Summary
Overview
Work History
Skills
Affiliations
Publications
Speaking Engagements
Timeline
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Vicki Morton

Vicki Morton

Charlotte

Summary

A highly experienced, diverse Doctorate prepared Nurse Practitioner focused on clinical quality programs, strategic growth, and patient outcomes. Adept at the development and implementation of system-wide quality improvement programs and building, engaging high-performing multidisciplinary teams to achieve programmatic success while exhibiting strategic leadership, operational excellence, and stakeholder engagement

Overview

26
26
years of professional experience

Work History

Surgical Wellness Nurse Practitioner

Novant Healthcare
12.2024 - Current
  • Gathering comprehensive medical histories, including past surgeries, chronic conditions (e.g., diabetes, hypertension), allergies, medications, and family history
  • Conducting physical exams to evaluate the patient’s general health and identify any potential issues that may impact the surgery or anesthesia
  • Ordering and reviewing necessary preoperative labs (e.g., blood tests, urine tests, EKG, imaging) to assess fitness for surgery
  • Using clinical guidelines and scoring tools (NSQIP, Gupta, Frailty, MST) to assess a patient’s surgical and anesthesia risk and determining if additional tests or consultations are needed
  • Identifying any conditions or factors that may contraindicate the planned surgery
  • Ensuring all preoperative requirements are completed on time, including tests, consultations, and clearances. Coordinating with other departments (e.g., cardiology, pulmonology) for additional evaluations if needed
  • Working closely with surgeons, anesthesiologists, and nursing staff to ensure a smooth transition through the preoperative process and prepare for any potential complications during surgery
  • Making decisions regarding patient clearance for surgery based on the patient’s medical condition and ensuring that all preoperative evaluations and consultations are completed

Assistant Vice President, Clinical and Quality Outcomes

Providence Anesthesiology Associates
01.2017 - 09.2024


  • Collaborate with surgical teams to develop individualized care plans that address patient needs and optimize surgical outcomes
  • Monitor patient progress and address any perioperative concerns or complications that arise
  • Oversight of all clinical and quality improvement for the organization
  • Develop and refine processes and workflows to support key perioperative clinical operational functions
  • Novant Health Perioperative Surgical Home Executive Steering Committee member
  • Novant Health Patient Blood Management Committee member
  • Lead various interdisciplinary teams in the development, implementation, expansion, and sustainability of the perioperative Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) program in 12 facilities in 4 hospital systems and 17 surgical lines to improve clinical and financial performance
  • Demonstrated success in the tracking and analysis of ERAS outcomes, compliance, and financial performance
  • Perform gap analysis of additional facilities, identify gaps of care to guide implementation planning/change management
  • Work closely with the Hospital Executive Leadership Team in planning and execution of various quality improvement and patient safety programs
  • Partner cross-functionally and collaborate on a daily basis, including with system CEOs, VPs, and service line directors
  • Prepares and oversees annual business budgets and reports
  • Reports yearly Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) to the Anesthesia Quality Institute (AQI)
  • Established a high-performance culture within the team by setting clear expectations and providing regular feedback on individual performance contributions.
  • Collaborated closely with executive leadership to align department goals with overall company objectives, resulting in stronger organizational cohesion.
  • Managed a diverse portfolio of projects, ensuring that each project met established quality standards and delivered expected results on time and within budget.
  • Enhanced collaboration between team members by implementing innovative communication tools and fostering an open dialogue culture.
  • Implemented data-driven decision-making processes, leading to more informed strategic choices and improved overall performance metrics.
  • Led cross-functional teams to deliver successful projects on time and within budget, enhancing company reputation in the industry.
  • Contributed to budget planning, and initiatives for communications, planning and coordination of facility management and space allocations.
  • Attended weekly meetings and special sessions of Leadership and Executive Leadership Teams and contributed to major administrative initiatives, policies and decisions.
  • Fostered strong relationships with key clients, leading to repeat business and a significant increase in customer satisfaction ratings.
  • Oversaw change management initiatives, ensuring smooth transitions during periods of organizational restructuring or process improvements.
  • Developed comprehensive financial forecasts based on historical data analysis, enabling more accurate budget planning and resource allocation.
  • Established and directed successful programs focused on perioperative metrics.

