Kara Pavone, PhD, RN

  • Assistant Professor
  • College of Nursing
  • Phone: 401.874.5555
  • Email: kara.pavone@uri.edu
  • Office Location: RI NEC, Room 250, 350 Eddy St., Providence, RI, 02903

Biography

Dr. Kara J. Pavone is an Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing at the University of Rhode Island. She earned her Ph.D. in Nursing Science from the University of Pennsylvania as a Hillman Scholar in Nursing Innovation. Prior to joining the faculty at University of Rhode Island, Dr. Pavone served on the faculty at Northeastern University in Boston. Dr. Pavone’s work has been funded by Sigma Theta Tau International, the Hillman Scholars Alumni Fellowship, and Northeastern University’s Institute for Health Equity and Social Justice.

Research

Dr. Pavone’s research focuses on improving nursing care through two complementary areas of inquiry. First, she examines the role of stigma in the care of individuals with substance use disorders, with particular attention to how nurses’ attitudes toward addiction influence pain management for patients with opioid use disorder. She is developing an evidence-based training program for nurses and nursing students to address stigma and improve the quality and equity of care.

Second, Dr. Pavone’s work centers on nursing education, where she develops innovative teaching strategies to prepare the next generation of nurses to deliver high-quality, compassionate, evidence-based care. She is especially interested in learner-centered approaches that promote critical thinking, empathy, and clinical competence. Through both lines of scholarship, Dr. Pavone aims to advance nursing practice and promote equitable, compassionate healthcare.

Education

PhD, Nursing Science, University of Pennsylvania
MS, Nursing Science, University of Pennsylvania
BSN, Nursing Science, University of Pennsylvania
BS, Behavioral Neuroscience, Northeastern University

Selected Publications

Pavone, KJ. (2025). Using Exit Tickets to Foster Competency-Based Learning in Nursing Education. Nurse Educ. https://doi.org/10.1097/nne.0000000000001862

Miller, M, Ye, L, Van Pelt, M, Pavone, KJ. (2025). Effects of Mindfulness on Postoperative Pain, Anxiety, Opioid Use: An Integrative Review. Pain Management Nursing. PubMed PMID: 40368749.

Pavone KJ, Gorgol H, Rust V, Bronksi M, LaBelle CT, Compton P. (2023). Exploring the Postoperative Pain Experiences of Individuals with Opioid Use Disorder and the Nurses Providing Care in the United States: A Qualitative Descriptive Study Protocol. BMJ Open. 13(10), e072187. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-072187

Pavone KJ, Jablonski J, Junker P, Cacchione PZ, Compton P, Polomano RC. (2020). Evaluating delirium outcomes among older adults in the surgical intensive care unit. Heart and Lung. 2020 Sep-Oct;49(5):578-584. doi: 10.1016/j.hrtlng.2020.04.009. PubMed PMID: 32434699.

Pavone KJ, Cacchione PZ, Polomano RC, Winner L, Compton P. (2018). Evaluating the use of dexmedetomidine for the reduction of delirium: An integrative review. Heart and Lung. 47(6):591-601. doi: 10.1016/j.hrtlng.2018.08.007. PubMed PMID: 30266265.

A full list of publications can be found at:
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/kara.pavone.1/bibliography/public/