Kandice Alfaro

Registered Nurse bringing 15 years of hands-on perioperative and post-operative experience across hospital and ambulatory surgery center settings, building on a strong foundation as a Pre-Op, PACU, and GI LVN. Certified in ACLS, BLS, PALS, and NIHSS, bringing deep expertise in rapid pre-op workups, sedation recovery, difficult IV access, and efficient discharge teaching. Adept at maintaining high-volume procedural flow while closely monitoring patient stability and surgical-anesthesia coordination.

Pre-Op/PACU Nurse (LVN) - San Antonio Regional Hospital - Upland, CA

(2012-12 - 2017-12)

• Managed high-volume pre-op admissions, comprehensive physiological assessments, IV placements, and consent verifications for complex gastroenterology patients.
• Monitored Phase I and Phase II post-anesthesia recovery for patients undergoing diagnostic and therapeutic GI procedures.
• Assisted gastroenterologists during advanced endoscopic cases, safely operating specialized scopes, accessories, and therapeutic equipment.
• Tracked patient vital signs, directed conscious sedation recovery protocols, and provided detailed post-procedure discharge education.

GI & Critical Care Support Nurse (LVN) - Loma Linda University Medical Center - Loma Linda, CA

(2018-06 - 2020-12)

• Provided high-acuity direct patient care and clinical support for critical and emergent GI cases within a Level 1 trauma hospital setting.
• Assisted gastroenterologists during urgent, high-stress endoscopic interventions, managing specialized scopes and accessories rapidly under pressure.
• Monitored patient status and reported physiological changes to the RN and medical team during high-acuity GI cases.
• Sterilized, maintained, and troubleshot complex GI instrumentation to ensure swift room turnover during trauma activations and critical care calls.

Pre-Op & PACU (LVN) - Ambulatory Surgical Centers (Plastic & Outpatient Specialty) - Southern CA

(2020-03 - 2023-07)

• Maintained rapid case turnover and efficient outpatient flow across multi-specialty general, cosmetic, and reconstructive plastic surgery environments.
• Executed thorough pre-operative intakes, health history evaluations, initiated peripheral IV access, and finalized surgical checklists to ensure on-time theater scheduling.
• Monitored Phase I and Phase II recovery milestones, tracking airway stability, pain and nausea titration, surgical site integrity, and dressing conditions.
• Partnered collaboratively with plastic surgeons and anesthesia providers to evaluate discharge criteria and deliver structured home care instructions to patients and families.

Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) - Nursing - Marsha Fuerst College of Nursing (2026-05)