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Karen Kempin RN

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Karen Kempin is one of our leadership team for our Pacific Programs working closley with Chris Hair, Ian Martin, Cath Conway and Di Jones amongst others. She is one the small team delivering the Samoa Training Course during 2022.

Karen is one of only seven trained nurse endoscopists in New Zealand and early in 2022 qualified as a nurse practitioner.

After moving to Dunedin from Australia in 2012, Karen was offered the opportunity to train as a nurse endoscopist. The training programme was an initiative run by Health Workforce New Zealand (HWNZ) aimed at increasing the number of gastrointestinal endoscopists in New Zealand.

In 2021 Karen was offered a nurse endoscopist role in Hutt Hospital's endoscopy unit.
"After many years assisting with endoscopies, it is satisfying to now have the ability to perform them myself," said Karen. "I am still in the early stages of my endoscopy career but I have already done over 700 gastroscopies and 400 colonoscopies—so I am making good progress.”

"Most days I see between three to eight patients. I assess each one, perform the endoscopy, take pathology samples, and advise on the next clinical steps patients. The rest of the day is spent working as a nurse educator for our unit, and preparing for upcoming patients and following up on completed procedures."

Karen says she couldn't do her role without the amazing individuals in her unit.
"Everyone in the department works closely together—we all have a part to play. I am impressed with the team's work ethic and their dedication to the specialist service we provide."

Karen's endoscopy work doesn't stop outside of the hospital. She also volunteers her time as an endoscopy nurse trainer in Pacific countries with the Australia and New Zealand Gastroenterology International Training Association (ANZGITA). Since joining the training association she has been on six training trips since 2011 and supports Chris Hair, South Pacific Programs Leader, with the management of programs and partner relations. In 2022 she is in a team with gastroenterologists Ian Turner and Chris Hair developing and delivering a year long virtual training program for doctors in Samoa who wish to acquire endoscopoy skills. With in-country visits unlikely in 2022, virtual training along with the support of Samoan doctors who already have endoscopy skills is the only way forward for these enthusiastic doctors.

Acknowledgement: some of the above first appeared on the Hutt Valley DHB Instagram account.

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