Atlanta, Ga. – The National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) today presented its prestigious Clinical Nurse Specialist Preceptor of the Year Award to Elizabeth Scruth, PhD, MPH, RN, CCNS CCRN, FCCM, a Clinical Practical Consultant-Quality Clinical Effectiveness with Kaiser Permanente Regional Division and an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing. The Award was designed to nationally recognize an NACNS member for outstanding professional achievement as a clinical nurse specialist (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.
Scruth’s colleagues nominated her for the award. One nominator wrote, “In the time I have been placing students with Dr. Scruth, I have never ceased to be amazed by her phenomenal mentorship, patience and skill in precepting and coaching a wide range of ethnically and experientially diverse students. Her highly developed and effective precepting style consistently promotes student independence and critical thinking. Students who have been fortunate enough to work with Dr. Scruth consistently describe their experiences as positive, inspiring and career changing.”
“Preceptors like Dr. Scruth are a critical piece in helping CNS students become future health care leaders,” said NACNS 2016 President Sharon Horner, PhD, RN, MC-CNS, FAAN. “Dr. Scruth not only mentors and supports her students in clinical settings but instills a commitment to excellence in future generations of clinical nurse specialists. We are so pleased to honor her with this year’s CNS Preceptor of the Year Award.”
Scruth has routinely precepted students since 2007. In addition to precepting, she mentors students’ scholarly work and has co-authored two manuscripts with CNS students in the past year.
Scruth was inducted as a fellow into the American College of Critical Care Medicine in 2013 and was awarded a Circle of Nursing Excellence Award from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses in 2016.
Scruth earned her BSN, MSN and MPH from Edith Cowan University in West Australia and PhD from Australian Catholic University in Victoria, Australia. Scruth also studied at the University of California, San Francisco and works as a Critical Care Transport RN with Bayshore Ambulance Company since 2001. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society.