Karen Preston

Programs and Courses Taught

MSN Case Management

620L Case Management

About Me

Ms. Preston is owner of RNS HealthCare Consultants, a consulting company providing case management, life care planning, education, and consulting services.  She is past-President of the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses.  She is past-Chairperson of the International Academy of Life Care Planners.  She is past-President of Association of Workers’ Compensation Professionals and is currently a committee member of the AWCP Education Academy.

Her clinical background is in rehabilitation, including spinal cord injury and brain injury.  She has experience as a practicing clinician in acute care and home care settings.  Currently she focuses on case management and life care planning for catastrophic pediatric and adult cases.  She has published in peer-reviewed journals and regularly presents at various conferences.  She is a certified rehabilitation nurse and a Fellow of the International Academy of Life Care Planners.  She was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for life care planning in 2014.

Education

BSN, MS in Nursing, Post-grad training in neuro-rehabilitation, Post-grad training in life care planning

Teaching Interests

Case management, life care planning, rehabilitation

Publications

Life Care Planners and IARP. 2017. Chapter in Field, T.  A History of Private Sector Rehabilitation. Athens, GA: Elliott & Fitzpatrick.
An Attorney Perspective on Standards of Practice: A Weapon or a Shield? Journal of Life Care Planning,  Volume 13, Number 3, 2015. (Co-author with Nathaniel Fick)
Revision Process for the Standards of Practice for Life Care Planners. Journal of Life Care Planning,  Volume 13, Number 3, 2015. (Co-author with Christine Reid)
Standards of Practice for Life Care Planners, 3rd edition.  International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals, 2015. (Chairperson and Foreword author)
Tools for Making Home Care Decisions: A Clinician’s Worksheets.  Journal of Life Care Planning, Volume 8, Number 4, 2009.
Steering Health Care: Leaders Across the Continuum. Case In Point, Leadership Supplement, 2009.  (Contributing author)
Standards of  Practice: The Weapon or the Shield? Journal of Life Care Planning, Volume 5, Number 3, 2006.  (Co-author with Nathaniel Fick)
Tools for Creating an Ethical Practice. Journal of Life Care Planning, Volume 5, Number 3,  2006.
The Continuum of Rehabilitation Care: Where Should Your Client Go? LNC Resource, 
            Volume 2, Number 11, 2005.
Case Studies: Combining Life Care Planning and Case Management Services. Journal of 
Life Care Planning, Volume 2, Number 1, 2003.

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

Association of Rehabilitation Nurses
          President (National), 1993 – 1994 
          Council of Leaders, 1994 – present
          Board of Directors, 1984 – 1988 and 1992 – 1994 
          Faculty, Professional Rehabilitation Nursing Course, 1995-2002
          Faculty, Leadership Course, 2009 – 2011 
          Presenter at conferences, 1981 – 2013 
International Academy of Life Care Planners, a Section of IARP
      Chairperson, 2007 – 2009 
          Board of Directors, 2005 – 2010 
          Standards of Practice Committee, 2000 and 2004 – 2006 
      Standards of Practice Committee, Chair, 2013 – 2014 
      Presenter at conferences, 2000-2017
      Peer Review Committee Chair, 2003-2010
International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals (IARP)
         Standards Compliance and Review Board, 2013-2015
         Code of Ethics Committee, Co-Chair, 2014 – present 
         Presenter at conferences, 2007 – 2017 
American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants
          Presenter, Greater Sacramento Area Chapter
Association of Workers’ Compensation Professionals
      President, 2004-2005
          Board of Directors, 2003 – 2006 
          Conference Chairperson, 2004 – 2006 
          Education Academy, Co-Chair, 2010 – present 
Case Management Society of America 
          Presenter, Sacramento Chapter
American Nurses’ Association-California 
Sigma Theta Tau, International Honor Society of Nursing
Journal of Life Care Planning 
          Editorial Board, 2005 – present 

Honors & Awards

Lifetime Achievement Award 2014, Foundation for Life Care Planning Research
President’s Award 2014, Association of Workers’ Compensation Professionals
President’s Award 2007, Association of Rehabilitation Nurses