May 2024
Karen
Morahan
,
DNP
School of Nursing
UPMC Hamot
Erie
,
PA
United States
Dr. Morahan can also be found modeling ideal nursing behaviors and skills at the bedside, as she is adept at working in various medical-surgical settings.
Dr. Morahan oversees two “teams” in her role: the team of educators responsible for guiding the nursing students to successfully graduate nursing school and the team of students that she oversees as they pursue the goal of becoming nurses.
Dr. Morahan advocates for the success of her students, who often experience trials and tribulations as single mothers and fathers, primary caregivers, and economic heads of the household. She has found resources and community partnerships to aid this vulnerable student population, including organizing meals, providing groceries, baby necessities, and school supplies, and finding free daycare coupled with cellular phones. These are basic items that are all part of our busy lives, yet we take them for granted. Dr. Morahan understands how the lack of a necessity such as food can affect performance in school. She advocates for the holistic (body, mind, and spirit) success of the SON students and faculty. The vulnerable populations at the SON are there because they have a deep desire to become a nurse and to provide a better life for their families. There are times when they need more help fiscally, mentally, and educationally to flourish. Dr. Morahan recognizes and tirelessly advocates on their behalf.
Dr. Morahan advocates for the needs of her faculty through transformative leadership. Part of her advocacy for faculty includes mentoring and providing a positive work environment through communal lunches, faculty sharing, and prioritizing faculty needs.
Mentoring occurs on a regular basis as the majority of the UPMC Hamot SON faculty are transitioning from the bedside to academia, furthering education (e.g., MSN, Doctorate, Ph.D., etc.), and raising families. Her approach is gentle and authentic. Dr. Morahan can also be found modeling ideal nursing behaviors and skills at the bedside, as she is adept at working in various medical-surgical settings.
Dr. Morahan takes the time to listen to her faculty and considers their input when instituting new processes and policies. Faculty feel they are “heard and valued” for their knowledge and skills. She demonstrates understanding with her team during moments of duress, from interactions with students to family life events. Her approach to conflicts and barriers is supportive of all parties involved while seeking a reasonable and fair solution that will benefit all. Advocacy does not encompass words only but actions. Dr. Morahan’s approach to mentoring and leadership is the cornerstone of a positive work environment where faculty sharing and the amalgamation of ideas occur, the proverbial unicorn within the world of academia.
Dr. Morahan demonstrates this commitment to personal development and growth with numerous others. With 75% of her instructors transitioning from bedside nursing to academia, Dr. Morahan devotes countless hours to providing guidance, feedback, and expertise, thus ensuring faculty growth and fostering a desire to pursue excellence in nursing education. Her office door remains open, and she takes the time to genuinely listen and offer counsel day or night. Additionally, she allows her faculty to come to a decision regarding a challenge and supports their resolution of that issue. Dr. Morahan inspires her faculty to be innovators and try new learning processes and activities that appeal to students. Through her authentic transformational approach, she builds stable relationships that nurture creativity, trust, and confidence in her team and leads with both compassion and accountability.
Dr. Morahan has significantly impacted her community through her dedication to nursing, education, and volunteerism. Her selflessness and courage launched a 20-year United States Air Force career, retiring as a 911 Aeromedical Staging Squadron Vice Commander. Following her military service, Dr. Morahan shared her expertise in nursing by preparing future nurses as a professor at several local universities. After this extensive academic career and post-military retirement, Dr. Morahan felt the pull to return to the hospital setting. Within three short months of starting her role as an Advanced Clinical Educator, COVID-19 began its emergence in hospitals across the globe. Dr. Morahan quickly became a valuable team member and informal leader, assisting in the opening of UPMC Hamot’s COVID-19 Testing Center, creating online education tools (when in-person was no longer a safe option), and even taking patient assignments on the COVID-19 inpatient units before a vaccination was available.
In April 2020, Dr. Morahan took an incredibly bold step and approached the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) about an idea. As the pandemic continued to spread and hospitals struggled to find enough nurses to care for their patients, Dr. Morahan presented an innovative solution. She proposed to the CNO the opening of a School of Nursing located inside the city limits. Just 16 short months later, her courageous proposal became a reality. The Jameson School of Nursing at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Hamot opened its doors to a class of ninety-eight students in August of 2021. There was unanimous support to make Dr. Morahan the first Director. Within an unbelievably limited time frame, Dr. Morahan secured a location for the school located within the city, assisted with the design and renovations of the space to facilitate an ideal learning environment, hired a team of educators, advertised, recruited students, and embraced the concept-based sixteen-month diploma curriculum used by the affiliate UPMC Schools of Nursing (SON). A herculean task amidst a global pandemic was accomplished by this phenomenal woman. Amazingly, her second graduating class has a 100% NCLEX pass rate, an incredible accomplishment led by Dr. Morahan.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, Dr. Morahan has overcome many personal obstacles with determination and compassion. She is the mother of two sons, one who has Down Syndrome and another who is a Type 1 diabetic. Dr. Morahan has embraced life’s challenges faced with these diagnoses to the fullest. For example, she currently serves as the Board President for the Lake Erie Area Down Syndrome Society and can be found as the head coach of their local baseball team. Additionally, she encourages her nursing students to participate in the annual local Erie Buddy Walk, which provides an immersive learning opportunity that fosters a greater understanding of those who live with Down Syndrome. Her advocacy is also evidenced through her leadership in UPMC Hamot’s Employee Resource Group, a committee devoted to the support, inclusion, and advancement of people with disabilities.