Clinical Field Specialist - National Lead

Edwards LifeSciences
06.2012 - 01.2017
  • Implementation of perioperative enhanced surgical recovery quality improvement programs in hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers across the country to improve patient outcomes
  • Educate critical care clinicians on hemodynamics in the septic patient and surgical patient
  • Development of sepsis pathways in compliance with Sepsis Guidelines
  • Developed and implemented the Enhanced Surgical Recovery process pilot
  • Collaborate with anesthesia and surgery departments in developing and implementing Enhanced Recovery quality improvement processes
  • Work with hospital various hospital service lines to implement quality improvement processes
  • Collaborate with physicians and support staff in protocol development and implementation
  • Serve as leader to clinical colleagues through education, development of educational programs
  • Speaker at Grand Rounds in several hospitals in the Southeast on the implementation and sustainability of quality improvement processes
  • Educate ICU/OR nurses, CRNAs, Residents, and Attending Physicians on hemodynamic optimization through goal directed therapy
  • Perform large group, interactive clinical simulations with physicians, residents, and nurses
  • 2014-2015 Culture Award recipient
  • 2013-2016 Clinical Field Specialist of the Year award recipient

CEO/Owner

VLM Nurse Consultants
09.2004 - 12.2012
  • Secured DoD contract to provide medical services to local Soldier Readiness Program
  • Hired, trained, and managed clinical (NPs and RNs) and administrative staff of 30
  • Responsible for annual budget, payroll, and scheduling
  • Provide medical services to members of the Armed Forces for purposes of either compliance or pre-deployment medical readiness
  • Engaged in root cause analysis following each Soldier Readiness Program
  • Recreated the Soldier Readiness Program to streamline the process and save the Regional Readiness Command Center approximately $1M

Organ Recovery Coordinator II/Advanced Practice Coordinator

LifeShare of the Carolinas
08.2008 - 06.2012
  • Medically manage organ donors while maximizing organ recovery potential
  • Clinical Administrator on-call to serve as a clinical resource to other Organ Recovery Coordinators
  • In house hospital coordinator with large local hospital system working closely with administration in successfully grow their organ donation program while following CMS and JCAHO guidelines
  • Chair - Critical Care Committee
  • Co-Chair - Cardiothoracic Collaboration
  • Chair - Quality Improvement in Organ Procurement

Senior Organ Donation Coordinator/Advanced Practice Coordinator

LifeSource
02.2007 - 02.2008
  • Perform all duties of the Organ Donation Coordinator
  • Perform bronchoscopies and line placement on consented organ donors
  • Actively involved in research - Publication Nov 2009 Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology co-author with Dr
  • Michael Marvin
  • New hire panel member
  • Serve as a mentor to new procurement coordinators
  • Committee Chair - Neuroadvisory Committee
  • Committee member - Critical Care Committee
  • Committee Chair - Clinical Quality Improvement
  • Educate hospital staff/community about organ donation/procurement

Organ Donation Coordinator

LifeSource
09.2006 - 02.2007
  • Medically manage organ donors in the critical care setting and optimize organ viability
  • Perform bedside nursing care of the patient
  • Allocate donor organs to local and national transplant centers
  • Coordinates surgical recovery of organs and tissue
  • Work with donor families to obtain consent
  • Participate in Committee work to enhance best practices and develop relationships between LifeSource and hospitals

Registered Nurse

North Memorial Hospital
06.2004 - 02.2006
  • Cardiovascular ICU

Registered Nurse

Wake Medical Center
01.2003 - 06.2004
  • Cardiovascular ICU

Registered Nurse

UNC Chapel Hill
08.2000 - 05.2004
  • Trauma and Neurosurgical ICU

Registered Nurse

Presbyterian Hospital
08.1998 - 08.2000
  • Coronary Care Unit/Cardiovascular ICU

Skills

  • Team leadership
  • Relationship building
  • Decision-making
  • Critical thinking
  • Coaching and mentoring
  • Complex Problem-solving
  • Strategic planning for growth
  • Results-driven
  • Operations management
  • Process improvement
  • Public Speaking
  • Staff development
  • Performance monitoring
  • Data analytics

