Preceptor Awards

Linda Tanaka, MSN, ACNP- BC, has worked at Kaiser Permanente San Francisco for 26 years and is one of the original four NPs that started the Cardiac Services NP service. Tanaka leads a team of ACNPs, all of whom precept UCSF AGACNP students. Lisa Guertin, DNP, ACNP, professor, noted that Tanaka “doesn't only foster the growth and development of the AGACNP students she precepts, she is also dedicated to the professional growth of NPs on the team she leads by ensuring that her team consistently takes students every year and often every quarter. We are so grateful and honored to have her as an esteemed preceptor, volunteer faculty and colleague.”
 
“I precept because I want to continue to support my profession. I hope that my students learn from me, but I also learn from them,” Tanaka said. “I graduated from one of the earlier ACNP programs in California and remember how hard it was to explain my role to patients and physicians.  I am so proud to see how far the acute care program has come and to see the successes of my students.”
 
Tanaka’s preceptees noted that she is an exceptional instructor. “Her delivery of care plans, postoperative findings and indications for procedures were great to watch, and I hope to one day have that level of expertise as a NP. She took the time, with diagrams of the heart, to explain the disease process for each patient and help the patient understand their care more. I also appreciate that Linda integrated me into the team and gave me the autonomy to write H&Ps/Progress Notes/DC notes/and explain findings to the patients (with supervision). This was the best rotation to round out my NP education.” Shared another preceptee, “the information she presented to me during rotations was clear and really helped me synthesize didactics and clinical care.”

Claudia Barrera, MS, AGPCNP-BC, is a Latinx primary care nurse practitioner at the San Francisco VA (SFVA) and a graduate of the UCSF School of Nursing's master's program. Since 2020, Barrera has been a clinical preceptor and a faculty member in the EdPACT program, a program affiliated with the school's Department of Community Health Systems. Barrera currently serves as the program coordinator for the SFVA's Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Residency program. Miranda Surjadi, MS, RN, ANP, professor and coordinator of the AGPCNP specialty, said, "Claudia is a highly sought-after mentor for nurse practitioner students and residents due to her inviting spirit, clinical skills and dedication to learners. 

"I love that I can deliver comprehensive and individualized health care with an equity lens to my veteran patients, while also being able to teach and mentor nurse practitioner residents and UCSF nurse practitioner students," said Barrera. "Teaching brings me absolute joy! It is important to me because diverse representation in all spectrums of education matters. First and foremost, I aim to teach with equity in mind, then with compassion and curiosity."

Preceptee Andrew O'Brien, MS' 24, AGPCNP, notes, "Claudia consistently displays humility and compassion when working with patients and works to instill those values in students she precepts." Alumnus Edward Campbell, MS '24, AGPCNP, said, "I especially valued her encouragement to evaluate, assess and manage patient problems to the level of my ability without 'taking over.'"  

Susannah Ewing, NP, has provided outpatient gynecology (GYN) care at UCSF for 20 years; she has been precepting nurse-midwifery and NP students for six years. Cynthia Belew, interim coordinator of the nurse-midwifery specialty, said, “We are immensely grateful for Susannah’s dedicated and skillful contributions. She has not only precepted but also contributed her content expertise in the development of lectures and case studies on complex topics in sexual and reproductive health.”
 
“In the last five years I have focused on CNM students and have made a personal commitment to take a CNM student every semester in honor of Rebekah Kaplan, CNM, who was such a dedicated part of the SON and the CNM program at UCSF. Our busy GYN practice is a great setting to expose students to a large spectrum of routine and complicated GYN issues,” Susannah said. “The nurse-midwifery students add so much to my daily practice. They bring a fresh energy and an eagerness to apply what they have learned in the classroom. I have learned something new from each of my students, whether it is a cultural difference they bring to the practice setting, or a new pearl of wisdom they bring from another clinical experience. I have been very lucky to have such amazing students and maintain contact with most of my students after they graduate and head off on their own.”
 
One of Susannah’s preceptees shared, “I am forever indebted to Susannah's generous teaching and confidence in us as students. She gave me a huge gift of trust and patience, which allowed me to believe that I absolutely can be good at this work one day. In addition, she models efficiency in the clinic while simultaneously being present and warm with patients and colleagues.”

Kathryn Snow, MS, RN, CNRN, specializes in neurocritical care at Kaiser Permanente, Redwood City, where she ensures that standardized, evidence-based care is provided to the vulnerable neuro population, both in her facility and through region-wide consultation.

"Kathryn has precepted students and read comprehensive exams for the Physiological Nursing department for many years. We so appreciate her," said Astrid Block, coordinator of the Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist specialty. 

"I recall my trepidation when I was a new CNS, but quickly learned that my skills and expertise were valuable to my organization and the staff nurses," said Snow. If I can role model CNS work just by doing what I do every day, precepting becomes a natural, collaborative process that I hope teaches them they are 'enough' and they are ready!"

Preceptee Ashley Thomas said, “Kathryn is truly the preceptor of all preceptors! Not only is she a clinical practice expert in her specialty, neuroscience, she is a great mentor and educator, and truly cares about growing the next generation of CNSs. She always made it a priority to attend team rounds every morning to ensure patients were receiving quality care, and consistently made time for the nursing staff and unit leadership when they had inquiries. She is also directly involved in research and nursing education related to stroke and neuroscience, all while recently achieving her DNP.” 

Beverly Shoemaker, NNP, is the school's May 2024 Preceptor of the Month. Shoemaker has been a neonatal nurse practitioner at UCSF for 30 years and has been a part of the School of Nursing for 25 of those years.

