Faculty & Staff Directory
Virginia Prendergast, PhD, NP-C, FAAN
Virginia Prendergast, PhD, NP-C, FAAN, is internationally recognized for her work and leadership in neuroscience nursing education, research, and the care of neurosurgical patients. Her clinical activities have focused on bedside assessment and care, and have included the development of a preoperative skin and hair protocol, a comprehensive oral care protocol to promote oral hygiene and patient comfort, and the development of educational programs that span the continuum of expertise from novice to expert neuroscience nursing.
Beginning as a staff nurse in the neurosurgical intensive care unit, Dr. Prendergast’s tenure at Barrow has covered more than 30 years. Her passion for excellence in neuroscience nursing motivated her professional growth into leadership roles, and she serves at the Director of Barrow Advanced Practice Nursing and Evidence-based Research. In 2004, she developed a formal educational program at Barrow to support nurses preparing for the Certified Neuroscience Registered Nurse (CNRN) examination. This program remains in place today. As a result of her leadership in this arena, Barrow holds the distinction of employing the most CNRN nurses of any hospital in the country.
Dr. Prendergast’s teaching achievements and dedication to patient care have also commanded national and international recognition and awards. She has been invited as a guest lecturer to conferences and nursing schools throughout North America, China, Japan, and Europe. She has served as a mentor to graduate nurses in cities as far-flung as Sydney, Singapore, London, Copenhagen, Berlin, and Tokyo, as well as for nurses throughout North America. She has received the Nursing Spectrum national award for Excellence in Teaching and was honored for her dedication to patient care by the Phoenix Business Journal. The neurosurgical resident staff has twice honored her with the “BNI Nurse of the Year” award.
Dr. Prendergast served as president of the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses in 1998 and is the President of the World Federation of Neuroscience Nurses. She was one of the founders of the Neuroscience Nursing foundation, a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to nursing education and research.
- PhD, University of Lund, Lund, Sweden, Health Science from Medical Faculty
- MSN, Arizona State University, 1988
- Graduate Neuroscience Nursing Program, Certificate Program, Barrow Neurological Institute, 1987
- BSN, College of St. Theresa, Winona, Minnesota, 1978
- World Federation of Neuroscience Nurses
- American Association of Neuroscience Nurses
- International Cochrane Collaboration Oral Health Group, London, England
- American Nurses Association
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons
- Sigma Theta Tau, National Honor Society for Nurses
- American Association of Critical Care Nurses
- Editorial Board Member, Journal of Neurological and Neurosurgical Nursing
- Editorial Board Member, World Journal of Critical Care Medicine
- Editorial Board Member, Journal of Neurocritical Care
- Neuroscience Nurse Hero Award, Arizona Nurses Association, 2011
- Finalist, Healthcare Leadership Award, Arizona Business Magazine, 2011
- Finalist, Healthcare Hero Award, Phoenix Business Journal, 2006
- Nurse of the Year, Barrow Neurological Institute, 2006, 2004
- Nursing Excellence Awards: Teaching. Awarded by Nursing Spectrum & Nurse Week for Mountain West Division, 2005
Implementation of a Standardized Multimodal Postoperative Analgesia Protocol Improves Pain Control, Reduces Opioid Consumption, and Shortens Length of Hospital Stay After Posterior Lumbar Spinal Fusion.
Date: 07/2020
Authors: Corey T Walker, David M Gullotti, Virginia Prendergast, John J Radosevich, Jakub Godzik, Tyler S Cole, Tyler S. Cole, Arpan A Patel, Arpan A. Patel, Alexander C Whiting, Alexander C. Whiting, Andrew S Little, Juan S. Uribe, U Kumar Kakarla, Jay D Turner
Patient-Controlled Analgesia Following Lumbar Spinal Fusion Surgery Is Associated With Increased Opioid Consumption and Opioid-Related Adverse Events.
Date: 05/2020
Authors: Arpan A Patel, Arpan A. Patel, Corey T Walker, Virginia Prendergast, John J Radosevich, Doneen Grimm, Jakub Godzik, Alexander C Whiting, Alexander C. Whiting, U Kumar Kakarla, Zaman Mirzadeh, Juan S. Uribe, Jay D Turner
Rupture of a Previously Documented Small Asymptomatic Intracranial Aneurysm in a Patient With Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease
Date: 01/1998
Authors: Wouter I. Schievink, Virginia Prendergast, Joseph M. Zabramski, J M. Zabramski
Titanium aneurysm clips: Part III--Clinical application in 16 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage
Date: 06/1996
Authors: M T. Lawton, Michael T. Lawton, J E. Heiserman, Joseph E. Heiserman, V C. Prendergast, J M. Zabramski, Joseph M. Zabramski, R F. Spetzler, Robert F Spetzler
Virginia Prendergast, PhD, NP-C, FAAN
Virginia Prendergast, PhD, NP-C, FAAN, is internationally recognized for her work and leadership in neuroscience nursing education, research, and the care of neurosurgical patients. Her clinical activities have focused on bedside assessment and care, and have included the development of a preoperative skin and hair protocol, a comprehensive oral care protocol to promote oral hygiene and patient comfort, and the development of educational programs that span the continuum of expertise from novice to expert neuroscience nursing.
