Since joining GMercyU in 2018, Dean Phalen has overseen several significant achievements for the School of Nursing and Health Professions, including the successful 10-year CCNE reaccreditation for our nursing programs; the development, approval, and launch of a new Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing program; the accreditation of the successful Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program; and the development of a new Master’s in Speech Language Pathology program, which is currently moving toward accreditation candidacy status with a project launch in 2024.
Dean Phalen has been instrumental in the planning of GMercyU’s future Frances M. Maguire Healthcare Innovation Campus, which breaks ground in Spring 2023. With the goal of meeting the healthcare needs of today and tomorrow – and improving access and equity for all – the campus will feature multiple state-of-the-art simulation and skills labs, and foster the collaboration of healthcare majors with students in other GMercyU programs, from Social Work to Psychology and more, as they learn to provide care and advocate for the “whole” patient and their family.
Dean Phalen also notably led the School of Nursing and Health Professions during the abrupt transition to remote and hybrid learning during the pandemic, and supported our faculty and students with navigating the constantly changing requirements of our clinical sites.
Prior to joining Gwynedd Mercy University, Dr. Phalen served in multiple administrative positions at Jefferson (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University) in the Jefferson College of Nursing, including most recently as Interim Dean for more than a year. She taught at both the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and Holy Family University before her arrival at Jefferson. Her area of clinical expertise is Neonatal Nursing functioning as a Clinical Nurse Specialist and Nurse Practitioner.
At the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Phalen participated in several federally-supported research projects. In the Jefferson College of Nursing, she was responsible for the oversight of a major redesign of the undergraduate curriculum and its implementation. This innovative curriculum has received national recognition.
Following Jefferson’s merger with several area hospitals, Dr. Phalen was responsible for implementing the BSN program on the satellite campuses. She jointly led the process for creating business plans, building budgets, planning structural renovations, hiring and educating faculty, and securing the approval for these programs from the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing and accrediting agencies.
