February 18, 2015

Karen Blankenship has accepted the position of interim manager for the Operating Room at Good Samaritan. She currently serves as assistant nurse manager of the main OR.

In 1992, Karen began her nursing career at Bethesda Oak Hospital in the Emergency Room. She continued her nursing career at Dearborn County Hospital as a staff nurse from 1993 to 1999.

In 1999, Karen returned to Good Samaritan to join the surgical team. She later returned to inpatient nursing and was a staff member in the Cardiovascular ICU until 2013.

Karen graduated with her BSN from Northern Kentucky University in 1997. She is certified in critical care nursing (CCRN), ACLS, PALS and CRRT (Rapid Response Team). She has 21 years of critical care experience in the ER, OR and ICU. She has supported the ICU in a relief charge nurse capacity and has been a preceptor for MSICU and OR nurses. In addition, she served as the Professional Excellence champion during TriHealth's Magnet journey.

Karen's priority will be to support daily operations in the OR, as well as to carry out new strategies to support perioperative processes, ensuring excellence in perioperative care.