Karen Cox, PhD, RN, FACHE, FAAN

Karen Cox was appointed president of Chamberlain University in August 2018. Previously, she served as executive vice president and chief operating officer of Children’s Mercy, an independent academic medical center in Kansas City. During her more than 30-year tenure with that organization, she also served as senior vice president for patient care services and as chief nursing officer. In these capacities, she led the organization to its Magnet designation— a credential signaling excellence in nursing—in 2003. Children’s Mercy was the first hospital in the region to receive such recognition.

Cox began her healthcare career as a licensed practical nurse and has distinguished herself in the fields of nursing and healthcare leadership. She was elected to the American Hospital Association, Section on Maternal and Child Health Governing Council (2013–2016) and was appointed to the Children’s Hospital Association, Child Health Committee (2013–2017). Cox was a fellow in the Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellowship Program (1999–2002), and was also appointed to a term on the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice, U.S. Health and Human Services (2006–2011). Cox also served as board chair of the National Initiative for Children’s Health Quality, as board member and chair of the Health Forward Foundation of Greater Kansas City Board of Directors (2009-2015), and was an inaugural member of the National League for Nursing Foundation Advisory Council. An innovator in practice, she received a 2015 American Academy of Nursing Edge Runner award for her work promoting leadership among direct care nurses.

Cox is a fellow and immediate past president of the American Academy of Nursing and a fellow in the American College of Health Care Executives. She holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Kansas and a master’s and PhD in nursing from the University of Missouri, Kansas City.

Publications

Cox, K. (2019, July 15) “Commentary: Making vaccine education a critical part of the patient conversation”. Modern Healthcare. Retrieved from https://www.modernhealthcare.com/opinion-editorial/commentary-making-vaccine-education-critical-part-patient-conversation

Cox, K. (2018) “Rising maternal morbidity, mortality rates in the US”. NBNA News. Fall Issue, pages 18-19.

Cox, K. (2018) “Global maternal mortality rate declines – except in America.” Nursing Outlook, Vol 66, Number 5, pages 428-429.

Cox K, Sullivan C, Olshansky E, Czubaruk K, Lacey B, Scott L, Willems Van Dijk J. (2018) “Critical Conversation: Toxic stress in children living in poverty”. Nursing Outlook. Vol 66, Number 2, pages 204-209.

Cox, K. (2018) “Reducing toxic stress experienced by children living in poverty”. Nursing Outlook. Vol 66, Number 2, pages 108-109.

Cox, K. (2018) “Mindfulness and the work of the Academy”. Nursing Outlook. Vol 66, Number 1, page 3.

Goodyear-Bruch, C., Altman, M., & Cox, K.  (2017, November 30). Empowering nurses to innovate at the bedside, then spread their innovations [Web log post]. Retrieved from https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20171121.831571/full/

Hickam, T, White, P, Modrcin, A, McManus, M, Cox, K (2017) “Implementing a Nationally Recognized Pediatric-to-Adult Transitional Care Approach in a Major Children’s Hospital”.  Health and Social Work Journal.  In Press.

Cox, K, Westbrook, DH (2017) “Hospital Leadership Recognizes Need to Create Partnerships to Treat Consequences of Poverty”.  Current Problems Pediatric Adolescent Health Care.  In Press

Cox K (2016) “Nurses and the Social Determinants of Health”. Public Health Nursing, Vol. 33 No. 1, pp 1-2.  2016 Wiley Periodicals.

Sanderson, C., Cox, K., & Disch, J. (2020). Virtual Nursing, Virtual Learning. Nurse Leader, 18(2): 134-38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mnl.2019.12.005

Books and Book Chapters

Lacey SR, Cox KS, Ives Erickson J, Rich VL (2015) “The Contemporary Work Environment of Nursing” Policy and Politics in Nursing and Health Care. 7th Edition, Chapter 63 (pp 523-532).  St. Louis, MO