People
Faculty
Karen A. Kehl, PhD, RN, ACHPN, FPCN
Assistant Professor
PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison;
MSN, Rush University
BSN, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Office Location: K6/354 CSC
Telephone: (608) 265-2190
E-mail: kkehl@wisc.edu
Karen Kehl's research program is focused on caring for individuals with life-limiting illness at the very end of their lives. Currently, her work is focused on hospice family caregivers and what they need to provide optimal care in the last week of life. She has conducted research describing the content of written materials that are provided by hospices across the U.S. to assist in preparing families for death. She has also explored how hospice staff prepare families for caregiving in the last days of death. Professor Kehl is working on a tailored intervention to assist hospice staff and family caregivers during the last week of a patient's life.
Representative Publications
Kehl, K.A. (2004). Treatment of terminal restlessness: a review of the evidence. J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother. 18(1):5-30.
Kirchhoff, K.T., Song, M.K., Kehl, K. (2004). Caring for the family of the critically ill patient. Crit Care Clin. 20(3):453-66, ix-x.
Kehl, K.A. (2005). Recognition and support of anticipatory mourning. Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care Nursing. 7(3):206-212
Kehl, K.A. (2006). Moving toward peace: an analysis of the concept of a good death. Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 23(4):277-86.
Kirchhoff, K.T., Kehl, K.A. (2008). Recruiting participants in end-of-life research. American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Medicine. 24(6):515-521.
Kehl, K.A. (2008). Caring for the patient and the family in the last hours of life. Home Health Care Management and Practice. 20(5):408-413.
Kehl, K.A., Kirchhoff, K.T., Finster M.P., Cleary J.F. (2008). Materials to prepare hospice families for dying in the home. J Palliat Med. 11(7):969-972.
Kehl, K.A., Kirchhoff, K.T., Kramer, E.J., Hovland-Scafe, C. (2009). Challenges facing families at the end of life in three settings. J Soc Work End Life Palliat Care. 5(3&4)144-168.
Kehl, K.A. & Gartner, C.G. (2010). Can you hear me now? The experience of a Deaf family member surrounding the death of loved ones. Palliat Med. 24(1):88-93.
Kirchhoff, K.T., Hammes, B.J., Kehl, K.A., Briggs, L.A., Brown, R.L. (2010). Effect of a disease-specific planning intervention on surrogate understanding of patient goals for future medical treatment J Am Geriatr Soc. 58(7):1233-40.
Selected Awards and Honors
Fellow in Palliative Care Nursing (FPCN), 2012
Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA), New Investigator Award, 2012
Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA), Outstanding Research Abstract Award, 2010