Karen Robbins has spent the majority of her career in nephrology nursing, first as a staff nurse in transplant and hemodialysis, then a clinical nurse specialist in transplantation, nurse educator in chronic kidney disease, dialysis and transplantation, educational nurse consultant, editor and a legal nurse consultant. She is the Associate Editor of the Nephrology Nursing Journal, Co-Editor of "Applying Continuous Quality Improvement in Clinical Practice" and was the Section Editor for Hemodialysis in the “Core Curriculum for Nephrology Nursing.”
Karen received her MS from the University of Connecticut School of Nursing and a BSN from the University of Kentucky. She was recognized in 2004 by the University of Kentucky College of Nursing Alumnae Association with the Outstanding Alumna Award for Community and Professional Service, much of that in ANNA. Ms. Robbins was active in the Colonial Chapter of ANNA, and served as a Director on the Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission and on the ANNA Board of Directors for seven years, serving as ANNA President in 1997-98. She was recognized for her contributions to the nephrology community when she received the Torchbearer's Award from the National Association of Nephrology Technicians /Technologists as well as the Director's Citation from the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) for "Visionary and skilled leadership in partnering with the Health Care Financing Administration". ANNA recognized her contributions to nephrology nursing and ANNA when she received the "Outstanding Contribution to ANNA" award, ANNA's most prestigious award.
She is a published author in journals and textbooks, and has spoken on local, regional, national and international levels.