Foli named fellow of American Academy of Nursing
In 2016, Karen Foli was inducted as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing for her significant contributions to nursing and health care.
Fellows are considered to be the most accomplished leaders in education, management, practice and research, as stated by the academy.
Foli’s research focuses on nursing care of nontraditional families, including support during transitions and challenges faced in community settings. She is co-author of “The Post-Adoption Blues: Overcoming the Unforeseen Challenges of Adoption” and “Nursing Care of Adoption and Kinship Families: A Clinical Guide for Advanced Practice Nurses.”
Foli’s clinical guide was the first comprehensive text for nurses who treat patients within these populations.
Foli, an associate professor of nursing and director of the PhD program, has collaborated with individuals from a variety of disciplines, including Susan South, an associate professor of clinical psychology at Purdue, and Extension educators. Most recently, Foli is collaborating with primary care providers at the University of Chicago Adoption Center.
“People first think of social workers as the front line for helping people within these groups, but nurses also have significant interactions with nontraditional families across pediatrics, adult/gerontology and psychiatric/mental health care,” Foli says.