Beginning as a staff nurse in the neurosurgical intensive care unit, Dr. Prendergast’s tenure at Barrow has covered more than 30 years. Her passion for excellence in neuroscience nursing motivated her professional growth into leadership roles, and she serves at the Director of Barrow Advanced Practice Nursing and Evidence-based Research. In 2004, she developed a formal educational program at Barrow to support nurses preparing for the Certified Neuroscience Registered Nurse (CNRN) examination. This program remains in place today. As a result of her leadership in this arena, Barrow holds the distinction of employing the most CNRN nurses of any hospital in the country.
Dr. Prendergast’s teaching achievements and dedication to patient care have also commanded national and international recognition and awards. She has been invited as a guest lecturer to conferences and nursing schools throughout North America, China, Japan, and Europe. She has served as a mentor to graduate nurses in cities as far-flung as Sydney, Singapore, London, Copenhagen, Berlin, and Tokyo, as well as for nurses throughout North America. She has received the Nursing Spectrum national award for Excellence in Teaching and was honored for her dedication to patient care by the Phoenix Business Journal. The neurosurgical resident staff has twice honored her with the “BNI Nurse of the Year” award.
Dr. Prendergast served as president of the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses in 1998 and is the President of the World Federation of Neuroscience Nurses. She was one of the founders of the Neuroscience Nursing foundation, a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to nursing education and research.
- PhD, University of Lund, Lund, Sweden, Health Science from Medical Faculty
- MSN, Arizona State University, 1988
- Graduate Neuroscience Nursing Program, Certificate Program, Barrow Neurological Institute, 1987
- BSN, College of St. Theresa, Winona, Minnesota, 1978
- World Federation of Neuroscience Nurses
- American Association of Neuroscience Nurses
- International Cochrane Collaboration Oral Health Group, London, England
- American Nurses Association
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons
- Sigma Theta Tau, National Honor Society for Nurses
- American Association of Critical Care Nurses
- Editorial Board Member, Journal of Neurological and Neurosurgical Nursing
- Editorial Board Member, World Journal of Critical Care Medicine
- Editorial Board Member, Journal of Neurocritical Care
- Neuroscience Nurse Hero Award, Arizona Nurses Association, 2011
- Finalist, Healthcare Leadership Award, Arizona Business Magazine, 2011
- Finalist, Healthcare Hero Award, Phoenix Business Journal, 2006
- Nurse of the Year, Barrow Neurological Institute, 2006, 2004
- Nursing Excellence Awards: Teaching. Awarded by Nursing Spectrum & Nurse Week for Mountain West Division, 2005
Implementation of a Standardized Multimodal Postoperative Analgesia Protocol Improves Pain Control, Reduces Opioid Consumption, and Shortens Length of Hospital Stay After Posterior Lumbar Spinal Fusion.
Date: 07/2020
Authors: Corey T Walker, David M Gullotti, Virginia Prendergast, John J Radosevich, Jakub Godzik, Tyler S Cole, Tyler S. Cole, Arpan A Patel, Arpan A. Patel, Alexander C Whiting, Alexander C. Whiting, Andrew S Little, Juan S. Uribe, U Kumar Kakarla, Jay D Turner
Patient-Controlled Analgesia Following Lumbar Spinal Fusion Surgery Is Associated With Increased Opioid Consumption and Opioid-Related Adverse Events.
Date: 05/2020
Authors: Arpan A Patel, Arpan A. Patel, Corey T Walker, Virginia Prendergast, John J Radosevich, Doneen Grimm, Jakub Godzik, Alexander C Whiting, Alexander C. Whiting, U Kumar Kakarla, Zaman Mirzadeh, Juan S. Uribe, Jay D Turner
Rupture of a Previously Documented Small Asymptomatic Intracranial Aneurysm in a Patient With Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease
Date: 01/1998
Authors: Wouter I. Schievink, Virginia Prendergast, Joseph M. Zabramski, J M. Zabramski
Titanium aneurysm clips: Part III--Clinical application in 16 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage
Date: 06/1996
Authors: M T. Lawton, Michael T. Lawton, J E. Heiserman, Joseph E. Heiserman, V C. Prendergast, J M. Zabramski, Joseph M. Zabramski, R F. Spetzler, Robert F Spetzler