San Diego, CA – The National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) today presented its prestigious Clinical Nurse Specialist Preceptor of the Year Award to Courtenay Wannamaker, MSN, APRN, CCNS, CCRN, PCCN, a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) at Emory University Hospital. The Award was designed to nationally recognize an NACNS member for outstanding professional achievement as a CNS Preceptor. It recognizes a CNS preceptor who has demonstrated commitment to teach, coach and mentor CNS students to achieve CNS competencies. The Award was presented at NACNS’ Annual Conference.
Wannamaker’s colleagues and students nominated her for the award. One nominator said she “has gone far above and beyond expectations in assuring that her CNS student has excellent clinical experiences,” and “assures that the organization’s mission in providing the best care for patients is achieved.”
A student wrote that Wannamaker “has demonstrated exemplary role modeling through her ability to lead, achieve, educate and mentor.”
Wannamaker has been a preceptor since 2010, previously working at Mercer University, Georgia State University, the University of Delaware and the University of South Alabama. She served as the Clinical Leadership Council Emory University Hospital co-chair from 2012 to 2014 and as Hospital Fall Interventions Committee lead chairperson.
“Preceptors play an invaluable role in the development of CNS students,” said NACNS 2015 President Peggy Barksdale, MSN, RN, OCNS-C, CNS-BC. “It’s clear that Courtenay Wannamaker is inspiring her students to take on new challenges and truly come to understand and embrace the CNS role. We are pleased to honor her with the CNS Preceptor of the Year Award.”
In 2014, Wannamaker received the MSN Preceptor Award for the Georgia Baptist College of Nursing of Mercer University and was also the recipient of the March of Dimes Nursing of the Year Award in the Advance Practice Nursing Category. She holds a dual degree in Nursing Education and Acute Care Adult CNS from Georgia Baptist College of Nursing of Mercer University, and earned her BSN at the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University.