KP CARES 2.0 is a regional, multi-site study that builds upon the foundational KP CARES 1.0 research by integrating experiential learning content focused on equity, inclusion, and diversity (EID). This mixed-methods, prospective study has three primary objectives:
- Evaluate Effectiveness: Measure the impact of an experiential education program grounded in Dr. Jean Watson’s Human Caring Theory/10 Caritas Processes and Kaiser Permanente’s Belong at KP initiative. Effectiveness is assessed using pre-, post-, and six-month follow-up evaluations.
- Application of Principles: Investigate if and how participants integrate Caring Science, HeartMath, and EID principles into their professional and personal lives, and examine the associated impacts over time.
- Validation of Results: Identify thematic validation of survey findings through individual interviews, exploring alignment between quantitative and qualitative data.
The study utilizes validated tools to assess a range of outcomes:
- Watson Caritas Self-Rating Score (WCSS)
- Watson Caritas Leader Self-Rating Score (WCLSS)
- Watson Caritas Organizational Culture Scale (WCOCS)
- Professional Quality of Life Scale (measuring compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress)
- Modified Bias in Maternal Health Survey (assessing bias awareness, bias mitigation self-efficacy, and bias mitigation practice)
In addition to these surveys, individual interviews are conducted to uncover thematic insights. Themes are defined as clusters of interconnected categories that convey shared meanings and form cohesive units of analysis.
Participants include interprofessional team members—nurses, therapists, and ancillary staff—from KP medical centers in Central Valley, Fremont, Fresno, Oakland, Redwood City, Richmond, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Rafael, Santa Clara, Roseville, San Jose, Santa Rosa, South San Francisco, Vacaville, and Vallejo.
Each site designates a clinical nurse and nurse leader to serve as co-investigators, fostering a secondary goal of building nursing research capacity. At KP SRO, Gigi Gaytan MSN, RN, CN, Magnet Program Director; Kelli Cox MSN, RN, SNIV, Clinical Nurse Emergency Department; and Gudrun Reiter-Hiltebrand DNP, RN, RNC-NIC, C-ONQS, C-ELBW, CNL, Maternal Child Nursing Professional Development Specialist have led this work at the local level as Site PIs. These co-investigators are mentored throughout the research process, enhancing their skills and contributing to the study’s outcomes.
The program has received overwhelmingly positive feedback. By empowering participants with tools to integrate Caring Science and EID principles, KP CARES 2.0 continues to advance the mission of fostering resilience, inclusivity, and compassionate care across Kaiser Permanente’s regional medical centers.