Dr. Morahan advocates for the success of her students, who often experience trials and tribulations as single mothers and fathers, primary caregivers, and economic heads of the household. She has found resources and community partnerships to aid this vulnerable student population, including organizing meals, providing groceries, baby necessities, and school supplies, and finding free daycare coupled with cellular phones. These are basic items that are all part of our busy lives, yet we take them for granted. Dr. Morahan understands how the lack of a necessity such as food can affect performance in school. She advocates for the holistic (body, mind, and spirit) success of the SON students and faculty. The vulnerable populations at the SON are there because they have a deep desire to become a nurse and to provide a better life for their families. There are times when they need more help fiscally, mentally, and educationally to flourish. Dr. Morahan recognizes and tirelessly advocates on their behalf.
Dr. Morahan advocates for the needs of her faculty through transformative leadership. Part of her advocacy for faculty includes mentoring and providing a positive work environment through communal lunches, faculty sharing, and prioritizing faculty needs.
Mentoring occurs on a regular basis as the majority of the UPMC Hamot SON faculty are transitioning from the bedside to academia, furthering education (e.g., MSN, Doctorate, Ph.D., etc.), and raising families. Her approach is gentle and authentic. Dr. Morahan can also be found modeling ideal nursing behaviors and skills at the bedside, as she is adept at working in various medical-surgical settings.
Dr. Morahan takes the time to listen to her faculty and considers their input when instituting new processes and policies. Faculty feel they are “heard and valued” for their knowledge and skills. She demonstrates understanding with her team during moments of duress, from interactions with students to family life events. Her approach to conflicts and barriers is supportive of all parties involved while seeking a reasonable and fair solution that will benefit all. Advocacy does not encompass words only but actions. Dr. Morahan’s approach to mentoring and leadership is the cornerstone of a positive work environment where faculty sharing and the amalgamation of ideas occur, the proverbial unicorn within the world of academia.
Dr. Morahan demonstrates this commitment to personal development and growth with numerous others. With 75% of her instructors transitioning from bedside nursing to academia, Dr. Morahan devotes countless hours to providing guidance, feedback, and expertise, thus ensuring faculty growth and fostering a desire to pursue excellence in nursing education. Her office door remains open, and she takes the time to genuinely listen and offer counsel day or night. Additionally, she allows her faculty to come to a decision regarding a challenge and supports their resolution of that issue. Dr. Morahan inspires her faculty to be innovators and try new learning processes and activities that appeal to students. Through her authentic transformational approach, she builds stable relationships that nurture creativity, trust, and confidence in her team and leads with both compassion and accountability.
Dr. Morahan has significantly impacted her community through her dedication to nursing, education, and volunteerism. Her selflessness and courage launched a 20-year United States Air Force career, retiring as a 911 Aeromedical Staging Squadron Vice Commander. Following her military service, Dr. Morahan shared her expertise in nursing by preparing future nurses as a professor at several local universities. After this extensive academic career and post-military retirement, Dr. Morahan felt the pull to return to the hospital setting. Within three short months of starting her role as an Advanced Clinical Educator, COVID-19 began its emergence in hospitals across the globe. Dr. Morahan quickly became a valuable team member and informal leader, assisting in the opening of UPMC Hamot’s COVID-19 Testing Center, creating online education tools (when in-person was no longer a safe option), and even taking patient assignments on the COVID-19 inpatient units before a vaccination was available.
In April 2020, Dr. Morahan took an incredibly bold step and approached the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) about an idea. As the pandemic continued to spread and hospitals struggled to find enough nurses to care for their patients, Dr. Morahan presented an innovative solution. She proposed to the CNO the opening of a School of Nursing located inside the city limits. Just 16 short months later, her courageous proposal became a reality. The Jameson School of Nursing at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Hamot opened its doors to a class of ninety-eight students in August of 2021. There was unanimous support to make Dr. Morahan the first Director. Within an unbelievably limited time frame, Dr. Morahan secured a location for the school located within the city, assisted with the design and renovations of the space to facilitate an ideal learning environment, hired a team of educators, advertised, recruited students, and embraced the concept-based sixteen-month diploma curriculum used by the affiliate UPMC Schools of Nursing (SON). A herculean task amidst a global pandemic was accomplished by this phenomenal woman. Amazingly, her second graduating class has a 100% NCLEX pass rate, an incredible accomplishment led by Dr. Morahan.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, Dr. Morahan has overcome many personal obstacles with determination and compassion. She is the mother of two sons, one who has Down Syndrome and another who is a Type 1 diabetic. Dr. Morahan has embraced life’s challenges faced with these diagnoses to the fullest. For example, she currently serves as the Board President for the Lake Erie Area Down Syndrome Society and can be found as the head coach of their local baseball team. Additionally, she encourages her nursing students to participate in the annual local Erie Buddy Walk, which provides an immersive learning opportunity that fosters a greater understanding of those who live with Down Syndrome. Her advocacy is also evidenced through her leadership in UPMC Hamot’s Employee Resource Group, a committee devoted to the support, inclusion, and advancement of people with disabilities.