October 27, 2017
With boundless gratitude for our preceptors
Azita Emami
Nursing is special, and preceptors are a special part of nursing. Preceptors are a very personal part of the education process, and an important reminder that when all is said and done, we are in a profession that is first and foremost about people. Preceptors transmit not just the skills, but also the traditions and culture of nursing.
By choosing to be preceptors, these special people opt to invest their hearts and their minds in shaping the next generation of nursing. Preceptors play an absolutely vital role in this process. Preceptors do what no textbook, no classroom class, no online instruction can accomplish. They are a combination quality assurance team, mentor, counselor, and coach. Their role has become even more prominent and more important with the emergence of advanced practice nursing.
The University of Washington School of Nursing began recognizing the contributions of advanced practice preceptors in 1994. Annually, there was one Preceptor of the Year award.
But nursing has changed in the last two decades. There are far more advanced practice tracks than in the past, which means there are far more preceptors. We recognize that this year by naming seven individuals as the 2017 Clinical Preceptors of the Year.
- Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner: Moin Shaikh, Swedish Medical Center
- Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner: Janet Dwight, Virginia Mason Medical Center
- Community Health Nursing: Muriel Softli, First Place School
- Family Nurse Practitioner: Melissa Stanley, Providence Medical Group Internal Medicine
- Nurse Midwifery: Carol Neely, Providence Regional Medical Center Everett
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner: Susan Paeth, Virginia Mason Medical Center
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner: Susan Foote, Valley Cities Counseling and Consultation
I invite you to learn more about these preceptors and the amazing work they do. And if you have ever considered becoming a clinical preceptor, please contact Dr. Hilaire Thompson, our graduate program director, at 206.616.5641 or via email. We would love for you to share your talents!
