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Karen Percell

Assistant Professor Nursing Office Location: Nursing Building #125 Phone: (210) 283-6352
  • Dr. Percell is an advocate for the quality and safety of healthcare as it is experienced not only by the patient, but also by the clinician. As a safety scientist, nurse, and healthcare executive, Dr. Percell’s professional interest and joy is found in: creating order amidst organizational or quality chaos, finding meaningful corrective actions to worst-day experiences, applying creative solutions to complex healthcare challenges, promoting energy and excitement about the use of data and research, and inspiring increased scholarship to drive healthcare quality and safety.
  • PhD, Univeristy of Texas at Austin, 2022
  • MSN, Regis University, Denver 2004
  • BSN, Colorado State Univeristy, Pueblo 1998
  • A Colorado Native, Karen graduated from the University of Southern Colorado with a bachelor’s degree in nursing, and later attended Regis University to attain a master’s degree of Nursing, with concentration in Leadership in Healthcare Structures. After moving to and adopting Texas as her second home, she completed her doctoral research and graduated from The University of Texas at Austin, where she studied managerial coaching’s relationship to role ambiguity and quality/safety competencies among medical-surgical nurses.
  • Karen began teaching clinical nursing courses for Regis University and then began teaching both didactic and clinical nursing courses at Metropolitan State University in Denver, CO.
  • Fuzak, J., Elkon, B., Hampers, L., Polage, K., Milton, J., Powers, L., Percell-de’Shong, K., & Wathan, J. (2010).
  • Mass transfer of the Children’s Hospital inpatient census to a new location in under 12 hours:
  • Lessons learned and implications for disaster preparedness. The Journal of Pediatrics, 157(1), 138-143. LECTURES & RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS
  • Percell, K. & Yoder, L. H. (September 2023). Medical-Surgical Nurses’ Experience of Managerial
  • Coaching. Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses Annual Convention, Las Vegas, NM.
  • Percell, K. (February 2023). Navigating Quality Improvement for the New Graduate Nurse. University of the Incarnate Word. San Antonio, TX. Senior Student Guest Lecture for Dr. Julie Nadeau.
  • Percell, K. & Yoder, L. H. (July 2023). Medical-Surgical Nurses’ Perceived QSEN Competency.
  • International Congress of Nurses 2023 Congress. Montreal, Canada. E-Poster Presentation.
  • Percell, K. & Yoder, L. H. (July 2022). Quality/Safety Competency of the Experienced Acute Care Clinical
  • Staff Nurse. Sigma Theta Tau 33rd International Nursing Research Congress. Edinburgh,Scotland.
  • Percell, K; Jones, T.; Yoder, L. H. (February 18-20, 2021). Medical Surgical Nurses’ Perceptions of Receiving
  • Coaching from First Line Managers. Creating Healthy Work Environments Conference Session.
    Sigma Theta Tau, Creating Health Work Environments 2021
  • Percell-deShong, K. (2017). Clinical complications - When things go wrong: A comprehensive review and comparison of administrative and leader functions: root cause analysis, peer review, and risk management processes as applied throughout the facility. Carl R Darnall Army Medical Center,Leadership at Lunch Presentation, 1 CEU.
  • Sabido, J., Cobleigh, S., O’Neal, L., Goldburg, C., Bunton, S., Percell-de’Shong, K., Newman, R., Miller, T.,Ganous, K., . . . Seimetz, J. (2014) Preceptor Course. Course Development, AMEDD Center & School, Department of Nursing Science. 7.07 CE’s
  • Elliott, M., Fillmore, S., & Percell-de’Shong, K. (November 8, 2012) Evidence Based Practice Review of Nursing Hand-offs. Poster presentation. Karen A Rieder Research/Federal Nursing Poster Session, San Antonio, Texas.
  • Stafford, A., Richardson, C., & Percell-de’Shong, K. (November 8, 2012). Evidence Based Practice Review of Umbilical Cord Care of Newborns: Saline vs. Alcohol. Poster presentation. Karen A Rieder Research/Federal Nursing Poster Session, San Antonio, Texas.
  • Percell, K. (2007, August) Guest Lecture: Sick or Not Sick, Determining the Acuity of Common Pediatric EMS Calls. Emergency Medical Services Colorado Trauma Symposium. Vail, Colorado.
    Percell, K. (February 2006) Guest Lecture: Rapid Assessment of the Pediatric Medical Emergency. Emergency Medical Services Colorado Trauma Symposium, Pueblo, Colorado.

  • American Hospital Association Member, 2021 - present

  •  Academy of Medical Surgical Nursing Member, February 2018 - present

  • Sigma Theta Tau (Epsilon Theta Chapter) Member, May 2002 – present

  •  National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) Member, October 2015 – sundowned to IHI merger 2020

  •  The United States Army Medical Department Regiment Affiliate, 2014 - present

  • 2021 UT AUSTIN Dissertation Writing Fellowship – Spring Semester 2020 Endowed Fellowship in Nursing Systems – Spring Semester

  •  2019 Academy of Medical Surgical Nursing Research Grant Endowed Fellowship in Nursing Systems -Fall Semester

  •  2018 Lilli S Matthews Endowed Scholarship – Spring Semester

  • 2017 Endowed Fellowship for Nursing Systems - Fall Semester
  • 2015 Department of the Army Achievement Medal for Civilian Service (15 May 2015)
  • 2013 Department of the Army Achievement Medal for Civilian Service (14 Feb 2013)
  • Department of the Army Commander’s Award for Civilian Service (23 Dec 2013)
  • 2011 Star Note –Recognition for contributions from MG(R) Horoho, The Surgeon General, U.S. Army
  • 2007 Flight for Life Colorado Heart and Soul Award - Sacred Moments during Extraordinary Flights Award.
  • Children’s Hospital Star Recognition – Pivotal influence during hospital move.