Affiliations

  • ERAS Cardiac Society, Executive Board Member and Director, International Relations
  • Society of Thoracic Surgeons, Board Member
  • Morpheus Consortium, Board Member and Faculty
  • Perioperative Quality Initiative, Faculty
  • American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Member and Faculty
  • American Society for Enhanced Recovery, Faculty
  • Evidence Based Perioperative Medicine, Faculty

Publications

  • ERAS Cardiac Turnkey Order Set for Perioperative Pain Management in Cardiac Surgery: Proceedings from the AATS ERAS Conclave 2023, Gregory, Alexander & Arora, Rakesh & Chatterjee, Subhasis & Crisafi, Cheryl & Morton, Vicki & Rea, Amanda & Salenger, Rawn & Engelman, Daniel & Grant, Michael & Cangut, Busra & Crotwell, Shannon & Lobdell, Kevin & McConnell, Gina & Reddy, Seenu, JTCVS Open, 10.1016/j.xjon.2024.08.018, 2024
  • Preoperative Medication Management Turnkey Order Set for Nonemergent Adult Cardiac Surgery, Rea, Amanda & Salenger, Rawn & Grant, Michael & Yeh, Jennifer & Damas, Barbara & Crisalfi, Cheryl & Arora, Rakesh & Gregory, Alexander & Morton, Vicki & Engelman, Daniel & Cangut, Busra & Chatterjee, Subhasis & Lobdell, Kevin & McConnell, Gina & Crotwell, Shannon & Reddy, Seenu, JTCVS Open, 10.1016/j.xjon.2024.06.009, 2024
  • ERAS Cardiac Society Turnkey Order Set for Surgical Site Infection Prevention: Proceedings from the AATS ERAS Conclave 2023, Crisafi, Cheryl & Grant, Michael & Rea, Amanda & Morton, Vicki & Gregory, Alexander & Arora, Rakesh & Chatterjee, Subhasis & Lother, Sylvain & Cangut, Busra & Engelman, Daniel & Salenger, Rawn & Lobdell, Kevin & McConnell, Gina & Crotwell, Shannon & Reddy, Seenu & Lazar, Harold, The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2024.03.027, 2024
  • ERAS Cardiac Society turnkey order set for prevention and management of postoperative atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery: Proceedings from the AATS ERAS Conclave 2023, Chatterjee, Subhasis & Cangut, Busra & Rea, Amanda & Salenger, Rawn & Arora, Rakesh & Grant, Michael & Morton, Vicki & Hirji, Sameer & Engelman, Daniel & Gregory, Alexander & Lobdell, Kevin & Hui, Dawn & Puskas, John & Gaudino, Mario & Crisafi, Cheryl & Reddy, V., JTCVS Open, 10.1016/j.xjon.2024.02.008, 2024
  • ERAS Cardiac Society turnkey order set for patient blood management: Proceedings from the AATS ERAS Conclave 2023, Salenger, Rawn & Hirji, Sameer & Rea, Amanda & Cangut, Busra & Morton, Vicki & Gregory, Alexander & Arora, Rakesh & Grant, Michael & Raphael, Jacob & Engelman, Daniel & Chatterjee, Subhasis & Lobdell, Kevin & Crisafi, Cheryl & McConnell, Gina & Crotwell, Shannon & Reddy, Seenu, The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2023.10.034, 2023
  • State of the Art: Proceedings of the AATS Enhanced Recovery after Cardiac Surgery Summit, Chatterjee, Subhasis & Arora, Rakesh & Crisafi, Cheryl & Crotwell, Shannon & Gerdisch, Marc & Katz, Nevin & Lobdell, Kevin & Morton, Vicki & Pirris, John & Reddy, V. & Salenger, Rawn & Varelmann, Dirk & Engelman, Daniel, JTCVS Open, 10.1016/j.xjon.2023.04.004, 2023
  • Perioperative Quality Initiative and Enhanced Recovery After Surgery-Cardiac Society Consensus Statement on the Management of Preoperative Anemia and Iron Deficiency in Adult Cardiac Surgery Patients, Guinn, Nicole & Schwartz, Jonathon & Arora, Rakesh & Morton, Vicki & Aronson, Solomon & Brudney, Charles & Bennett-Guerrero, Elliott, Anesthesia & Analgesia, 135, 532-544, 10.1213/ane.0000000000006148, 2022
  • The 10 Commandments of ERAS for Cardiac Surgery, Morton, Vicki & Salenger, Rawn & Engelman, Daniel, Innovations: Technology and Techniques in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, 16, 10.1177/15569845211048944, 2021
  • Cardiac ERAS: A Guide to Team Building and Successful Implementation, Salenger, Rawn & Morton, Vicki & Grant, Michael & Gregory, Alexander & Williams, Judson & Engelman, Daniel, Seminars in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 32, 10.1053/j.semtcvs.2020.02.029, 2020
  • How Providence Anesthesiology Associates' ERAS program transitioned to the ASC setting, Morton, V., Becker's ASC Review, 2019, https://www.beckersasc.com/anesthesia/how-providence-anesthesiology-associates-eras-program-transitioned-to-the-asc-setting.html
  • Glycemic Control and Organ Transplantation, Marvin, M., Morton, V., Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, 3, 6, 1365-1372, 2009

