Karen Godard, DNP, APRN, CPNP

Clinical Associate Professor, School of Nursing

Karen Godard, DNP, APRN, CPNP, clinical associate professor, joined the School of Nursing in 2007. Prior to that time, as an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) she practiced in central Texas and provided primary/acute health care services for children in various settings for twenty-five years. Her clinical interest evolved into providing healthcare to underserved children of all ages.

Dr. Godard incorporates her clinical expertise and serves as a role model as an APRN for undergraduate nursing students. In the pre-licensure undergraduate program, she guides students in clinical courses in Child / Family Nursing and Preceptorship: Transition to Practice (a 200 hour internship for graduating seniors). She guest lectures in child and/or public health related topics.

In the community, Dr. Godard provides healthcare for underserved children in the Treasure Valley, in particular, foster children whose care and safety is supervised by Department of Health and Welfare, Child and Family Services Division. The clinic operates at the Nampa Family Justice Center, a Women / Child Advocacy Center, in Nampa, Idaho. In addition, she is a facilitator/instructor for the National Program, “Stewards of Children – Darkness To Light.” The mission of the organization is to educate adults and end child sexual abuse.

Dr. Godard earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from the University of Northern Colorado in 2016. Her capstone evidence based project entitled, Revision of Documentation Materials for a Foster Care Clinic, centered on improving the quality and safety of the health care for foster children by completing a review and update of documentation materials, clinic policies, and improved technology systems.

She earned her master’s degree with a maternal child focus and pediatric nurse practitioner certification from the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas. She earned her BS in Nursing from Texas Woman’s University in Denton-Houston, Texas. She is nationally certified by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB) in primary care and is a fellow of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP). She is active in Sigma Theta Tau, and the National League of Nursing (NLN).

As a native Idahoan and adopted Texan, she enjoys the outdoors including snow skiing, hiking, biking, and thrives on yoga. She has a cute poodle-mix named Blair and a patient and capable husband who edited all of her papers through her doctoral program.

Contact Information

Office: NNHS 323
Phone: (208) 426-3628
Email: KarenGodard@boisestate.edu
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