Creighton University - School of Pharmacy and Health Professions

B.S. Pharmacy, North Dakota State University, 1964; M.S. University of North Dakota, 1969; PH.D. University of North Dakota, 1971. 

Dr. Keefner received a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree from North Dakota State University. He continued his education by receiving his Masters and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from the University of North Dakota. His major is in physiology with a minor emphasis in pharmacology.

He is a registered pharmacist, having practiced in community, hospital, and home infusion care environments. While in a St. Louis hospital practice he was the pharmacist member of the institution's Nutrition Support Team. Utilizing the experience gathered from his hospital nutrition support practice, he created an independent home infusion pharmacy which serviced the St. Louis metropolitan area for six years.

Presently, he is an Associate Professor of Pharmacy at Creighton University's School of Pharmacy and Health Professions. As an educator, he has acquired thirty-nine years of teaching experience. His professional teaching responsibility is in sterile and parenteral drug products, where he stresses the use of proper aseptic technique. In addition, he has taught several years of Nonprescription Drug Products and Therapeutics to pharmacists and students. He has authored the chapter on Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac Dermatitis appearing in the American Pharmaceutical Association's Handbook of Nonprescription Medications, Edition XII through XV. In concert with his academic responsibilities, was the director of the School's Nontraditional Doctor of Pharmacy Degree Pathway from 1994 through 2003. This alternative for obtaining a Doctor of Pharmacy degree began in 1994 and now claims over two hundred graduates. Dr. Keefner successfully completed a USWEST Academic Development and Technology Fellowship (2000-01) appointment at Creighton University.

Dr. Keefner is the Vice-Chair of the Pharmacy Sciences Department, and has most recently chaired the Pharmacy Program's Curriculum Committee.  His research interests include activities related to sterile products and Parenteral Nutritional Support.  In the are of scholarship of teacing and learning, he utilizes self-reflection in nurturing professional development in his students.  He is a member of the Nebraska Pharmacists Association (NPA), American Society of Health System Pharmacists and the American Society of Parenteal and Enteral Nutrition.  For the NPA, he serves on the Awards Committee, the Nebraska Council for Continuing Pharmacy Education and the NPA Foundation.  He has been the SPAHP representative to the United States  Pharmacopoeial Convetion since 1995.  He is a member of Rho Chi National Pharmacy Honor Society, and Phi Lambda Sigmna Leadership Society.      

Keefner KR, KK O’Brien.  Using Critical Self-Reflection and Teaching Assistants (P3 Students) to Reinforce Aseptic Technique Learning.  Poster presentation, American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, July 15, 2007, Orlando, FL.

Keefner KR, TL Lenz, GM Jensen, LM Schwery. Curriculum Development in Pharmacy Education: The Critical Role of Deliberation. Poster presentation, American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, July 10, 2006, San Diego, CA.

Keefner KR, KK O’Brien, MZ Skrabal.  Personal Experience with Blood Glucose Monitoring and Carbohydrate Counting in a Diabetes Care Course Changes Student Attitudes and Beliefs about Diabetes Self-Care. Poster presentation, American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, July 10, 2006, San Diego, CA.

Keefner KR, CGoulet, YGriffiths, JA Ekstrum, LM Schwery Interprofessional Perspectives On Teaching And Learning Using Reflection. Poster presentation, American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, July 10, 2006, San Diego, CA. 

Keefner, K. R. (2003). Poison ivy/oak/sumac dermatitis. In R.R. Berardi, et. al. (Eds.), Hand-Book Of Nonprescription Drugs 15^th Edition, (Chapter 35). Washington, DC: American Pharmaceutical Association. Published Spring 2006.

Keefner, Ken, Reflective Learning in Diabetes Care Elective.  Assessment Newsletter Vol 2, Issue 1, p5, 2006.