Year: 2023

National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists Announces 2023 Award Winners

Only US CNS Association Recognizes Outstanding Professional Excellence

RESTON, Va. – March 17, 2023 – The National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) recently announced its 2023 award winners, president, and president-elect. Mitzi Saunders, Ph.D., APRN, ACNS-BC, was elected president and Jennifer Manning, DNS, ACNS-BC, CNE, was elected president-elect of NACNS. Five new board members were also recently elected. 

NACNS is the only US non-profit organization representing the 89,000 clinical nurse specialists (CNS) in our country, and is dedicated to advancing the practice and education of the role. CNSs are one of the four categories of Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN).

Awards were given out to NACNS members and affiliates in the CNS field whose achievements and contributions were outstanding. Award winners were nominated and selected by their peers. More information about the annual NACNS Awards Program can be found on our website. 

“In order to continue to drive forward the adoption of the CNS role, we need people like these eleven award winners that go above and beyond for their practice,“ said Mitzi Saunders, Ph.D., APRN, ACNS-BC and NACNS president. “I am thrilled to be able to honor these hardworking professionals and all they do for the CNS profession.”

The 2023 NACNS National Award Winners are:

  • Clinical Nurse Specialist of the Year: Marianne Hiles, MSN, RN, APRN-CNS, ACNS-BC, RNC-LRN, C-EFM, FCNS
  • Clinical Nurse Specialist Academic Faculty Award: Jackeline Iseler, DNP, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, CNE
  • Clinical Nurse Specialist Evidence-Based Practice / Quality Improvement of the Year Award: Misty Lamprecht, MS, APRN-CNS, AOCN, BMTCN
  • Armed Forces Clinical Nurse Specialist of the Year Award: Major Kenneth Romito, DNP, APRN, AGCNS-BC, CNOR, CSSM
  • Rising Star Clinical Nurse Specialist of the Year Award: Matthew Keyes, MS, RN, CNS, ACCNS-AG, AGCNS-BC
  • NACNS Affiliate of the Year Award: North Carolina Affiliate of NACNS
  • Clinical Nurse Specialist Mentor of the Year Award: Kellie Capes, DNP, RN, AGCNS-BC, PCCN, CMSRN
  • Clinical Nurse Specialist Preceptor of the Year Award: Marcia Cornell, DNP, APRN-CNS, RN, ACNS-BC, NPD-BC, CEN, TCRN
  • Clinical Nurse Specialist Entrepreneur/Intrapreneur of the Year Award: Lisa Soltis, MSN, RN-BC, APRN, PCCN-K, CCRN-CSC-CMC, CCNS, CES-A, FCCM, FCNS
  • Sue B. Davidson Service Award: Dianna J. Copley, MSN, APRN, ACCNS-AG, CCRN
  • Brenda Lyon Leadership Award: Erica Fischer-Cartlidge, DNP, RN, AOCNS, EBP-C
  • President’s Award: Jan Powers, Ph.D., RN, CCNS, CCRN, NE-BC, FCCM, FAAN

About the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists

The National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) is the only national association representing the clinical nurse specialist (CNS). CNSs are the most versatile advanced practice registered nurses and work in a variety of health care specialties to ensure the delivery of high-quality, evidence-based, patient-centered care. As leaders in the acute, post-acute, and ambulatory health care settings, CNSs impact direct patient care, nurses and nursing practice, and organizations and systems to optimize care and drive outstanding clinical outcomes. NACNS is dedicated to advancing CNS practice and education, and removing unnecessary and limiting regulatory barriers while assuring public access to quality CNS services. Learn more and discover the benefits of joining the NACNS. 

Five Clinical Nurse Specialists Named To NACNS Board Of Directors

National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists To Advocate For 89,000 CNSs In U.S.

RESTON, VA – January 19, 2023 – The National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) announced the election of five members to the NACNS Board of Directors  and introduced its President-Elect and Secretary-Treasurer today.  

NACNS represents thousands of clinical nurse specialists (CNS) across the country.  Clinical nurse specialists are advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) who have graduate preparation in nursing.  They can diagnose, treat, prescribe and bill like other APRNs as allowed by their state regulations and typically hold leadership positions at the hospital or system level.

“NACNS Board Members play a critical leadership role within the organization.  They act as the primary advocates for the 89,000 CNSs in the United States,” said Phyllis Whitehead, PhD, APRN/CNS, ACHPN, PMGT-BC, FNAP, FAAN and president, NACNS. “Their advocacy extends beyond NACNS to their patients and the organizations they serve.  CNSs are uniquely qualified to work at the bedside as well as in clinical or educational roles.”

