Education

PhD, Nursing Science, University of Pennsylvania
MS,   Nursing Science, University of Pennsylvania
BSN, Nursing Science, University of Pennsylvania
BS,    Behavioral Neuroscience, Northeastern University

Board Certifications

Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing, Registered Nurse

Research Interests

The goal of my research is to understand the predictors and consequences of pain and cognitive dysfunction in vulnerable populations undergoing surgery to develop more individualized, equitable and safe patient care.

Funding

Barriers to Effective Pain Treatment in Surgical Patients with Opioid Use Disorder. National Institute of Health’s Loan Repayment Program Award funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), 2021.
Role: Principal Investigator

Mental Health Outcomes Among US Healthcare Workers Exposed to COVID-19. Northeastern University COVID-19 Crisis Seed Funding, 2020.
Role: Principal Investigator

Evaluating Pain Assessment and Management in Critical Care Nurses. Hillman Scholars Program in Nursing Innovation Advancing Early Research Opportunities (AERO) Alumni Fellowship, 2020.
Role: Principal Investigator

Pain-Related Disparities Among Patients with Substance Use Disorder. Advancing Health Equity Pilot Project Awards Northeastern University Institute for Health Equity and Social Justice, 2020.
Role: Principal Investigator

Improving Critical Care Pain Management: Evaluating Nurses Knowledge, Attitudes and Self-Efficacy. Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing 2020.
Role: Principal Investigator

Publications

MyNCBI Bibliography:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/kara.pavone.1/bibliography/public/

Areas of Expertise

Acute and chronic pain, postoperative cognitive dysfunction, geriatric critical care and behavioral neuroscience

Honors and Awards

Faculty Scholar. Institute for Health Equity and Social Justice Research, Bouvé College of Health Science, Northeastern University, 2020
External Faculty Nurse Scientist. Yvonne L. Munn Center for Nursing Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, 2020
The Dorothy Mereness Award for exceptional ability in scholarly writing, University of Pennsylvania, 2019
Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, 2018
Hillman Scholar in Nursing Innovation, 2015

Professional and Community Service

• Member, International Nurses Society on Addictions (IntNSA)
• Member, International Association for the Study of Pain
• Member, American Association of Critical Care Nursing
• Member, Society for Critical Care Medicine
• Member, Sigma Theta Tau National Honor Society