Faculty

Leon Chen headshot

Leon Chen

AGACNP-BC DNP FAANP FCCP

Clinical Assistant Professor

1 212 998 5326

433 First Avenue
Room 405
New York, NY 10010
United States

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Professional overview

Leon Chen, AGACNP-BC, DNP, FAANP, FCCP, is a clinical assistant professor at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing. He is a strong proponent of utilizing point of care ultrasonography to rapidly delineate differential diagnoses and to guide resuscitation. He is a board-certified adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner with a background in emergency and critical care medicine. He is also a fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and the NY Academy of Medicine. He serves on the editorial board of Critical Care Nursing Quarterly. Chen holds specialty board certifications in both emergency and critical care nursing.

Chen earned a certificate of completion in critical care ultrasonography from the American College of Chest Physicians and is active in point of care ultrasonography education. He has published articles on topics including sedation management, delirium, sepsis, resuscitation, and point of care ultrasonography.

Chen completed his DNP at Chatham University and MS and BS at NYU Meyers. 

Education

DNP - Chatham University
MS, Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP - NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing
BS​ ​-​ ​NYU​ ​Rory​ ​Meyers​ ​College​ ​of​ ​Nursing​

Specialties

Acute care
Emergency medicine

Professional membership

American​ ​College​ ​of​ ​Chest​ ​Physicians
American Association of Nurse Practitioners
American​ ​Association​ ​of​ ​Critical-Care​ ​Nurses
Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society of Nursing
Society​ ​of​ ​Critical​ ​Care​ ​Medicine

Honors and awards

Robbins Family Award for Nursing Excellence, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Care (2020)
Fellow, NY Academy of Medicine (2020)
Fellow, American Association of Nurse Practitioners
Fellow, American College of Chest Physicians

Publications

The CCRN® Certification: Why It Matters?

Lim, F., Chen, L., & Salinas, . (2020). Nursing Critical Care, 15(3), 38-41. 10.1097/01.CCN.0000654824.32618.d6

The fog of war in the battle against COVID-19

Chen, L. (2020). Nursing, 50(11), 50-52. 10.1097/01.NURSE.0000718036.20227.01.

Necrotizing fasciitis associated with malignancy

Chen, L. L., Tayban, K., Caravanos, C., Shaz, D., & Halpern, N. A. (2020). Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 32(2), 109-112. 10.1097/JXX.0000000000000251
Abstract
Abstract
Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a rare soft-tissue condition with a high mortality rate even with treatment. Diagnosis is challenging due to an absence of specific symptoms at the early stages of clinical presentation. NF is typically associated with traumatic injuries, superficial skin breakdown, and surgical procedures. Diabetes mellitus and immunosuppression also increase the risk of developing NF. NF predominantly occurs in the lower extremities, the peritoneum, and the perineum. Treatments include antimicrobials, supportive care, and surgical source control. It is important for clinicians to recognize the association of spontaneous atraumatic NF caused by Clostridium septicum with malignancy, so they can maintain a high index of suspicion and provide timely interventions to optimize patient outcomes.

Necrotizing fasciitis: A comprehensive review

Chen, L., Fasolka, B., & Treacy, C. (2020). Nursing, 50(9), 34-40. 10.1097/01.NURSE.0000694752.85118.62

Standardized adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner point-of-care ultrasound training: A new perspective in the age of a pandemic

Chen, L. L. (2020). Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 32(6), 416-418. 10.1097/JXX.0000000000000448
Abstract
Abstract
Our health care landscape is rapidly changing. With the aging population and seemingly increasing outbreak of communicable diseases, it is expected that there will be a continued demand for inpatient/critical care providers. The current COVID-19 pandemic provides a glimpse of a health care system in severe provider shortage. Adult-gerontology acute nurse practitioners (GACNPs) can play a vital part in relieving that shortage. But with the increased role, there is an increased responsibility and need for expansion of AGACNP skill set. This includes the training and utilization of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). The case reports and data available from countries that have already combated COVID-19 outbreak show POCUS can play a key part in managing critically ill patients on isolation precautions. This article provides my perspective on POCUS training and competency achievement for AGACNPPs.

An Uncommon Cause of Chest pain: Hypertriglyceridemia Induced Acute Pancreatitis

Fasolka, B., & Chen, L. (2020). Critical Care Nursing Quarterly, 43(1), 9-13. 10.1097/CNQ.0000000000000287
Abstract
Abstract
Chest pain is a common and high-risk chief complaint in the emergency department. There is an array of cardiac and non–cardiac-related conditions that could lead to this symptom. It is impor- tant for the clinician to have a broad perspective when treating patients complaining of chest pain so that dangerous and potentially life-threatening conditions are not overlooked. Here, we present one such cause of chest pain that can be detrimental if the clinician fails to correctly identify the underlying condition. A brief review of hypertriglyceridemia-induced acute pancreatitis is pro- vided, and challenges faced by the treatment team are discussed.

Under pressure: Acute cardiac tamponade

Chen, L. L. (2020). The Nurse Practitioner, 45(2), 5-7. 10.1097/01.NPR.0000651136.91775.c9

Spurious laboratory values in patients with leukocytosis

Malek, T., & Chen, L. (2019). Critical Care Nursing Quarterly, 42(1), 44-46. 10.1097/CNQ.0000000000000236
Abstract
Abstract
Physiological derangements such as hypoxemia and hyperkalemia are medical emergencies that warrant prompt interventions to prevent further patient clinical deterioration. However, in patients with myeloproliferative diseases or malignancies that result in extreme leukocytosis, hypoxemia and hyperkalemia demonstrated in laboratory results could be deceiving due to in vitro reactions and may not reflect actual patient condition. Clinicians have to be familiar with these phenomena so as to not cause harm by treating these spurious laboratory values.

Under pressure: Acute cardiac tamponade

Chen, L. L. (2019). Nursing Critical Care, 14(3), 35-37. 10.1097/01.CCN.0000553086.79399.f0

Hepatic Failure

Chen, L., & Lim, F. (2018). In Handbook of Clinical Nursing: Critical and Emergency Care Nursing (pp. 153-157). Springer.