Brief Bio

Irene Felsman, DNP, MPH, RN, became a member of DUSON’s faculty on July 1, 2017. She is a member of the Clinical Health Systems & Analytics Division. Throughout her career, Dr. Felsman has worked with immigrants, refugees, displaced, and low-income populations in the US and globally and has gained extensive experience in community engagement methods and the development of culturally aligned community interventions to improve health and access to care for women and children in diverse settings. She is known to many of us through her work as a Clinical Nurse Educator/Instructor in the ABSN program where she co-taught the Wellness and Health Promotion course and guest lectured in community health and health promotion courses. She has also led global clinical immersion experiences to Tanzania, Nicaragua, Barbados and Guatemala. Dr. Felsman served on the strategic planning committee, is the lead for Global Health Strategy 2.1 (Integrating global health concepts into educational programs) and is a member of the Community Health strategy team. Dr. Irene Felsman received her BSN from Duke University, her MPH and Certificate of Health Care in Developing Countries from Boston University School of Public Health, and her DNP from Duquesne University.

Academic Program Affiliations

Education

Awards and Honors

• 2015 DNP Poster Award for “Assessing Distress Levels in Refugee Women to Enhance Psychosocial Interventions” Honorable Mention, Duquesne University School of Nursing

• 2015 Inductee, Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society

• 2015 Outstanding Graduate Student in Community and Public Health Award, Association of Community Health Educators (ACHNE)

• 1976 Inductee, Sigma Theta Tau

• 1976 President’s Award, Harlaxton College, England

Areas of Expertise

Areas of Interest

• Immigrant health and adaptation: risk and resiliency
• Refugee resettlement and distress
• Risk and resiliency in children
• Community health improvement for vulnerable populations- local and global
• Global health education and service learning

Representative Publications

• 2017 -- Felsman, I. Supporting health and well-being of refugee women: The Global Women’s Group Creative Nursing. 2017; 22(4); 226-32

• 2006 -- Felsman, I. C., & Krijgh, E. Sustainable support for parents of disabled children: A situational analysis of self-help groups in urban high density areas in Zimbabwe October 3, 2006;

• 2006 -- Krijgh, E., Felsman, I. C., & Muchero, R. When needles heal: Impressions of life by a group of sewing mothers and their disabled children 2006; Harare, Zimbabwe: ROKPA Support Trust/Oxfam Australia.

• 2000 -- Felsman, I. Traditional children’s singing games of Zimbabwe Pass It On!, The Journal of the Children's Music Network. Spring, 2000;

• 1990 -- Pubmed # 2291123 Felsman, J. K., Leong, F. T., Johnson, M. C., Felsman, I. C. Estimates of psychological distress among Vietnamese refugees: adolescents, unaccompanied minors and young adults. Soc Sci Med. December 1, 1990; 31(11); 1251-6

Grant Funding (selected)