Contact Information

Biography

Dr. Angela Karakachian received her BSN in Nursing from Saint Joseph University in Beirut-Lebanon. She received her Master’s degree in nursing education from the University of Phoenix, and her PhD in nursing from Duquesne University.

Dr. Karakachian joined the School of Nursing at Duquesne in 2014, where she serves as an assistant professor in the undergraduate program. Her research interests include the care for victims of child maltreatment, nurses’ moral distress, nurses’ burnout, and intention to leave.

Dr. Karakachian has applied and received several internal and external grants to conduct research and advance the nursing knowledge in one of the most stressful aspects of nursing care: the care of victims of child abuse. Her newest projects are focused on developing an intervention to help nurses and nursing students to identify and respond to child maltreatment. To conduct these projects, she received the Leach Award from Duquesne University and the Sigma Theta Tau International, the Joan K. Stout, RN Research Grant.

Dr. Karakachian is an active member in several professional organizations including the International Association of Forensic Nurses, the Society of Pediatric Nursing, and the Sigma Epsilon Phi Chapter (serving as vice president). She serves as a peer reviewer for several professional nursing journals and is an active member of her own community.

Education

  • PhD - Duquesne University School of Nursing
  • MSN - University of Phoenix
  • BSN - Saint Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon

Research Interests or Expertise

  • Pediatric Nursing
  • Nurses' moral distress
  • Nurses' burnout
  • Caring for victims of child maltreatment

School

Publications/Clinical Research

  • Karakachian, A., Colbert, A., Zoucha, R., & Goldman, G. S. (2024). “Did I do the right thing?” Nurses' experiences of caring for victims of child maltreatment: A qualitative study. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 76, 45-51.
  • Karakachian, A., Hebb, A., Peters, J., Vogelstein, E., Schreiber, J. B., & Colbert, A. (2024). Moral Distress and Intention to Leave During COVID: A Cross-sectional Study on the Current Nursing Workforce to Guide Nurse Leaders for the Future. JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 54(2), 111-117.
  • Kolesar, A., Karakachian, A., Devido, J., Lucas, D., & Deluca, K. (2024). Recognizing and Responding to Poverty in College Students: What Can Nurses Do? The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, (29)1 DOI: 10.3912/OJIN.
  • Skrovaneck, E., Karakachian, A., (2024).The Effects of Mentoring Programs on Mental Health in Undergraduate Nursing Students: An Integrative Review. Journal of Nursing Education Perspectives,45(5),276-280.
  • Karakachian, A. & Halligan, M. (2022) Child Maltreatment. In Pediatric Nurse Certification Review Manual [Fitzgerald, M. & Jack, D., Eds.]. Springer Publishing.
  • Karakachian, A., Colbert, A., Hupp, D., & Berger, R. (2021). Caring for victims of child maltreatment: Pediatric nurses’ moral distress and burnout. Nursing Ethics. 
  • Karakachian, A., & Colbert, A. (2019). Nurses' Moral Distress, Burnout, and Intentions to Leave: An Integrative Review. Journal of Forensic Nursing, 15(3), 133-142.
  • Karakachian, A., & Colbert, A. (2017). Moral distress: A case study. Nursing 2017, 47(10), 13- 15.
  • Karakachian, A., Eichman, A., & Sekula, L. K. (2017). Understanding the importance of radiology screening when suspecting child abuse. Journal of Radiology Nursing, 36(2), 70-78.
  • Karakachian, A., Colbert, A., Hupp, D., & Berger, R. (2021). Caring for victims of child maltreatment: Pediatric nurses' moral distress and burnout. Nursing Ethics. Article found online here.  
  • Karakachian, A., & Colbert, A. (2019). Nurses' Moral Distress, Burnout, and Intentions to Leave: An Integrative Review. Journal of Forensic Nursing, 15(3), 133-142.
  • Karakachian, A., & Colbert, A. (2017). Moral distress: A case study. Nursing 2017, 47(10), 13-15.
  • Understanding the Importance of Radiology Screening when Suspecting Child Abuse Journal: Journal of Radiology Nursing (June, 2017).
  • Pediatric Nurses' Experiences on Suspected Cases of Child Abuse: A Mini-Study (Fall, 2016).
  • Post-Operative DVT Prophylaxis in Obese Patients Saint Georges University Hospital (2001).

Grants

Principal Investigator, Difficult Conversations: Educating Student Nurses on Responding to Child Maltreatment (2023). Sigma/Joan K. Stout, RN, Research Grant. Funded: $5,000.

Principal Investigator, Difficult Conversations: Educating Nurses on Responding to Child maltreatment (2023). Charles Henry Leach Award. Funded:$25,000.

Principal Investigator, Pediatric Nurses’ Lived Experiences of Caring for Victims Suspected of Child Maltreatment (2022). Faculty Development Fund received from Duquesne University. Funded: $10,000.

Principal Investigator, Nurses’ Moral Distress as they care for victims of child maltreatment (2019). International Association of Forensic Nursing (IAFN) Grant. Funded $3,500.

Principal Investigator, Nurses’ Moral Distress as they care for victims of child maltreatment (2019). Sigma Theta Phi Epsilon Chapter Award. Funded $1,500.
  • Prevention and Action Plan of Allergic Reactions for School Age Children University of Phoenix (2012).
  • 2025 - Excellence in Scholarship Award for the school of Nursing at Duquesne University.
  • 2022 - Excellence in Teaching Award for the school of Nursing at Duquesne University.
  • 2022- The Vital Role of the Nurse as an Important Contributor to an Interdisciplinary School-Based Asthma Clinic. Marlana Werderber, Lindsay Currie, & Madeline Johnston. Honorable Mention sponsored by School of Nursing.Faculty Advisor: Angela Karakachian, Ph.D., RN.
  • 2021 - Presidential Scholarship Award, Caring for Asthma in School Children (CAReS) Duquesne University.
  • 2020 - Distinguished Dissertation Award, “Caring for Victims of Child Maltreatment: Pediatric Nurses’ Moral Distress and Burnout. Duquesne University School of Nursing.
  • 2019 - Featured Author for article “Nurses’ Moral Distress, Burnout, and Intentions to Leave: An Integrative Review” Journal of Forensic Nursing.
  • 2018 - Linda Strangio Editor’s Award for best manuscript of the year for 2017 by the Journal of Radiology Nursing.