Suicide is consistently ranked among the leading causes of death in the United States—one of few that is 100% preventable. Zdenka Prus spends long, 14-hour days driving around the Valley to meet with suicidal individuals and put them on a path of recovery before they become another tragic statistic.
By its very nature, the job of a mobile mental health assessor is challenging. Prus has worked with individuals impacted by 9/11, and on the night of the October 1 shooting, she became a first responder to counsel victims. Now in the midst of a global pandemic, she visits as many as 14 emergency departments everyday—evaluating patients and assisting ER staff with next steps in their care.
Although she considers Las Vegas her home now, Prus was born in the Czech Republic, where her family fled communism to gain freedom and opportunity in the United States. She has since spent more than 15 years in the behavioral health field, with a mission to bring compassionate care to adults, adolescents and seniors suffering from mental health issues, alcoholism and drug abuse.
Prus and her team at Seven Hills Hospital are dedicated to breaking the stigma that surrounds mental illness. Last year, they partnered with local nonprofits like Nevada PTA and Henderson Chamber of Commerce to offer free educational workshops about managing pandemic stress, and dealing with changes in our work and home lives. To support the growing COVID-19 caseload across the Valley, Prus volunteered to evaluate patients at Southern Nevada Adult Mental Health during her off hours. She did the same for Harmony Healthcare.
Bridging the gap between medical and clinical services in the fast-paced emergency room setting is what Prus enjoys most about her job. Her innate ability to comfort and calm patients in crisis is what makes her great at it.
Emergency Services Runner-up
Clarence Dunagan, MD Chairman, ER & Past Chief of Staff, MountainView Hospital