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University of Washington

Interim Dean's Biography

Pamela Mitchell, PhD, RN, FAHA, FAAN
Robert G. and Jean A. Reid Dean (Interim)
Professor, Biobehavioral Nursing & Health Systems
Adjunct Professor, Department of Health Services, School of Public Health and Community Medicine
Director, Center for Health Sciences Interprofessional Education




Pamela MitchellPamela MitchellPamela Mitchell is the interim dean of the School of Nursing, and professor in biobehavioral nursing and health systems and adjunct professor in the department of health services in the School of Public Health and Community Medicine. She is also the founding director of the Center for Health Sciences Interprofessional Education and co-director of the Research Education Core in the Institute for Translational Sciences.

Dean Mitchell, who has been at the UW since 1969 when she was an acting assistant professor (part time), received her Ph.D. from the UW in 1991.

Mitchell's research is focused on improving care for patients with conditions such as stroke, heart attack, hypertension, and neurological diseases.  She is known throughout the nursing community as the “mother” of current practices in nursing care for patients with increased intracranial pressure, such as those with head injury and stroke.  She is recognized as a leading researcher in managing recovery from brain injury in both acute and community care settings. Mitchell is the author or co-author of more than 200 peer reviewed journal articles, books or book chapters, and book reviews, abstracts and technical reports.

She has received many awards over her career. In 2011 she was honored with the Ada Sue Hinshaw Award by the Friends of the National Institute for Nursing Research, presented to nurse scientists who make major contributions to improving health care through research. In 2010, she was selected by Sigma Theta Tau International as an inaugural member of the Nurse Research Hall of Fame.

Mitchell has served on numerous national commissions and on the boards of many professional organizations. She is currently a member of the Expert Panel on Quality Health Care, American Academy of Nursing. She is a fellow of the American Heart Association and Stroke Council. She served as president of the American Academy of Nursing from 2007 to 2009. She served on the editorial board of the Journal of Advanced Nursing for six years, and on the editorial board of Biological Research in Nursing for nine years.

Mitchell received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the UW and a master of science in medical-surgical nursing from the University of California, San Francisco.