medical-Surgical Critical Care
Sarah serves as a critical care nursing expert, consultant, educator, and mentor for the nurses and teams in the adult medical-surgical ICUs. She collaborates with the interdisciplinary team to coordinate care for complex critically ill patients with multiple organ dysfunction, ARDS, sepsis, AKI, liver dysfunction, and oncologic conditions. Sarah leads the adult CRRT nursing program in collaboration with nephrology and critical care medicine colleagues.
Sasha S. Binford, PhD, MS, RN, PHN, AGCNS-BC
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Geriatrics
Dr. Binford serves as a geriatric nursing expert, consultant, educator, and mentor for the nursing and interprofessional teams at UCSF Medical Center. She is the Director of Nursing for the Age-Friendly Health System program and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to ensure evidence-based care that aims to reduce delirium, support physical and cognitive functional status, and ensure successful transitions in care across the continuum.
Skyler Bivens, BSN, RN-BC, CWOCN
Wound Ostomy Clinical Nurse
Skyler provides expert care and consultation for care of complex wounds and ostomies. She provides education on prevention and treatment of pressure injuries to patients/families, nurses, and provider colleagues. She and the WOCN team lead performance improvement initiatives and implementation of evidence-based practice for HAPI prevention and wound/ostomy care across the adult hospitals.
Amy Larsen
MS, RN, CCRN, SCRN, ACCNS-AG
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Neuroscience Critical Care
Amy serves as a neuroscience critical care nursing expert, consultant, educator, and mentor for the nurses and teams in the adult neuroscience ICUs. She collaborates with the interdisciplinary team to coordinate care for complex critically ill patients with neurologic, neurovascular/stroke, and neurosurgical injuries and illness. Amy leads harm prevention evidence-based practice initiatives and supports the teams that provide advanced stroke nursing care to patients/families contributing to the Comprehensive Stroke Center designation at UCSF.
Melissa Lee, MS, RN, PCCN, GCNS-BC
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Acute and Transitional Care
Melissa serves as an acute and transitional care nursing expert, leader, consultant, educator, and mentor for the nurses and teams for adult medical-surgical patients across the adult hospitals. She collaborates with the interdisciplinary team to coordinate care for complex medical-surgical patients/families. Melissa leads safety and quality clinical practice initiatives, has expertise in nursing informatics, and serves as an expert resource for peritoneal dialysis therapy across the adult hospitals.
Michelle Macal, MSN, RN, CNS, PCCN
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Acute and Transitional Care
Michelle serves as an acute and transitional care nursing expert, leader, consultant, educator, and mentor for the nurses and teams for adult medical-surgical patients across the adult hospitals. She collaborates with the interdisciplinary team to coordinate care for complex medical-surgical patients/families. Michelle leads the safe mobilization and fall prevention initiatives and leads collaborative practice initiatives to ensure safe continuous monitoring and suicide risk screening across the adult hospitals.
Esther Rov-Ikpah, MS, RN-BC, CDCES
Diabetes Care and Education Specialist
Esther provides expert consultation an education to patients, families and nurses on diabetes care and management of complex diabetic patients in the adult hospitals. She leads quality and safety initiatives aimed to optimize patient outcomes and prevent harm.
Cass Sandoval, MSN, RN, CCRN, CCNS
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Cardiovascular Critical Care
Cass serves as a cardiovascular critical care nursing expert, consultant, educator, and mentor for the nurses and teams in the adult intensive cardiac care units. She collaborates with the interdisciplinary team to coordinates care for complex cardiothoracic, cardiology, and vascular critically ill patients. Cass leads harm prevention evidence-based practice initiatives and supports the nursing team who manage advanced life support therapies including ECLS/ECMO, VADs, IABP, and CRRT.
Diane Sandman, MSN, RN, FNP, CWOCN
Wound Ostomy Clinical Nurse
Diane provides expert care and consultation for care of complex wounds, ostomies, and continence issues. She provides education on prevention and treatment of pressure injuries to patients/families, nurses, and provider colleagues. She and the WOCN team lead performance improvement initiatives and implementation of evidence-based practice for HAPI prevention and wound/ostomy care across the adult hospitals.
Benjamin Tanner, MSN, RN, CNS, FNP-BC, CEN
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Emergency Care
Ben serves as an emergency nursing care expert, consultant, educator, and mentor for the nurses in the emergency department. He collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to ensure evidence-based care of the behavioral health and geriatric patients with emergency care needs. Ben serves on the medical center’s Transfusion Committee and supports safe transfusion practices.
Vickie Thun, MS, RN, FNP-BC, CWOCN
Wound Ostomy Clinical Nurse
Vickie provides expert care and consultation for care of complex wounds and ostomies. She provides education and support to surgical oncology patients with ostomy care needs. She and the WOCN team lead performance improvement initiatives and implementation of evidence-based practice for HAPI prevention and wound/ostomy care across the adult hospitals.
Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialists #Pediatric CNS
Jeannie Chan, MS, RN, NNP-BC, CNS
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Intensive Care Nursery
Shelley Diane, MS, RN, CCNS, CWCN-AP, PNP, CCRN
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Pediatric Critical Care
Lori Fineman, MS, RN, CCNS
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Pediatric Surgical Intensive Care
Mary Nottingham, MS, RN
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Pediatric Medical/Surgical & Transitional Care
Chrissie Smith, MSN, RN, CNS, CWOCN
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Pediatric Wound Care