Dr. Karen Parker Davidson, RN, is the leading expert in nasal function, objective airflow measurements, and airway-focused artificial and clinical intelligence. An airway-focused clinical nurse specialist, educator, and healthcare innovator with more than four decades of experience across critical care, aerospace medicine, sleep medicine, wound care, and respiratory health. Her clinical background includes service as a flight nurse and critical care nurse in the United States Air Force Reserve, where she developed expertise in physiologic monitoring and emergency care. Her work centers on the clinical understanding of nasal function, objective airflow measurement, and the roles of airway physiology and resistance in systemic health.
She is the founder of the International Society of Nasal Function Diagnostics and Therapeutics and the author of Breathe Through Your Nose, Don’t Pay Through It, and The Nose Decoded, along with the My Little Nose children’s series. Her work bridges clinical science, education, and systems-based thinking, focusing on translating objective physiologic data into practical frameworks for clinical use and interdisciplinary communication.
Widely recognized for pioneering clinical interpretation of nasal function data and the development of structured approaches for translating objective measurements of airflow and resistance into clinically usable information, her work applies the objective measurement technologies used in nasal function assessment, including 4-phase rhinomanometry, acoustic rhinometry, and peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF), to support standardized airway evaluation and interdisciplinary clinical interpretation.
Her clinical and research interests include nasal airflow dynamics, upper airway resistance, sleep-disordered breathing, autonomic regulation, neuromuscular adaptation, and systemic physiologic patterns associated with chronic airway limitation. She developed the use of nasal resistance as a measurable physiologic indicator within flow-based treatment approaches such as expansion in dentistry, orthodontics, and allied healthcare discipline protocols.
To support structured airway assessment and clinical education, Dr. Davidson has developed a series of clinical methodologies, educational frameworks, and interpretive models. These include the Davidson Maneuver© for assessing the external nasal valves, MAVERICK Nasal Exam, Facial Analysis, Posture Adaptation Evaluation©, DAFNE Score™, and the FACT Method™.
Her work includes registered intellectual property developments and other related contributions in clinical education, airway assessment, and healthcare-focused analytical frameworks.
Dr. Davidson has participated in interdisciplinary and healthcare policy initiatives focused on airway health, respiratory function, and medical technology development in collaboration with clinical, academic, and engineering teams. Her work includes contributions to exploratory projects involving nasal delivery systems and emergency airway support technologies.
In 2020, Dr. Davidson and her team presented research involving nasal delivery systems and device innovation for COVID-19 to White House officials through the Harrison COVID-19 Research Group. She has also received national recognition as part of a National Science Foundation-supported team developing a device and technology for emergency airway ventilation, later honored with a letter of commendation from Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Mike Johnson in 2024.
Dr. Davidson serves as an adjunct professor and subject matter expert at Liberty University and Central Michigan University, where she teaches healthcare policy, healthcare economics, grant writing, and medical coding. In recognition of her contributions to health sciences education and student mentorship, she was named Outstanding Professor by the Liberty University School of Health Sciences in the fall of 2024.
She has served in executive leadership, advisory, and consulting roles across healthcare organizations, medical device and technology initiatives, and professional boards focused on airway health, sleep medicine, and clinical systems innovation. She also contributes as a peer reviewer and editorial board member for professional publications and interdisciplinary healthcare journals.
Dr. Davidson has contributed to textbooks, edited volumes, peer-reviewed journals, professional publications, and interdisciplinary educational resources focused on airway health, nasal function, sleep medicine, healthcare policy, and clinical systems design. Since 2017, she has participated in more than 100 publications, lectures, presentations, and professional appearances dedicated to advancing the understanding of nasal function and airway physiology.
She serves as a contributing author, editor, and co-editor for multiple healthcare and airway-focused publications. Her work includes contributions to Sleep, Craniofacial Form, and Airway Function Disorders: An Interdisciplinary Approach (2026), The Clinician’s Handbook for Dental Sleep Medicine (2nd Edition, 2025), and Remote Monitoring and Wearable Devices in Healthcare (2025).
Her scholarly interests focus on objective airflow measurement, nasal resistance and aerodynamics, interdisciplinary airway care, healthcare innovation, and the integration of clinical data into structured diagnostic and educational frameworks.
Dr. Davidson has received national and international recognition for contributions to healthcare education, clinical innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and healthcare leadership. Her honors include recognition among the Top 50 Women Leaders in Washington, DC, designation as a Top 100 Healthcare Leader by the International Forum on Advancements in Healthcare, and the Outstanding Dissertation Award from Central Michigan University for research involving healthcare reimbursement policy and nasal function diagnostics.
Dr. Davidson holds a Doctor of Health Administration with a focus on healthcare policy, along with master’s degrees in health administration, education, and nursing, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and currently pursuing a PhD in Business Administration with a concentration in international business. She is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists.
Dr. Davidson resides in the Annapolis area with her favorite D1 college baseball catcher, her son, Zach, and her dogs, where she continues writing her next book, advancing research, education, and innovation in nasal function, and managing public healthcare policy initiatives for children’s airway health.
My mission is to educate the world on the intricacies of the nose and provide valuable insights into its vital role in health, sleep, and well-being. Whether you’re seeking knowledge about nasal anatomy, the physiological benefits of nasal breathing, or understanding common issues such as congestion or nasal resistance, I have you covered.
As an expert passionate about respiratory health, I hope to empower you with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions about your nasal function and health, as well as to share with your medical or dental provider. Take a peek at my articles, resources, and blog for a deeper appreciation of the remarkable capabilities of this tiny reactive organ we call the nose. Breathe easy, sleep well™—Nasal Function Insights™ is here to guide you every step of the way.
For information regarding speaking availability, consulting, research, or education programs, please contact her through email or DM Instagram handle @_thenoseknows