Dawn Mutchko
Lead Advanced Practice Provider
Dr. Dawn Mutchko is the Lead Advanced Practice Provider for the AtlantiCare Health System in southern New Jersey. She sits on their Medical Executive Committee, representing the interests of all APPs. Clinically she practices in Interventional Cardiology at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Pomona, NJ. She has completed several leadership training programs and has been selected for the inaugural AANP Executive Leadership Program. She also serves as an adjunct assistant professor at Wilmington University (Newark, DE), where she has been on faculty since 2019. She teaches Applied Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) in both the DNP and MSN tracks while participating as a DNP Project Advisor. Her advanced practice experience includes primary care in NJ and interventional cardiology in both DE and NJ. Before 1997, her nursing experience was varied but largely medical-surgical and telemetry/stepdown in SC, DE, and Japan, with a stint in staff development for trauma and surgical services.
Dawn is involved in developing novice APPs and continues to build her APP Transition to Practice Program. She is interested in engaging APPs as well as empowering them for the changes they seek. Her current focal goals are top-of-license practice, developing effective succession planning and education programs for future and current state, and resilience. She is working with administrative and physician leadership regarding top of license practice, creating effective interdisciplinary teams while incorporating education on the training, value, and benefits of APP employment in all service lines.
Dawn is the President-Elect/Education Chair for the Forum of Nurses in Advanced Practice (FNAP is the advanced practice arm of the NJ State Nurses Association) and participates on the Mentoring Committee of the Organization of Nurse Leaders of NJ (ONL-NJ). She volunteers as a mentor to nurses via the American Nurses Association. She is a member of multiple professional organizations: the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Sigma Theta Tau, the American Nurses Association, the NJ State Nurses Association, the American College of Cardiology, the Organization of Nurse Leaders NJ, and the American Organization of Nurse Executives.
Dawn earned a BS in Health Planning at Administration from the Pennsylvania State University, a BSN from the Medical University of South Carolina, an MSN in Family Medicine from then Wilmington College, and a DNP from Wilmington University. She is board certified as a family nurse practitioner (FNP-C) and in executive nursing practice (CENP). She is a certificate holder in evidence-based practice (EBP(CH)) from The Helene Fuld Health Trust National Institute for Evidence-based Practice in Nursing and Healthcare. She has also begun LEAN methodology training, having completed her white belt thus far.
Dawn lives with her husband and their three dogs outside of Atlantic City. She has three adult children. One son and daughter live and work locally, and the other son and his wife live and work in the Seattle-Tacoma area. She enjoys hiking, kayaking, walking, boating, absolutely anything to do with water, painting, crafts, travel, self-improvement, reading, learning new skills, spending quality time with family and friends, and is an avid fan of college football!