Two staff members from the Orvis School of Nursing were recently recognized for their work, dedication, and achievements in their respective nursing fields.
Dr. Cameron Duncan, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC, Assistant Professor and PMHNP Program Director is the recipient of The American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP) 2021 AANP State Award of Excellence.
Dr. Megan Pratt, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, GS-C, Assistant Professor and Family Nurse Practitioner Program Director was recognized by the Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association (GAPNA) as a rising star in the industry.
AANP State Award of Excellence
This prestigious award recognizes outstanding achievements by one nurse practitioner (NPs) and NP advocate in each state and honors these recipients annually during the AANP National Conference.
Duncan was nominated for the by a peer. The nomination stated that Duncan is an “exceptional clinician and person. He is extraordinarily knowledgeable, compassionate, and a highly-skilled nurse practitioner who persistently promotes and demonstrates the highest professional and ethical standards. He is a genuine patient advocate and a positive role model. He tirelessly advances his personal knowledge and demonstrates what it means to be a lifelong learner in obtaining his FNP, PMHNP, DNP and now his PhD. In addition, he has consistently been a mentor for many others in advancing their profession and personal goals and has helped coach providers, including myself, into opening NP-owned family practice offices.”
“I am honored to have been nominated and awarded the AANP State Award of Excellence for Nevada,” said Duncan. “I enjoy being an NP because I get to work directly with patients of various backgrounds, different experiences, and patients of all ages,” said Duncan. “Working as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner I am able to connect with my patients and their families to help them get through tough life circumstances and specific situations where they are really struggling. Being consistent support for these patients during difficult times is not only helpful for the patients and their families but is also very rewarding for me to be there for others when they need it most.”
GAPNA 2021 Spring Rising Star
GAPNA was founded in 1981 with the interests of advanced practice nurses who care for older adults. Several times a year, in the industry with a feature in the newsletter and a short interview.
“I am honored to have been recognized for my leadership and awarded the GAPNA Rising Star Award,” said Pratt. “At the annual conference in 2020, I developed and presented a Gerontological Certification (GS-C) Review course. I was recently nominated and selected as a fellow in the GAPNA Leadership Institute. I am currently working on editing and publishing a book with GAPNA.“
In her interview, Pratt mentions that she is inspired to work in geriatrics because of the complexity of the disease state and patient care. “I have always been interested in wellness and feel that it is under-represented in the care of older adults. Again and again, I witnessed older adults receiving choppy, fragmented care and really wanted to be a leader in fixing that. I continue to strive to educate individuals and provide high-quality patient-centered care,” said Pratt.
