Overview
Dr. Karen Fotino is a nationally certified Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) with over 20 years of leadership spanning clinical practice, education, research, and system-level improvement. As a licensed Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, she specializes in medical-surgical and gerontological nursing.
She has extensive experience advancing evidence-based care through clinical practice, scholarly work, and consultation. Dr. Fotino has developed and led multiple evidence-based initiatives to improve patient safety and care quality, with outcomes disseminated through publications and presentations at local and national conferences.
She is actively engaged in local and national professional organizations, serving on boards and committees that advance geriatric care, medical-surgical nursing, and professional practice standards. Dr. Fotino exemplifies the broad impact of the CNS role in shaping care delivery, driving professional development, and strengthening community partnerships.
In addition to her clinical leadership, she is an accomplished educator with extensive experience teaching in academic and professional settings, preparing the next generation of nurses to provide safe, high-quality, evidence-based care.
Area of Expertise
Clinical expertise: Medical-surgical nursing, Gerontology nursing, Adult health, Acute care
Selected Publications
Note: Publications have been published under both Karen Peters and Karen Fotino
Fotino, K. (2021, May/June). A Quality Improvement Project for Monitoring Surgical Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Clinical Nurse Specialist, 35(3), 147-155. https://doi.org/10.1097 /NUR.0000000000000589
Contributing author: (2020, July). Supporting New Nurse Transition into Practice during the Covid-19 Pandemic: Opportunities for Academic & Practice Nurse Educator Collaboration. Organization of Nurse Leaders – MA, RI, NH, CT, VT. Retrieved from https://www.oonl.org/ education-public2
Peters, K., & Shields, S. (2017). Using the Influencer Model to improve alarm management practices. Biomedical instrumentation & technology, 51(s2), 66-70. https://doi.org/10.2345/0899-8205-51.s2.66
Karkos, B., & Peters, K. (2006). A magnet community hospital: Fewer barriers to nursing research utilization. JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 36(7), 377-382. https://doi.org/10.1097/ 00005110-200607000-00011
