Karen Woodward
Willow Spring
Summary
Experienced Registered Nurse and healthcare operations leader with more than 45 years of progressive clinical and leadership experience in ambulatory care, family medicine, sports medicine, quality improvement, patient safety, regulatory compliance, and staff development. Proven success leading multidisciplinary teams, implementing evidence-based practice initiatives, managing accreditation readiness, improving quality outcomes, and supporting organizational goals across multiple clinic locations. Extensive expertise in Joint Commission standards, Primary Care Medical Home initiatives, infection prevention, Epic electronic medical records, and clinical operations management.
Overview
48
48
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Clinical Supervisor III
Carolina Family Practice & Sports Medicine (Novant Medical Group)
01.2025 - Current
- Lead quality and safety initiatives at both organizational and clinic levels.
- Operationalize evidence-based practices to improve patient outcomes and clinical performance.
- Support achievement of balanced scorecard quality and safety metrics.
- Conduct chart audits to ensure compliance with best-practice standards.
- Facilitate staff onboarding, orientation, education, and professional development.
- Manage annual performance evaluations for clinical staff.
- Oversee occupational health processes and clinical staffing coverage.
- Serve as Epic Super User and clinical resource for workflow optimization.
- Act as Infection Prevention Liaison with SPICE training and expertise.
- Develop and implement clinic-specific performance improvement initiatives.
- Participate in safety rounding and risk mitigation activities.
- Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and executive leadership to address patient experience and operational concerns.
- Assist with clinic financial planning, inventory management, and medication oversight.
- Maintain NCIR vaccine inventory and regulatory compliance.
Nurse Manager
Carolina Family Practice & Sports Medicine (Private Diagnostic Clinics at Duke University)
11.2012 - 12.2024
- Directed clinical operations, quality improvement, and patient safety programs.
- Served as Joint Commission liaison and ambulatory care surveyor.
- Conducted readiness assessments and preparedness surveys for ambulatory clinics.
- Led Primary Care Medical Home initiatives and served as clinic educator.
- Implemented evidence-based quality improvement strategies across clinic operations.
- Supported staff development, competency assessment, and performance management.
- Coordinated clinical staffing and occupational health oversight.
- Managed regulatory compliance, infection prevention activities, and chart audits.
- Collaborated with organizational leaders to improve service excellence and patient satisfaction.
- Assisted with budget planning and operational resource management.
Clinical Supervisor I
Carolina Family Practice & Sports Medicine (Novant Medical Group)
07.2003 - 10.2012
- Managed personnel operations across three clinic locations, including recruitment, interviewing, onboarding, training, and retention.
- Coordinated provider and staff scheduling for multiple sites.
- Oversight of purchasing, inventory management, and supply utilization.
- Managed vaccine procurement, inventory, and staff education for both private and state-funded immunization programs.
- Partnered with providers, athletic trainers, radiology staff, and clinical teams to optimize patient care delivery.
- Served as employee health liaison and accreditation coordinator.
- Led regulatory compliance activities and organizational readiness efforts.
- Developed staff education programs and customer service initiatives.
- Participated in organizational councils and committees focused on quality, safety, and best practices.
Staff Nurse
Rex Family Practice & Sports Medicine
01.1995 - 06.2003
- Delivered comprehensive nursing care in a busy family practice and sports medicine environment.
- Assisted providers with patient assessment, treatment, education, and care coordination.
- Supported preventive care initiatives and chronic disease management.
Staff Nurse
Allison M. Alderman, MD – Family Practice
08.1980 - 06.1994
- Provided direct patient care and clinical support in a family practice setting.
- Assisted with patient education, preventive services, and clinical procedures.
Staff Nurse – Telemetry Unit
Rex Hospital
06.1978 - 08.1980
- Delivered nursing care for telemetry and cardiac monitoring patients.
- Monitored patient conditions and collaborated with interdisciplinary care teams.
Education
High School -
Garner Senior High School
Garner, North Carolina06-1975
Diploma - Nursing
Watts Hospital School of Nursing
Durham, North Carolina05-1975
Skills
- Clinical Operations Leadership
- Quality Improvement & Patient Safety
- Joint Commission Readiness & Compliance
- Primary Care Medical Home (PCMH)
- Staff Development & Education
- Performance Management
- Infection Prevention & Control
- Evidence-Based Practice
- Regulatory Compliance
- Epic EMR Super User
- Occupational Health
- Clinical Auditing & Documentation Review
- Strategic Planning
- Human Resources Collaboration
- Inventory & Supply Chain Supervision and Management
- Vaccine Program Management
- Customer Service Excellence
Accomplishments
- Earned "Sarah Hitchcock Leinster Award" for Excellence in Nursing Practice in April, 2001, at Rex Hospital.
- Earned a "Friends of Nursing Award" for Excellence in Nursing Practice in October, 2018 at Duke Health.
Certification
- Registered Nurse (RN), North Carolina
- Basic Life Support (BLS), Current
- SPICE Infection Prevention Training (NC Course 0206), Updated 2024
- Epic Electronic Medical Record Super User
Timeline
Clinical Supervisor III
Carolina Family Practice & Sports Medicine (Novant Medical Group)
01.2025 - Current
Nurse Manager
Carolina Family Practice & Sports Medicine (Private Diagnostic Clinics at Duke University)
11.2012 - 12.2024
Clinical Supervisor I
Carolina Family Practice & Sports Medicine (Novant Medical Group)
07.2003 - 10.2012
Staff Nurse
Rex Family Practice & Sports Medicine
01.1995 - 06.2003
Staff Nurse
Allison M. Alderman, MD – Family Practice
08.1980 - 06.1994
Staff Nurse – Telemetry Unit
Rex Hospital
06.1978 - 08.1980
Diploma - Nursing
Watts Hospital School of Nursing
High School -
Garner Senior High School
SELECTED LEADERSHIP HIGHLIGHTS
- More than 20 years of healthcare leadership and supervisory experience.
- Led Joint Commission readiness and accreditation activities across ambulatory care settings.
- Conducted ambulatory clinic preparedness surveys and regulatory assessments.
- Served as organizational leader for Primary Care Medical Home implementation and education.
- Developed and mentored clinical staff while supporting succession planning and professional growth.
- Extensive experience in quality improvement, patient safety, infection prevention, and operational excellence.