At its annual conference in Florida last month, the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) presented its prestigious Preceptor of the Year Award to Patricia Radovich, PhD, CNS, FCCM, the director of nursing research for Loma Linda University Health Hospitals. This award recognizes 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 in the three spheres of CNS influence.
Radovich has extensive clinical experience that spans multiple health care settings, including surgical trauma critical care, hepatology and liver transplantation. She has held a variety of practice and leadership roles and is actively involved in local, regional and national professional practice activities. She embodies the role of preceptor as she mentors students and nursing staff, enthusiastically guiding them as they develop projects and advance their professional goals. She has been active in advancing nursing practice through participation with the California Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists, NACNS and the California Action Coalition. She is a Fellow of the American College of Critical Care Medicine and the Association of California Nurse Leaders (ACNL), serving as a co-chair of the ACNL research committee. Radovich received her PhD in Nursing from Azusa Pacific University, her master’s degree from California State University Long Beach and her bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University.
“It is my great honor to present the Preceptor of the Year Award to Patricia Radovich,” said NACNS Immediate Past President Anne E. Hysong, MSN, APRN, CCNS, ACNS-BC. “Throughout her career, she has believed in the importance of mentoring and aiding in the growth and development of nurses. She is always available to students and nursing staff and enthusiastically guides them as they develop projects and achieve personal and professional goals. She believes that collaboration is key to optimal outcomes and emphasizes the importance of raising new questions, considering new possibilities and using creativity and imagination to move nursing forward. We could not have chosen a more worthy award winner.”
The awards bestowed at the conference were given to:
- The CNS of the Year award was given to Lori Brittingham, MSN, RN, CNS, ACCNS-N of Reading Hospital.
- The Susan B. Davidson Award for extraordinary service to NACNS went to Kathy Baker, PhD, RN, ACNS-BC, FAAN, Director, Nursing Research and Scholarship, Texas Christian University Harris School of Nursing.
- The Brenda Lyon Leadership Award, which recognizes extraordinary leadership in service to NACNS, was given to Lisa Hopp, PhD, RN, FAAN, Dean and Professor, Purdue University Northwest.
- The CNS Educator of the Year Award was bestowed on Susan Dresser, MSN, APRN-CNS, CCRN, director of the Adult-Gerontology CNS Program at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
- The Researcher of the Year Award was given to Susan B. Fowler, PhD, RN, CNRN, FAHA, Nurse Scientist, Center for Nursing Research at Orlando Health.
- The CNS Evidence Based Practice (EBP) / Quality Improvement (QI) of the Year Award – given for the first time – to Maureen Seckel, MSN, APRN, ACNS-BC, CCNS, CCRN, FCCM, who serves in the Critical Care CNS role at Christiana Care Health System.
- The Preceptor of the Year award was given to Patricia Radovich, PhD, CNS, FCCM.
- Affiliate of the Year Award was bestowed on the California Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists.
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Founded in 1995, The National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists is the only association representing the clinical nurse specialist (CNS). CNSs are advanced practice registered nurses who work in a variety of specialties to ensure high-quality, evidence-based, patient-centered care. As leaders in health care settings, CNSs provide direct patient care and lead initiatives to improve care and clinical outcomes, and reduce costs. NACNS is dedicated to advancing CNS practice and education, removing certification and regulatory barriers, and assuring the public access to quality CNS services.