About NACNS Board of Directors
Newly named officers and board members include:

President-Elect​
Jennifer L. Manning, DNS, ACNS-BC, CNE​
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing

Secretary-Treasurer​
Linda Thurby-Hay, DNP, RN, ACNS-BC, BC-ADM, CDCES
Bon Secours Mercy Health Richmond

Board Members
Jackeline Iseler, DNP, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, CNE​
Michigan State University

Pamela Moss, MPH, MSN, APRN, ACCNS-AG, CCRN-CSC​
Johns Hopkins University

Amy Shay, PhD, RN, APRN-CNS, FCNS​
Indiana University-School of Nursing

About The National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists

The National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) is the only national association representing the clinical nurse specialist (CNS). CNSs are the most versatile advanced practice registered nurses and work in a variety of health care specialties to ensure delivery of high-quality, evidence-based, patient-centered care. As leaders in the acute, post-acute, and ambulatory health care settings, CNSs impact direct patient care, nurses and nursing practice, and organizations and systems to optimize care and drive outstanding clinical outcomes. NACNS is dedicated to advancing CNS practice and education, and removing unnecessary and limiting regulatory barriers, while assuring public access to quality CNS services. For more information or to join NACNS click here

NACNS Bylaws – Proposed Changes Available for Member Review

January 13, 2023/Announcements

The NACNS Bylaws are regularly reviewed by the NACNS Board of Directors. In 2022, the Board reviewed the existing bylaws, drafted and approved proposed changes. According to Article VX, Section 1 of the NACNS Bylaws, “All proposed amendments received in proper form by the Board of Directors and submitted to the board of directors must be circulated to the entire membership, not less than thirty (30) days prior to the vote. The amendments shall be voted on by the membership at the annual meeting of the NACNS.”

In accordance with this, the proposed updated Bylaws have been made available for NACNS member review here. Members may review this document and cast their vote on it at the Annual Business Meeting, held onsite at the Annual Conference in Portland, Oregon on Saturday, March 11, 2023.

Please contact info@nacns.org with any questions.

Proposed Bylaws for Member Review

Clinical Nurse Specialist Institute Announces 2023 Class of Fellows

January 12, 2023/Announcements

CNSI Institute

The Clinical Nurse Specialist Institute (CNSI) is pleased to announce the 2023 Class of CNSI Fellows. This is a highly prestigious honor and only awarded to those members of the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) who epitomize the excellence of Clinical Nurse Specialist as leaders of the nursing profession, staunch advocates for patients and families, and forerunners of innovations to improve the health of populations. The new fellows will be inducted on Thursday, March 9th during the NACNS 2023 conference in Portland Oregon. Guest tickets for attending the dinner event are available on the NACNS conference registration website.

The 2023 Class of Fellows are:

Lianna Z. Ansryan, MSN, PHN, GERO-BC, AGCNS-BC
Clinical Nurse Specialist
University of California Los Angeles (UCLA Health), Los Angeles, California

David F. Bradley Jr., Lt Col, USAF, DNP, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BC, CNOR
Assistant Professor/Deputy Director AGCNS Program
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences Daniel K Inouye Graduate School of Nursing, Bethesda, Maryland

Marcia S. Cornell, DNP APRN-CNS, RN ACNS-BC, NPD-BC, CEN, TCRN
Senior Clinical Nurse Specialist
University Hospitals, Geauga Medical Center, Chardon, Ohio

Jennifer A. Dammeyer, MS, RN, CNS-C, CCRN-K
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Critical Care Medicine
The University of Michigan, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Kimberly W. Elgin, DNP, RN, ACNS-BC, PCCN, CMSRN
Assistant Professor & Director, DNP Program, Clinical Assistant Professor of Nursing
University Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia

Latoya Freeman, DNP, MSN/Ed, APRN, ACCNS-AG, PCCN, CPPS, HNB-BC
Clinical Nurse Specialist and Adjunct Faculty
University of Michigan Hospital, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Rachel A. Moody, MS, CNS, RN, CENP
Nurse Administrator Nursing Practice and Quality and Assistant Professor of Nursing
Mayo Clinic and Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota

Brittany D. Rhoades, PhD, APRN, CCNS, CCTN
Clinical Nurse Specialist/Instructor Cardiothoracic Surgery
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas

Jean Salera-Vieira, DNP, PNS, APRN-CNS, RNC-OB, C-EFM, C-ONQS
Perinatal Clinical Nurse Specialist, Director Program Development, Association of Women’s Health, Obstetrics and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN)
Newport Hospital, Newport, Rhode Island

Phyllis B. Whitehead, PhD, APRN/CNS, ACHPN, PMGT-BC, FNAP, FAAN
Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialist and Clinical Ethicist
Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, Roanoke, Virginia

In 2016, the CNSI was founded as an arm of the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS). Its goal is to develop and promote the charitable, educational, innovative clinical practice and scientific purposes of NACNS. Today, the Clinical Nurse Specialist Institute is the 501(c)3 arm of the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists.