Roanoke Rapids, N.C. — ECU Health North Hospital is proud to announce the first cohort of its hospital-based Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) I program graduated Jan. 30, 2026. A graduation ceremony marked the successful completion of a program designed to strengthen the rural health care workforce and create new pathways for career advancement within the ECU Health system. The eight program graduates are: Lisa Allen, James Cooper, LaToria Grimes, Deja Harris, Denise Mendoza-Beltran, Katara Whitaker, Asekywia Williams and Marleena Womack.
“We are proud of our graduates who worked hard, completing classroom instruction, hands-on training and clinical experience at ECU Health North Hospital,” said Pam Rudisill, vice president of Nursing Excellence at ECU Health. “This program represents our commitment to strengthening the rural health care workforce by expanding access to careers in nursing and allied health. By investing in our team members and aligning with community partners, we are building a more resilient and skilled care team designed to meet the needs of those we serve.”
Attendees gathered to honor the eight graduates who completed the inaugural program at ECU Health North Hospital. Upon certification, all eight graduates will transition into CNA roles at their current ECU Health facilities — four at ECU Health Medical Center, one at ECU Health Roanoke-Chowan Hospital and three at ECU Health North Hospital.
“By equipping our team members with the skills and support they need to grow into vital roles, we are helping create a pipeline of compassionate, community-based caregivers who will serve eastern North Carolina for years to come,” said Todd Hickey, president of ECU Health North. “The CNA I program serves as a model for workforce development across the region, offering team members the opportunity to advance their careers while supporting the health and well-being of the communities ECU Health serves.”
The CNA I program was inspired by the vision of the late Sheryl Watson, BSN, RN, a former ECU Health nurse and community college instructor whose passion for education and mentorship laid the foundation for the program. Though she passed away before seeing the program launch, her legacy continues to shape the future of nursing assistants across the region. With the first cohort now entering the workforce, ECU Health North Hospital is preparing to welcome its second cohort in early February, consisting of 10 new students representing multiple ECU Health locations.
Casey Allen, a staff nurse IV at ECU Health Beaufort Hospital, was drawn to nursing – and working in oncology – after seeing many people in her family battle cancer. What she didn’t expect, however, was being diagnosed with cancer herself.
In October 2025, Casey attempted to donate blood but was told her lab counts were too low. Concerned, she called her primary care provider and further tests were needed. She went to the Marion L. Shepard Cancer Center in Washington, where she also worked, for blood tests, and in Greenville she received a bone marrow biopsy. The results: Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).
AML is a rare cancer that affects bone marrow and blood. Approximately four in every 100,000 adults are diagnosed with AML every year, and although most are over the age of 60, it can affect younger adults or children.
“AML can be very aggressive,” said Jessica Hardin, Casey’s twin sister. Jessica is also a care manager and Medicare wellness nurse with ECU Health Family Medicine – Chocowinity and the multispecialty clinic in Belhaven.
Casey and Jessica grew up in Washington, and with their mother’s encouragement, they both chose to attend nursing school.
When Casey joined ECU Health, she encouraged Jessica to apply the next year, and they both worked on the same unit for a time.
“We worked on 3 West, but she worked the night shift and I worked the day shift,” Jessica recalled.
“We had to explain to our patients that we were twins and not one person on the floor all day. That was always a hoot.”
While Jessica transitioned from oncology to other roles in the system, Casey stayed on 3 West for several more years. She then transitioned to Marion L. Shepard in 2020.
“She is a dedicated oncology nurse,” Jessica said. “She just received her bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) from UNC Wilmington last year and has enjoyed working in radiation oncology at Marion Shepard.”
As twins, Jessica said she and Casey have “been together since the womb,” and that hasn’t changed as they both progressed through their careers and lives.
“We went to school together, and now we live close to each other,” Jessica shared. “Casey is a great mom of two kids, and she is brilliant. She strives to be better and better every year, and she pushes me even though I just go with the flow.”
Support from the community
Jessica said the rapid testing and diagnosis Casey received from ECU Health helped her begin a path towards essential care. She also highlighted the supportive community that surrounds Casey, her family and Jessica.
“Our oncologists have been so great in Beaufort and Greenville,” Jessica said. “They support my sister and me and check up on us. Even physicians who graduated from medical school here and moved away keep in contact. Since we grew up in the same area we work, everyone knows us and wants her to be okay. The amount of calls and messages I get to check on her – it’s all day.”
Casey received a high-dose inpatient chemotherapy treatment, and once she is home, she will have labs drawn, symptom management and any required blood products at Marion L. Shepard. The hope is that once her bone marrow blast cell count is high enough, she can be put on a list for a bone marrow transplant.