“Beverly has dedicated her career to improving patient outcomes through ongoing education of NPs, RNs and families," said Chrissy Smith, co-specialty coordinator of the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner specialty. "We are grateful for the enthusiasm, high level of skill, intellect and compassion she brings, along with the expertise honed through years of dedication and engagement. She has been an inspiration to those that have been lucky to work alongside her.”

“Precepting students has been an important part of my clinical career,” Shoemaker said. “It is mentoring the new generation of nurse practitioners who will care for the smallest, sickest patients in a nursery. The NNP role is so vital to the excellent care that neonates receive.”

Preceptee Jessy Willse noted: “I was lucky enough to have Bev as an NNP preceptor at not one but two different NICUs. She was so supportive as I adapted to two very different learning environments, and really helped me learn to trust my foundational knowledge base. She is incredibly patient, kind and so smart. I wish I had more time with her!”

Nicole Tilton, PNP, is the school's April 2024 Preceptor of the Month. Tilton works in the Pediatric Epilepsy Center of Excellence at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital and has been a long-time preceptor for Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (ACPNP) students. Brittaney Christiansen, specialty coordinator, said: “Nicole also has been available on short notice to serve as preceptor for a student mid-quarter and volunteered to serve as a fill-in/substitute preceptor. These examples highlight Nicole's commitment to educating the next generation of ACPNP providers and her support of the UCSF ACPNP specialty."

“I love being a part of helping students develop and grow their knowledge base about pediatric epilepsy," Tilton said. "I feel a great sense of pride when students finish the quarter with a strong command of a very complex medical condition. The student-preceptor relationship goes both ways. I am constantly learning from my students and I enjoy that they keep me on my toes!”

Afsheen Jamani, former preceptee, noted: “As a preceptor, Nicole not only took time to go through diagnosis, assessments, and medications with me but also checked in on a personal level. I truly appreciated her kindness and compassion."

Genica-Jade Ocampo added: “Nicole is an extraordinary preceptor and human being. Through her realism and intelligence, she empowers her preceptees to navigate their learning in their own individualized pathway providing the utmost level of support in learning, education and clinical experience.”

Kara Ramos, PNP, is the school's March 2024 Preceptor of the Month. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, she has practiced pediatric primary care at the Daly City Clinic for four years.

“I started precepting in 2022, and love giving back to the NP community,” Ramos said. “It’s wonderful to watch students grow, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to really immerse students in primary care!”

Mary Anne Israel, the specialty coordinator for the UCSF School of Nursing's Pediatric Nurse Practitioner-Primary Care specialty, said: “Each of the students Kara has precepted has given specific praise of Kara's excellent clinical teaching, especially in the realm of building a differential. She creates an environment where the student is able to think critically as she provides education and guidance as they develop their diagnosis and treatment plan. She has also been recognized by the students for the high-quality compassionate care she provides her patients.”

Ross Theriot, PNP student, commented: "Kara is spectacular. She challenged me to determine what clinical skills I was developing and helped me to scaffold them to mastery. She allowed me to gain autonomy in all aspects of care with thoughtful and reflective supervision. While working with a patient population experiencing high levels of stress, trauma and inequity, she modeled interacting with warmth and trauma-informed care that creates a safe space for culturally concordant care.”

Andrea McDade, DNP, PMHNP, is the February 2024 Preceptor of the Month. McDade practices at RAMS Adult Outpatient Clinic, a community mental health center in San Francisco’s Richmond District. She has precepted PMHNP students for the last three years. Jane Abanes, specialty co-coordinator of the PMHNP specialty, noted that "the program greatly appreciates Andrea's clinical knowledge and commitment to student learning. She is an invaluable part of the success of the PMHNP specialty."

"I precept because I love to see students' enthusiasm for the mental health field and watch them grow throughout the year as they work with our clients,” McDade said. “I had incredible experiences with my preceptors during NP school and want to pass that onto future generations of providers.”

Alumnus Josephine Sara Chang commented: “Andrea McDade is one of the best nurse practitioners and one of the best preceptors I’ve met. She demonstrates client-centered care, and she is responsible, knowledgeable and resourceful. She has great communication and teaching skills and tailors her teaching around her students.”

Alumnus Caitlin Ann Miyazaki added: “Andrea is very supportive and encouraging. She emphasizes that there isn’t often one ‘right’ treatment decision, rather numerous paths that can be taken. She used her own expertise to help guide me, but really allowed me to make my own decisions in preparation for being an independently practicing NP.”

Grace Moore Lee, MS ‘14, FNP-C, practices primary care across the lifespan at the Daly City Health Center, an ambulatory clinic of the San Mateo Medical Center. She is also a sexual assault nurse examiner for San Mateo County. She has been a committed preceptor for the FNP specialty since 2019.

“We appreciate Grace's warm, supportive and encouraging precepting approach, while also giving the students the space to practice independence and learn new skills,” FNP faculty members said. “We have heard repeatedly from students how much they appreciate Grace's approach to precepting as well as how knowledgeable and skilled she is as a nurse practitioner. We feel so lucky to have Grace to support the training of UCSF FNP students to provide high-quality primary care services!"

"I am so grateful for the preceptors that enriched my nursing education, and I want to support the learning of future FNPs,” Lee said. “I find the precepting experience pushes me to be a better and more inquisitive NP. It is incredibly rewarding to witness the growth of each student over the course of the year."

FNP student Debbie Landis, RN, added: “Grace makes me feel comfortable asking questions and shares her knowledge without judgement, which only advances my learning and confidence as a student learning the role of being a capable provider. She takes the day on with a sense of calm and genuine care, which fosters trust and a connection with all the patients we see. She is most definitely a role model and inspiration to me of the kind of provider I hope to be in the future.”