Dr. Peggy Jenkins Named UArizona College of Nursing Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

The University of Arizona College of Nursing is pleased to announce that Dr. Peggy Jenkins, Ph.D., RN, CNE, has accepted the offer to serve as the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the University of Arizona College of Nursing, effective September 5th.

Dr. Jenkins brings a wealth of experience, having previously held various administrative roles at the University of Colorado College of Nursing, including Senior Assistant Dean for Academic Operations, Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs, and Specialty Director for the Graduate Leadership Program. Notably, in 2017, Dr. Jenkins spearheaded the development of a DNP Health System Leadership track, achieving a remarkable 100% graduation rate for the inaugural cohort of students in 2020. During the challenging times of the pandemic in 2020, her agile leadership played a vital role in guiding over 250 MS and doctoral students to successful graduation. In her capacity as Associate Professor, Dr. Jenkins has been recognized for her excellence in teaching leadership courses, consistently receiving outstanding student evaluations. Furthermore, she has been actively involved in advising and supporting doctoral students in completing and publishing their projects, while also revising course content to align with national competencies. Before her academic roles, Dr. Jenkins held significant leadership positions at Craig Hospital, renowned for its expertise in spinal cord and traumatic brain injury rehabilitation. Additionally, she contributed to the improvement of healthcare systems nationwide as part of a national healthcare alliance, leading efforts that resulted in substantial cost savings in non-salary expenditures.

Dr. Jenkins’ research interest is focused on leadership within complex systems. Her dissertation work included creating an innovative method to measure the value of nursing care per patient episode in the acute care setting (Journal of Nursing Administration, 2014; Sigma grant). She collaborated with a national workgroup focused on nursing value (AHRQ PA-15-147; Internal Data2Value) and was part of several publications and international presentations. She was PI for Action Research using voice of students to craft intraprofessional doctoral education for nursing leaders (ALSN grant; Advances in Nursing Science, 2020; JONA, 2021). In 2020, she was co-investigator for a study on graduate student stressors during COVID pandemic (Journal of Professional Nursing, 2020; Nurse Educator, 2021). She currently is working with national research teams focused on academic/practice innovation scale and nurses use of social media.

Her accomplishments and dedication to academic excellence and healthcare leadership make Dr. Peggy Jenkins a valuable addition to the University of Arizona College of Nursing. We are excited to welcome her to our esteemed institution and look forward to the positive impact she will undoubtedly make on our academic community.