Patricia A. Cowan, PhD, RN, dean of the College of Nursing at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), and faculty member Debra Jeffs, PhD, RN were inducted Oct. 22 as Fellows of the American Academy of Nursing. The American Academy of Nursing has more than 2,300 Fellows, including nursing leaders in policy, practice, research, management and education. Induction signifies a responsibility to enhance the quality of health and nursing, promote healthy aging and human development, reduce health disparities and inequalities, and shape health behaviors and environments, among other goals.
Cowan became dean Nov. 9, 2015. She came to UAMS from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis where she was a professor and associate dean for academic and student affairs in the College of Nursing. “I am honored to be joining the academy’s distinguished fellows and look forward to working with them to advance health outcomes through education, practice, research, and policy,” Cowan said.
Cowan holds the Linda C. Hodges Dean’s Chair, in which she was invested Aug. 4. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Missouri and her Master of Science in Nursing at the University of Kansas. Cowan received her doctorate in nursing science at the University of Tennessee. She has more than 30 years of experience in all areas of nursing including academics, clinical practice and research. Her research interests include lifestyle interventions in overweight youth and adults and cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes.