Karen Pacheco Elliott MSN, RN, CNOR, CSPDT

Karen Pacheco Elliott, MSN RN BS CNOR CSPDT, is the Professional Development Specialist for Regional One Health, Elvis Pressley Trauma Center, in Memphis Tennessee. Karen has been a perioperative nurse for 44 years and a member of AORN for 44 years. Her routine can be challenging as she solely covers four separate operating and PACU areas, the Chandler O.R., Elvis Pressley Trauma Center, Burn O.R. and Outpatient Surgery Center. 

As Professional Development Specialist at a level one trauma center that employs and serves a diverse patient population, diversity, equity and inclusion for patients and staff is a priority. Karen’s Hispanic background  has given her additional insight to promote DEI. Faced with a 50% employee vacancy rate Karen organized and reached out to nurses and schools of nursing to start and teach her hospitals first Perioperative 101 program. She recruited all ages, ethnicities, male and females. This led to 12 culturally diverse students with different learning and skill sets. Challenged with five different start dates to accommodate her students, Karen, successfully coordinated all presentations, speakers, preceptors, and shadowing.  The Periop 101 program led to a total 100% pass rate and 25% vacancy decrease. Reaching out to schools of nursing lead to 6 diverse student nurse externs shadowing in the O.R. with the plan to enroll in the Periop 101 program upon graduate.

 Karen is passionate about promoting best practice to optimize patient care. She devoted a year to review, update and revise all the perioperative policies and developed an education plan for employees. The process she used was based on AORN guidelines, research and best practice.  Karen uses Patricia Benner’s concept, “From Novice to Expert” to develop perioperative nursing skills and an understanding of patients from a combination of a strong educational foundation and personal experiences.