Karen Tessier

Karen Tessier, MS, PhD(c), RN
Instructor

 

School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene
University of Hawaii at Manoa
2528 McCarthy Mall, Webster Hall 325
Honolulu, HI 96822
Ph: 808-956-5015, Fax: 808-956-3257
Email: ktessier@hawaii.edu

 

BS, University of Connecticut;  MS, University of Hawaii at Manoa; PhD, University of Hawaii at Manoa (anticipated 2006).

 

Clinical Area of Focus: pediatrics

 

My area of focus is child health and safety, particularly injury prevention. This is a key area in which nurses can be more active, especially in research, education and advocacy.  More children die from injuries than from all other causes combined, and most of these deaths are preventable.
               
I am particularly interested in the area of child passenger safety, and the use, misuse, and nonuse of child safety restraints (car seats, boosters, and safety belts) in vehicles. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of child injury deaths, and most of these deaths are because the child is not correctly restrained.
               
I am looking at identifying the parent factors most associated with lack of proper restraint, and in determining which interventions are most effective in increasing the rate of proper use. My current research is a randomized clinical trial evaluating two different methods of teaching parents how to correctly install and use a new child restraint. The results may help those working in the field to use the most effective method, thereby contributing to a decrease in preventable deaths.

 

Teaching Topics: Child and family health; health promotion and injury prevention, pain management, death and dying/end of life/bereavement.