Karen Vacco

Karen Vacco has extensive work experience in the healthcare industry. Karen started their career at Alexian Brothers Health System in 1994 as a Staff RN. Karen then joined VITAS Healthcare in 1994 and held various roles including Hospice RN Case Manager, Team Manager, and Marketing Liaison. In 2002, they became the Admissions Manager at VITAS Healthcare and worked there until 2004. Karen then worked as an RN Case Manager at Adventist St. Thomas Hospice from 2004 to 2005. Currently, they are serving as the Off-Shift Patient Care Manager (Triage) at Rainbow Hospice, where they oversee patient care, performs triage, and demonstrates strong decision-making skills.

Karen Vacco has a diverse education history. Karen started their academic journey at Illinois State University from 1976 to 1978, where they completed 56 semester hours in Special Education and Teaching. Following this, they attended Northeastern Illinois University in 1979 and 1980, completing 20 semester hours in Industrial and Organizational Psychology.

Karen then pursued an Associate of Science in Nursing Education at the College of DuPage, completing this program in 1994. Karen furthered their nursing education by earning a Bachelor of Science in Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse from Benedictine University in 2009.

Throughout their career, Karen also obtained various certifications to expand their expertise. In 2002, they achieved the Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN) credential from the National Board for Certification of Hospice and Palliative Nurses. Additionally, they completed Graduate Coursework in 2010 at the Niehoff School of Nursing, Loyola University. Karen also possesses certifications in BSN Prerequisite Coursework from Lewis University, Psychology Coursework from Northeastern Illinois University, and is a Registered Nurse certified by the State of Illinois.