Karen (Yun) Cai

Background

I earned my baccalaureate nursing degree (BSN) from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China, in 2008. I then began my clinical career as a nurse-wife in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, in Shanghai, China. Pursuing my interest of geriatric nursing, I started graduate education at Purdue Nursing in 2011. I earned my Master of Science in Nursing degree (MSN) in the Adult and Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Program (AGNP) in 2014 and the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in 2016. While pursuing the degrees, I worked as a registered nurse at the Creasy Springs Health Campus, a nursing home in Lafayette, Indiana, and then as a nurse practitioner at Purdue University Student Health Center. I worked as a research assistant in the Purdue School of Nursing for more than three years, where I have collaborated with many scholars in long-term care and nursing home research projects. I explored a goal-setting person-centered practice for sub-acute residents in a skilled nursing facility as my DNP project, while working with my advisor, Associate Professor of Nursing Kathleen Abrahamson.

Research Interests

As a DNP-prepared practitioner, I am passionate about improving quality of care and resident quality of life in long-term care facilities and bridging the gap between nursing research and nursing practice. I am thankful to have had Dr. Abrahamson as my mentor and collaborate with many other scholars with expertise in long-term care research.

Why Purdue?

To further develop my research skills, I returned to Purdue School of Nursing for my PhD in Nursing. I believe that Purdue Nursing provides a high-quality PhD program. Further, I have gained significant knowledge and acquired the skills for success through working with our expert faculty at the Purdue School of Nursing.