Speaking Engagements

  • Implementation of ERAS and the Perioperative Nursing Role, Novant Presbyterian Medical Center, 03/09/17
  • Nursing Research and Enhanced Recovery, American Society of Enhanced Recovery (ASER), 04/28/17
  • Overview of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery: Why We Do What We Do, Novant Presbyterian Medical Center Grand Rounds, 08/14/17
  • Multimodal Analgesia to Reduce Opioid Consumption in the Post-Surgical Patient, Novant Presbyterian Medical Center, 10/09/17, 10/13/17, 10/19/17, 10/23/17, 10/26/17
  • Change Management - Successful Implementation Strategies, Charlotte Change Management Forum, 10/28/17
  • Colorectal and Bariatric ERAS - Comparisons to Historic Controls, Charlotte ERAS Symposium, 11/04/17
  • Colorectal and Bariatric Enhanced Recovery After Surgery in a Non-Academic Institution in Collaboration with a Private Anesthesia Group, ERAS Society Annual Quality Meeting, 11/11/17
  • Healthcare Economics: Value-Based Care vs. Fee for Service, Queens University, 01/31/18, 02/01/18
  • Colorectal and Bariatric Enhanced Recovery After Surgery in a Non-Academic Institution: An Anesthesiology Led Initiative, American Society of Anesthesiologists Practice Management, 01/27/18
  • Data Challenges and Beyond, American Society for Enhanced Recovery Annual Meeting, 03/17/18
  • Implementing and Sustaining a Quality Initiative Program, Evidence Based Perioperative Medicine (EBPOM-USA) Master's Course, 04/14/18
  • Opioid Reduction in the Presence of an Enhanced Recovery Program, Evidence Based Perioperative Medicine (EBPOM) - London Consortium, 07/04/18
  • Are You Really Doing Enhanced Recovery After Surgery?, Evidence Based Perioperative Medicine (EBPOM-USA), 09/21/18
  • Multimodal Analgesia Within an Enhanced Recovery Program: Addressing the Opioid Crisis, NC Association for Peri-Anesthesia Nursing, 10/29/18
  • Multimodal Analgesia: A Different Approach to Acute Surgical Pain, Annual Anesthesia Update, 11/10/18
  • Implementation of a Bariatric ERAS Program at a Community Hospital Improves Length of Stay, Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting, 30-Day Outcomes, and Reduces Cost, American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, 11/12/18
  • Reducing opioid consumption through multimodal analgesia within an Enhanced Recovery Pathway, 4th International Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Conference, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 12/14/18
  • Implementing Enhanced Surgical Recovery: The Future is Yesterday, OR Business Management Conference, San Diego, 01/28/19
  • Enhanced Recovery After Surgery in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery (MIGS), Grand Rounds, St. Mary's Hospital of Waterbury, 02/06/19
  • Enhanced Recovery After Surgery: Implementation Strategies for Sustainability, Grand Rounds, Miami Baptist, 02/07/19
  • ERAS Nuts and Bolts, EBPOM-USA, Chicago, 02/23/19
  • Perioperative Medicine Gaps and Opportunities, EBPOM-USA, Chicago, 09/13/19
  • Enhanced Recovery State of the Art, EBPOM Dingle, Ireland, 10/09/19
  • How to Implement a Successful ERAS Cardiac Program, EBPOM, Chicago, 09/11/20
  • Multimodal Analgesia to Reduce Opioid Consumption, EBPOM, Chicago, 09/12/20
