Resume
CHERYL KRIPKE COHEN, RN, MSN, HCMHT
FromMyHarp@comcast.net 215-233-1281 www.FromMyHarp.com
CAREER SUMMARY
Harp Therapist with a mastery level proficiency in musical improvisation, an extensive musical repertoire, and the ability to play songs by ear, provides harp music individualized to patients in a variety of health care settings. Promotes healing of patients’ emotional, mental, physical, and/or spiritual functioning by creating a cradle of sound. Passionate about helping people cope with health issues and sharing the healing power of music with others.
Nursing professional with over 20 years experience in health care, specializing in pediatric primary health care. Conscientious, caring, and organized nurse with excellent observational, assessment, and patient education skills. Strong communication skills facilitate trust, emotional support, and empathy with patients and their families, as well as effective collaboration with health care team members.
EDUCATION
Hospital Certified Harp Therapist and Hospital Certified Master of Harp Therapy
BEDSIDE HARP, Bensalem, PA and ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL,
New Brunswick, NJ - August 2005
Master of Science in Nursing, Pediatric Primary Health Care
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, Philadelphia, PA - August 1986
Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Cum Laude
BOSTON UNIVERSITY, Boston, MA - May 1981
HARP THERAPY AND HARPIST WORK EXPERIENCE
ABINGTON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, Abington, PA – Dec. 2006 to present
Harp Therapist – Provide harp therapy throughout this 570-bed, regional teaching hospital.
Areas include: medical, surgical, inpatient oncology, radiation oncology, outpatient chemo infusion, hospice, pediatric, telemetry, neurology, and orthopedic units, the heart center, pre-op and recovery rooms, emergency room, inpatient psychiatric, dialysis, progressive care, rehabilitation, heart failure units, antepartum, labor and delivery, and postpartum floors, neonatal intensive care unit, medical intensive care unit, cardiac care unit, cardiac surgery unit, surgical trauma unit, and intensive care unit, waiting rooms, lobbies, corridors, and elevators. Play for special hospital events including: employee health fairs, opening of new inpatient oncology unit, Dixon School of Nursing celebration party, nursing research award breakfast, nursing job fair, winter holiday parties, and neonatal intensive care unit reunion.
CARING HOSPICE SERVICES, Fort Washington, PA – Jan. 2007 to present
Harp Therapist – Provide harp therapy to hospice patients and their families in their homes. Play harp for residents and staff of nursing homes and assisted living facilities that Caring Hospice serves.
BEDSIDE HARP, Bensalem, PA – March 2007 to present
Harp Therapist - Facilitated a partnership between Bedside Harp and Abington Memorial Hospital. Provide harp therapy to patients throughout Abington Memorial Hospital. Supervised and mentored harp therapy interns at Abington Memorial Hospital. Educate people about harp therapy, and refer them to harp classes and harp therapy certification training program.
CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA, Philadelphia, PA – Dec. 2006 to present
Provide harp music in family lounge of inpatient oncology unit, sponsored by Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House, and during luncheons and dinners for oncology patients and their families, sponsored by Kisses for Kyle Foundation.
ST. CHRISTOPHER’S HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN, Philadelphia, PA - March 2007 to present
Provide harp therapy in the inpatient and outpatient oncology units, and played therapeutic harp music for Pediatric Oncology Memorial Service, sponsored by Kisses for Kyle Foundation.
NESHAMINY MANOR NURSING HOME, Warrington, PA – Oct. 2007 to present
Provide therapeutic harp music to groups of residents and staff in dementia unit and other units. Visit room-bound residents for private harp therapy session.
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR – Harp Therapist and Harpist
Harp Therapist at funerals and viewings, assisted living facilities and nursing homes, private home visits for people dying or recovering from surgery, and New Jersey Hospice and Palliative Care convention.
Harpist for weddings, luncheons, dinner, birthday, holiday, tea and neighborhood block parties, DeVry University business event, and art auctions.
VOLUNTEER WORK/ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Play harp music at healing, Sabbath, High Holiday, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, and funeral services at Congregation Or Hadash, Fort Washington, PA – 2003 to present
- Sing with choir (soprano section) at Congregation Or Hadash – 2000 to present
- Produced Healing Harmonies, a 19 track healing CD of Jewish music, at Congregation Or Hadash to help comfort congregants facing illness and loss – 2004
- Recorded 7 tracks on Healing Harmonies: 1 on harp, 3 on piano, 3 with choir – 2004
- Belonged to Bedside Harp’s harp circle and performed at social and religious events- 2003-2004
NURSING AND PARENTING EDUCATOR EMPLOYMENT
FORT WASHINGTON PEDIATRICS, Fort Washington, PA – 1991 to March 2006
Pediatric Office Nurse – Provided telephone triage, patient management/education, well and sick care
PARENTS’ NETWORK, Fort Washington, PA – 1992-1997
Parenting Educator – Facilitated parenting discussion groups, counseled mothers with postpartum depression, taught parenting workshops and the Foundations of Healthy Parenting training course
PEDIATRICS, Willingboro, NJ – 1986-1987
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Provided well baby care, breastfeeding advice, allergy and sick care
ANDORRA PEDIATRICS, Philadelphia, PA – 1983-1985
Pediatric Office Nurse – Provided telephone triage/patient management, well and sick care
CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA – Adolescent Unit, Philadelphia, PA – 1982-1983
Pediatric Staff Nurse – Provided care to teenagers with acute or chronic medical and surgical problems
EMERSON HOSPITAL – Pediatric Unit, Concord, MA – 1981-1982
Pediatric Staff Nurse – Provided care to children and adults with medical and surgical problems
CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSES
Licensed Registered Nurse since 1981, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania since 1982
Certified Breastfeeding Counselor, Childbirth Education Association of Greater Philadelphia, 1987
Certified Parenting Educator, Parents’ Network, Fort Washington, PA, 1992