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UVA Health University Medical Center is proud to announce that two clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) have received national recognition this month in San Diego, California at the 2026 Annual Conference of the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) — which brought together CNSs from across the country to share research, innovations, and best practices that advance nursing leadership and evidence-based care.

Kim Elgin, DNP, APRN, ACNS-BC, PCCN, CMSRN, FCNS, FAAN, has been honored with the Brenda Lyon Leadership Award — while Kristi Kimpel Wilkins, MSN, APRN, CCNS, CCRN, has earned the Evidence-Based Practice/Quality Improvement Award. 

Congratulations to Elgin and Wilkins on their outstanding contributions to improving healthcare quality and patient outcomes!

Kim Elgin: 2026 Brenda Lyon Leadership Award

The Brenda Lyon Leadership Award, named for a founding member and the organization’s second president, honors individuals who demonstrate extraordinary leadership in advancing the mission of NACNS.

Elgin has played a key role in shaping the profession through her leadership in revising the NACNS Standards of Clinical Nurse Specialist Practice and Education — an authoritative document that defines the CNS role, outlines core competencies, and sets expectations for CNS education and outcomes. The 2026 fourth edition reflects updated evidence and current healthcare priorities including health equity, digital health, artificial intelligence, and implementation science. 

The Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Director — who's marking 32 years of working at UVA Health — also earned the National Magnet Nurse of the Year® for Structural Empowerment in 2022, and was inducted as a Fellow of the Clinical Nurse Specialist Institute (FCNS) in 2023 and as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN) in 2025. 

Elgin also has an impact on the next generation of nurses with a faculty appointment at UVA School of Nursing as Assistant Professor of Nursing and Clinician Educator of Nursing.

Kristi Kimpel Wilkins: 2026 CNS Evidence-Based Practice/Quality Improvement Award

The Clinical Nurse Specialist Evidence-Based Practice/Quality Improvement Award recognizes CNS leaders who successfully implement evidence-based practice (EBP) and measurable quality improvement (QI) within healthcare systems.

This year, Wilkins will mark her 27th year at UVA Health, where she has led several initiatives that have improved patient safety, reduced harm, and optimized healthcare resources. Her work includes implementing evidence-based vascular access protocols, developing microlearning modules for clinicians, and introducing clinical practice guidelines for peripheral IV vasopressor use. Wilkins is the APP and Nursing Lead for hospital-acquired infection coalitions, regularly presents at national conferences, contributes to peer-reviewed publications, and mentors clinical nurse specialists and nursing staff on EBP and QI. 

In her nomination of Wilkins — Elgin writes, “I have had the opportunity and privilege to observe the candidate’s work closely and can attest to her exceptional leadership, clinical expertise, and unwavering commitment to advancing evidence-based practice and quality improvement across a complex healthcare system and beyond.” 

Wilkins also served as a Clinical Instructor in Nursing for CNS precepting from May 2022 to May 2025 at UVA School of Nursing, and still serves as a preceptor at UVA Health.

Elgin and Wilkins’ recognition at the NACNS annual conference highlights the vital role CNSs play in translating evidence into practice and advancing safer, more effective care for patients and communities.