As chief cardiology nurse practitioner, Karen leads a team of nurse practitioners who manage acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients. To improve care, she worked with a collaborative group to develop a discharge instruction software application. As a result, compliance with AMI National Quality Indicators improved from 71% to 96%. This technology improved patient education, medication reconciliation and care on subsequent visits.
Under her leadership, the team developed an evidence-based Contrast Nephropathy Prevention Protocol and initiated the Cardiology Nurse Practitioner Practice Committee. Through her work on the Washington Hospital Center Mid-Level Practitioner Leadership Committee, Karen contributed to the implementation of strategies to bring practitioners together in a professional community. After surveying midlevel practitioners, the committee developed a strategic plan to address the needs identified, including opportunities for publication, speaking and research. Karen served on the work group for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Expecting Success: Excellence in Cardiac Care initiative. She presented outcomes data from this initiative to the hospital's Performance Improvement Committee, focusing on healthcare disparities and patient perceptions of care.
As a resource for the Cardiology Service line, she responds to "Rapid Response" situations and recently cared for a patient with multisystem illness and significant coronary disease. When the patient developed respiratory failure, she provided patient stabilization. Karen worked with the bedside nurse and assessed the patient for cardiovascular etiologies of the respiratory failure. Karen called the patient's family to obtain information on the patient's wishes regarding intubation and resuscitation, because the patient could not participate in her own medical decision making. Karen then worked with the CCU head nurse to pass the information to the critical care team. By working in collaboration with the Rapid Response physician and team members, the patient was stabilized and transferred to a higher level of care within 30 minutes.
