Dr. Jeffries is internationally known for her research and work in nursing, simulation, and health care. Throughout the academic community, she is well regarded for her scholarly contributions to executive leadership, the development of innovative teaching strategies, experiential learning techniques, new pedagogies, and the delivery of content using technology.

As Principal Investigator on grants funded by federal and state agencies and numerous national organizations, including the National League for Nursing (NLN) and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Dr. Jeffries has provided leadership and mentorship on ground-breaking projects impacting both nursing practice and education. With the NLN, Dr. Jeffries developed the major contribution to simulation scholarship, the framework and monograph now known as the NLN Jeffries Simulation Theory.  

Dr. Jeffries is a sought-after keynote speaker and delivers presentations on nursing leadership and her research nationally and internationally. Her numerous publications, including the recently released third edition of Simulation in Nursing Education: From Conceptualization to Evaluation, cover a wide range of topics pertinent to nursing education, clinical simulations, and health care policy.

Dean Jeffries is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN), fellow of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare Academy (FSSH), fellow of the Academy of Nurse Educators (ANEF), inductee into the Sigma Theta Tau International Research Hall of Fame, and recipient of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Excellence Award. She is also a Robert Wood Johns Foundation Nurse Executive Fellow. She is active in a variety of professional organizations and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Nursing and the Global Network of Simulations in Healthcare (GNSH).