“She’s receiving hardcore treatment and taking it like a champ. Because we’re identical twins, our bone marrow is too much alike so I can’t be a donor,” Jessica said. “So we have to hope for a match and then she’ll have to stay near the hospital for 100 days after the transplant because transplant patients can have a lot of complications. You’re like a newborn baby.”
Jessica said it was important for people to consider being a bone marrow or stem cell donor.
“You have to be between the ages of 18 and 35 to donate, and you can sign up to be tested. They make sure it’s safe for you to donate and help you through every step. It’s very easy.”
In the meantime, Jessica said her sister has been very positive.
“I don’t know where her strength comes from. I’m up nights crying. She hasn’t been able to see her kids and she’ll joke on the phone about her hair falling out. She Facetimes her family and sometimes gets to go outside for a picnic,” Jessica shared. “And she wants to get back to work. She told me, ‘I hate cancer and love the care I can provide for families. Cancer doesn’t discriminate and I hope I can come back to the field I love.’”
To learn more about how to be a bone marrow or stem cell donor, or about other ways you can help, visit the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) site (formerly Be the Match).
NAGS HEAD, N.C. – Outer Banks Health is proud to honor the legacy of President Ronnie Sloan, FACHE, after a remarkable career of nearly 15 years of dedicated service as President of Outer Banks Health (OBH) and 40 years overall of service in the health care industry.
Sloan was honored on Dec. 1, 2025, at Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head with a commemorative party thrown by OBH team members and community members, where nearly 200 individuals gathered to recognize his impact. Many individuals offered personal thanks to Sloan for the direct influence he had had on their lives. ECU Health, a partner of OBH, and Sloan’s family were present in recognizing his accomplishments as well.
“When I began my career, I was encouraged to step beyond respiratory therapy and move into health care administration. I hesitated at first because I felt great reward in caring for patients and their families,” Sloan said. “But I’m forever grateful to the person who helped me see how much more my impact could have in this role. Serving this community, building so many meaningful relationships and playing a part in growing healthcare on the Outer Banks has been a true blessing.”
Sloan is celebrated for creating and cultivating a culture of compassion among team members, medical staff, patients and the community. This culture is reflected in patient care, resulting in OBH’s standing as a 5-star hospital in North Carolina for patient satisfaction according to Press Ganey. Under Sloan’s supportive and guided leadership, OBH was one of the first hospitals in the nation to pilot rural, accredited cancer programs—reducing mortality rates—became the first Dementia Friendly Hospital in North Carolina and achieved accredited stroke-ready status. Sloan also drove the expansion of essential health care services on the Outer Banks, helping to introduce and grow offerings such as urgent care, family medicine, urology, cardiology, ear nose and throat, orthopedics and sports medicine, and cancer care services.
Throughout his career with OBH, Sloan has remained fully committed to its mission: to enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors of Dare County and surrounding areas by providing the highest quality health care services. Sloan has been a valued partner to both of OBH’s partners, ECU Health and CRH, faithfully advancing the aligned missions through collaborative leadership, integrity and dedication.
“Ronnie’s impact has been immeasurable. His contribution to eastern North Carolina, especially on the Outer Banks, will continue to benefit this region for generations,” said Van Smith, Jr., MBA, MSHA, president, ECU Health community hospitals. “For the entirety of the past 15 years, Ronnie exemplified our mission and values in his work, leading by example and reflecting compassion and excellence in all he does. He has set a lasting tone for future healthcare leaders and team members.”
In 2018, Sloan received national recognition as a recipient of the American Hospital Association Rural Health Leadership Award, which honors hospital leaders who guide their organizations through transformational change while displaying outstanding leadership and commitment to improving health outcomes and growing access to healthcare. Beyond his leadership within the organization, Sloan has been a steadfast community advocate. He has volunteered his time and expertise with numerous nonprofit agencies and community development groups, including the North Carolina Aquarium Society Board of Directors, the Outer Banks Community Foundation, the Dare Community Housing Task Force, the Access to Healthcare Task Force and the Visitors Bureau Long Range Strategic Task Force.
“On behalf of the OBH Board of Directors, I would like to extend our deepest gratitude to Ronnie Sloan for a distinguished career defined by compassion, vision and lasting impact. His legacy will continue to benefit the people of eastern North Carolina for years to come. The Board wishes him the very best in his retirement,” said Myra Ladd-Bone, chair, OBH Board of Directors.
