Midwifery & Women's Health
Perlman, Dana

Dana Perlman is an innovative and progressive educator and policy advocate.  She directs all aspects of the Midwifery Institute.  Her professional interests include development and implementation of multiple routes of entry to accredited midwifery education and the use of simulation in midwifery education. Her doctoral work explored the use of simulation to promote positive attitudes among nurses in hospital settings toward underused, evidence-based strategies to support physiologic birth.  She is an active volunteer with the American College of Nurse-Midwives including committee work and task force membership with a focus on expanding the midwifery workforce through improved access to education and licensure.  She is the immediate past legislative co-chair for the Pennsylvania ACNM affiliate and remains active on the legislative committee.  She is the 2019-20 Chair of the Directors of Midwifery Education and has served on its Diversity & Inclusion Task Force. 

Clinically, she has practiced as a midwife in tertiary and midwifery-led hospital units as well as in Federally Qualified Community Health Centers in Philadelphia and midwifery offices in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Jefferson, K., MacKenzie, R.K., Hackley, B., Perlman, D. (2019). Knowledge of US midwifery credentials among members of the American College of Nurse-Midwives. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health. doi: 10.111/jmwh.13038

Niemczyk, N.A., Cutts, A., Perlman, D.B. (2018). Prior work and educational experience are not associated with successful completion of a master's-level, distance education midwifery program. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health, 63(2), 161-167.

HRSA Advanced Education Nurse Traineeship grant A10HP30095; key author of successful $224,000 federal grant award, 2016-2017.

Lichtman, R., Farley, C., Perlman, D., Jefferson, K. McCloskey, C., Kessler, J., Gallego, E., Shah, M. (2015). The certified midwife credential and the case for national implementation. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health 60(6), 665-669

Led successful 10 year re-accreditation of the Midwifery Institute at Philadelphia University MS in Midwifery and Post-MS Certificate Program for basic midwifery education by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education, 2015-2025.