Jeanne Alhusen Appointed Interim Dean of UVA School of Nursing
Jeanne Alhusen, PhD, CRNP, RN, FAAN, has been appointed interim dean of UVA School of Nursing.
Alhusen, an internationally recognized nurse scientist, educator, and academic leader, has been a member of the UVA School of Nursing community since 2015 and most recently served as associate dean for research and University Medical Center Professor of Nursing.
As associate dean for research, Alhusen has provided strategic leadership for the School’s research enterprise, including faculty development, research infrastructure, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the mentorship of emerging nurse scientists. She has also served in numerous leadership roles across the School and University, including serving as department chair for nursing research.
"I am honored to serve as interim dean and eager to work alongside our community as we shape the School's next chapter," Alhusen said. "The University of Virginia School of Nursing is defined by people who are deeply committed to advancing nursing education, research, and care. Our responsibility is to prepare nurses and nurse leaders not only for the healthcare environment they will enter today, but for one that will look markedly different in the years ahead. I look forward to building on the School’s strengths, expanding our impact, and moving forward together.”
A distinguished nurse scientist and family nurse practitioner, Alhusen has built a sustained program of research focused on improving reproductive and perinatal health, with particular emphasis on people with disabilities and populations that experience barriers to high-quality care. Her research has been supported by more than $10 million in external funding, including sustained support from the National Institutes of Health, and has informed national policy and clinical guidance, including recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
In 2024, she was inducted into the International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, recognizing her significant contributions to nursing science and placing her among a select group of nurse researchers honored worldwide.
A Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, Alhusen was selected as the inaugural chair of the Academy’s Standing Committee on the State of Nursing Science, which provides leadership in advancing nursing science and its impact on health and health care. She also serves on the Academy’s Fellow Selection Committee and Determinants of Health Policy Standing Committee. Her national service has included leadership with the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, where she served two terms on the national Board of Directors and helped establish the organization’s Fellows program, as well as service on federal and national advisory groups focused on maternal and infant health.
Alhusen earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Villanova University, a Master of Science in Nursing from Duke University, and a PhD from Johns Hopkins University. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Johns Hopkins Schools of Nursing and Medicine and is a board-certified family nurse practitioner.