Deena Kelly Costa

Deena Kelly Costa is the Helen Porter Jayne and Martha Prosser Jayne Associate Professor of Nursing and Associate Professor of Medicine at Yale University, holding dual appointments in the Yale School of Nursing and the Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine at Yale School of Medicine. Her research focuses on interprofessional team dynamics in intensive care units (ICUs), healthcare workforce policy, and improving patient outcomes through evidence-based practice. She has conducted extensive studies on ICU staffing patterns, nurse-physician collaboration, and the impact of team familiarity on clinical outcomes. Dr. Costa also investigates racial disparities in critical care delivery and the economic value of nurse practitioners in healthcare systems.

Dr. Costa earned her PhD in Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania. Her work bridges clinical practice, health policy, and implementation science, with a particular emphasis on pandemic response strategies and post-ICU recovery programs. She leads initiatives to optimize interprofessional teamwork in high-stress medical environments and has contributed to national guidelines for ICU staffing and family engagement.

Her research has been featured in high-impact journals such as the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine and Critical Care Medicine. She collaborates with organizations like the National Clinician Scholars Program to advance health equity through interprofessional education and policy advocacy.