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School of Nursing
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Academic Information

BSN, University of Minnesota

MS, University of Arizona

PhD, University of Arizona

University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Summer Research Institute

Karen Wambach, RN, PhD


Associate Professor

Email: kwambach@kumc.edu
Phone: (913) 588-1639

An associate professor, Karen Wambach, RN, PhD, primarily teaches in the graduate programs at the KU School of Nursing. Dr. Wambach teaches theory and measurement courses in the PhD program, a professional issues course in the masters program, and the teaching with technology course in the health care educator program. Over the past 17 years she has supervised over 43 BSN honors, masters, and doctoral students in research projects, theses, and dissertations.  In 2001 Dr. Wambach was honored with the Chancellor's Award for Outstanding Classroom Teaching. When she is not teaching, Dr. Wambach devotes her time to breastfeeding research. She recently completed a 4-year NIH/NINR funded intervention trial aimed at promoting and supporting breastfeeding among teenage mothers. In recognition of her research accomplishments, Dr. Wambach received the KUMC Faculty Investigator Research Award in 2004 and the Midwest Nursing Research Society Honor a Researcher Award in 2008.  In 2009, a textbook Breastfeeding and Human Lactation, 4th edition, co-edited by Dr. Wambach and Dr. Jan Riordan of Wichita State University, will be published.

Recent Publications

  • Wambach, K.A. & Cohen, S.M. (in press, 2008). Breastfeeding experiences of urban adolescent mothers. Journal of Pediatric Nursing.
  • Wambach, K., Campbell, S., Gill, S.L., Dodgson, J.E., Abiona, T.C., & Heinig, M.J. (2005). Clinical lactation practice: Twenty years of evidence. Journal of Human Lactation, 21, 245-258.
  • Bonnel, W. & Wambach, K. (2005). A nurse educator teaching with technologies course: More than teaching on the Web. Journal of Professional Nursing, 21, 59-65.
  • Wambach, K. & Koehn, M. (2004). Experiences of infant feeding decision-making among urban economically disadvantaged pregnant adolescents. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 48, 361-370.
  • Wambach, K. A. & Rojjanasrirat, W. (2004). Employment and Breastfeeding. In J. Riordan (Ed.),  Breastfeeding and Human Lactation (pp. 487-507). Boston: Jones & Bartlett.

Professional Memberships

  • Midwest Nursing Research Society
  • Sigma Theta Tau
  • International Lactation Consultants Association
  • Association for Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses

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