Suzanne Prestoy, PhD., RN, joined Gwynedd Mercy University as Graduate Nursing Program Director in August, 2022.
Dr. Prestoy received her PhD from New York University in Nursing Research and Theory Development in Nursing; her MSN from the University of Pennsylvania in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing as a Clinical Nurse Specialist; and her BS degree in Nursing from Wilkes University.
Dr. Prestoy has an extensive background in Nursing Education, Clinical Practice and Hospital Leadership. She is a Professor Emerita at East Stroudsburg University, and also held tenure as an Associate Professor at Kutztown University. She was Professor and Director of the DNP program at Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences. Other academic roles held by Dr. Prestoy include Undergraduate and Graduate Department Chairperson.
Her teaching background includes courses in Health Care Management, Nursing Leadership, Psychiatric Nursing, Community Heath Nursing, Death and Grief, Women’s Health, Health Policy, Nursing Concepts, Capstone Internships, Research and Evidenced Based Practice, DNP Theoretical and Scientific Considerations, DNP Project Development and Dissemination, Health Care Quality and Safety.
Examples of Dr. Prestoy’ s research includes an ethnography exploring the meaning of quality of life to urban elderly; a phenomenological study exploring nurses’ lived experience of caring for patients at the end of their lives; qualitative inquiry exploring experiences of diverse clients accessing health services; and academic funding and nursing program development.
Dr. Prestoy has more than 50 international, national, and regional publications, presentations, and grants and was involved in international program development. As a clinical nurse specialist, she developed numerous interdisciplinary practice improvements in the hospital and community. Dr. Prestoy also served in staff and managerial leadership roles in hospital settings.
