U of S appoints dean in the College of Nursing

Tzeng, who is currently dean of the Whitson-Hester School of Nursing at the Tennessee Technological University, will step into the role effective September 15, 2017.

“This is an exciting opportunity, and I am honoured and humbled to join the U of S College of Nursing,” said Tzeng, who earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing from National Yang-Ming Medical in Taiwan and a Master of Science in nursing and PhD from the University of Michigan. “The college has proud, longstanding history and tradition, and I look forward to working with our outstanding faculty, staff, students, and alumni, as well as our talented colleagues across the campus and in the communities we serve, to continue building our college into a model to which others aspire.” 

Tzeng said the college has a long tradition of training excellent nursing clinicians, both at its main campus and throughout the province as a pioneer of the “learn where you live” model, a critical aspect of building connections with community.

“We need to continue to strengthen our strong history of community engagement so that we can, not only train the next generation of nurses, but also better address the health needs and aspirations of our region and beyond,” said Tzeng, who was associate dean of student affairs and program compliance at the Washington State University’s College of Nursing before heading to Tennessee. “In doing this important work, we need to ensure that we include both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.”

Tzeng, who was selected for the Fellowship in the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN) and inducted into the American Academy of Nursing, is also a noted researcher with more than 120 publications in peer-reviewed journals to her name. Her main focus is on patient safety and quality of care, particularly related to patient falls, infection control and newly emerging infectious diseases.

“We are very pleased to welcome Dr. Tzeng to our university to lead the College of Nursing,” said Tony Vannelli, provost and vice-president academic. “Dr. Tzeng brings a broad background highlighted by an exemplary combination of professional and educational experience that will continue to build our nursing program into one of the finest in Canada. I am fully confident in her ability to ensure that our students, no matter where they study or call home, will be well prepared to excel in the health-care field and meet the ever-changing needs of their patients.”