  • Optimizing Cardiac ICU Resource Utilization and Patient Safety, CTSNet Webinar, 09/17/20
  • Getting Started in ERAS Cardiac, Society of Thoracic Surgery: 17th Annual Perioperative and Critical Care Conference, 09/24/20
  • Nursing Perspectives of ERAS Implementation, ERAS Turkish Society, 05/22/21
  • The Principles of ERAS Implementation, Swiss Society of Perioperative Medicine, Brazilian Society of Anesthesiology, 06/12/21
  • Enhanced Recovery in Cardiac Surgery, EBPOM-Dingle, Ireland, 09/22/21
  • Successful Implementation, The Society of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology, Mexico, 11/24/21
  • Implementation Strategies: ERAS-C and Patient Blood Management, ERAS Cardiac Society, Salzburg, Austria, 03/14/22 - 03/18/22
  • Erythropoietin in Cardiac Surgery: Hero or Hype?, ERAS Cardiac Society, 04/22/22
  • Viscoelastic Testing in Cardiac Surgery: Guidelines and Best Practice, American Association of Thoracic Surgery, Boston, 05/14/22
  • ERAS for Cardiac Surgery 2.0, ERAS World Congress Madrid, Spain, 06/01/22
  • Anemia Optimization in Cardiac Surgery, EBPOM World Congress London, England, 07/07/22
  • Anemia Optimization in Cardiac Surgery, Society of Thoracic Surgeons Denver, CO, 09/08/22
  • Perioperative Patient Blood Management: Why and How?, ERAS Turkish Society Congress, 10/02/22
  • Goal Directed Perfusion, Cardiothoracic Research and Education Forum, 10/21/22
  • Data to Evolve an ERAS Program, EBPOM Collaboration London, England, 11/18/22
  • Building a Cardiac ERAS Program Without Added Cost, Society of Thoracic Surgery Annual Meeting, San Diego, 01/21/23
  • Patient Blood Management - Preoperative, American Association of Thoracic Surgery Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, 05/06/23
  • Anemia Optimization in Cardiac Surgery, ERAS World Congress, Lisbon Portugal, 05/31/23
  • Keynote Speaker - Team Building for Large-Scale Implementations, ERAS Cardiac Turkish Society, 06/16/23
  • Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting in Cardiac Surgery: It IS a Problem, European Association of Cardiothoracic Surgeons - Vienna, Austria, 10/06/23
  • Anemic or Iron Deficient Patient? We Have a Solution, Society of Thoracic Surgeons Annual Meeting, 01/27/24
  • Beyond the STS Adult Surgical Database: ERAS Dashboards, American Association for Thoracic Surgeons Annual Meeting, 04/27/24

Timeline

Surgical Wellness Nurse Practitioner

Novant Healthcare
12.2024 - Current

Assistant Vice President, Clinical and Quality Outcomes

Providence Anesthesiology Associates
01.2017 - 09.2024

Clinical Field Specialist - National Lead

Edwards LifeSciences
06.2012 - 01.2017

Organ Recovery Coordinator II/Advanced Practice Coordinator

LifeShare of the Carolinas
08.2008 - 06.2012

Senior Organ Donation Coordinator/Advanced Practice Coordinator

LifeSource
02.2007 - 02.2008

Organ Donation Coordinator

LifeSource
09.2006 - 02.2007

CEO/Owner

VLM Nurse Consultants
09.2004 - 12.2012

Registered Nurse

North Memorial Hospital
06.2004 - 02.2006

Registered Nurse

Wake Medical Center
01.2003 - 06.2004

Registered Nurse

UNC Chapel Hill
08.2000 - 05.2004

Registered Nurse

Presbyterian Hospital
08.1998 - 08.2000

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