Karen obtained her training as a wound, ostomy, continence nurse at Emory University in Atlanta Georgia. She was certified in this specialty (CWOCN) in 1996. In 1997, she completed her masters degree and focus as a clinical nurse specialist (ACNS-BC) at Northwestern University in Shreveport, Louisiana. Karen was fortunate to have trained with wound/ostomy experts who were pioneers in conducting research and disseminating this data in the literature to train clinicians like herself in this much
needed field of care. Through the years Karen has worked in education/consultant positions to develop programs, educate healthcare workers, and provide efficient care delivery to patients by refining processes in organizations. Settings served have included hospitals, home health, rehabilitation facilities, nursing home, and long term acute care facilities.
In 2014 Karen completed her family nurse practitioner (NP-C) to broaden her scope of care to a more general population. Wound Ostomy Care Clinic is a Private, Free-Standing clinic. “With over 20 years of experience it is a privilege to be able to extend the skills/knowledge I have acquired to the general public. It has been a long-term vision to have my own private clinic and deliver care in the best practice methods I have learned through the teachings and support of mentors, colleagues, and patients. Ostomy nurses are hard to find in our geographic location and I want to inspire other healthcare providers to actively pursue this specialty to continue this art/craft for the next generation of ostomy nurses who will treat these very special patients. ”