Sloan is set to retire in early 2026 following the selection of his successor, for whom a search is currently underway. Along with OBH’s partners, the OBH Board of Directors is seeking a leader who understands the Outer Banks community, shares its values and will carry forward the organization’s commitment to compassion, integrity and exceptional care.
The Salus Luminare award honors team members who “shine the light on safety,” and it is a part of ECU Health’s mission to create safe working environments, both physically and psychologically. This year, Tim Barnes, clinical manager of ECU Health Medical Center’s Radiation Oncology, Kenneth Gregory, nurse practitioner at ECU Health Edgecombe Hospital and Sheena Bunch, staff nurse III with Radiology at ECU Health Beaufort Hospital, were recognized during the Nov. 18 ECU Health and ECU Health Medical Center Quality Improvement Committee of the Board meeting as award recipients.
Sheena Bunch
In her highly specialized role of performing vascular access procedures throughout ECU Health Beaufort Hospital, Sheena Bunch supports multiple departments and providers while keeping safety front of mind.
“I’m one of the few nurses in the system trained to insert internal jugular central venous lines, which has allowed me to play a big part in improving line care and patient safety,” Bunch said.
Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are serious and can lead to critical complications, including septic shock or death.
“Early in my career,” Bunch shared, “I saw how easily small oversights could lead to complications for patients and that made an impression on me. I’ve personally experienced loss and hardship that remind me how fragile life can be and how every decision matters.”
To help avoid these complications, Bunch began auditing all charts of patients with central lines to make sure the correct maintenance and care orders were entered. When she noticed some inconsistencies, she took the initiative to create a central line maintenance and care order set for nurses to follow.
“This helped standardize care, improve communication and reduce the risk of central line-associated infections. I’m passionate about creating systems and processes that prevent harm before it happens,” she said. “It’s not just about following policy; it’s about protecting someone’s loved one and giving every patient the safest chance at recovery.”
Bunch said she strives to lead by example to promote safe practices.
“I share the ‘why’ behind everything we do and explain how something like an updated order set or quick double-check can make a real difference in patient outcomes,” she said. “I also make a point to celebrate when someone speaks up or catches something that prevents a potential issue. When people feel empowered instead of criticized, they are more invested in safety.”
Winning the Salus Luminare award was an honor, Bunch said, because it recognizes the heart of nursing.
“So much of the work we do in safety goes unseen. It’s about the details and the quiet improvements that prevent harm. This award tells me that the effort to build safer systems truly matters and ECU Health values nurses to take the initiative to make those changes.”
“It’s been rewarding to see how this change has made things safer for our patients and easier for our team members caring for them,” Bunch went on. “I’m proud to work for an organization that values patient safety and empowers nurses to take initiative. I’ve been fortunate to be a part of a team that supports innovation and trusts nurses to make meaningful changes.”
Kenneth Gregory
While pursuing his doctorate of nursing practice (DNP) at East Carolina University (ECU), Kenneth Gregory used an ongoing problem he observed at work as the foundation of his doctoral project.
“I observed patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with opioid overdose or withdrawal and realized we didn’t have a mechanism to facilitate a safe transition for continued outpatient treatment,” he shared.
Gregory’s DNP project required he focus on a gap in health care, based on what literature says providers should do versus what was actually happening.
“I wanted to help an overlooked population and make a positive change. There is a huge opioid problem in this state,” Gregory said. “The hope was we could decompress the ED and save a life or two.”
To solve this problem, Gregory established a process that provided these patients with access to outpatient care.
“We now have a direct path from the ED in Tarboro to Freedom Hill Community Health Center where there’s an outpatient opioid care facility,” Gregory said. “Freedom Hill is close by and uses a sliding scale for costs, making it more accessible.”
To implement this new process, Gregory said it required a lot of communication with the ED team, including staff meetings with education on the new process to ensure everyone was on board. Once they caught on, Gregory said it was gratifying to see the team follow through on the process.
“Nurses would come and say, ‘Hey I have this patient who might benefit from this.’ They were taking notice of how they could help, when previously there was uncertainty on how to help these patients,” Gregory said. “You could feel the groundswell of empowerment when the nurses had a way to do something for this patient population.”
Gregory said that thinking through these kinds of quality and safety concerns is just one part of being a health care provider.
“Safety improves the quality of care we provide. I was in the army for six years, and there was this fundamental thought: always try to improve your situation,” Gregory said. “That’s how I think about my work here, and safety is a part of that.”
While Gregory said it’s a great legacy to have found a way to support an underserved population, he attributes the program’s success to his team.
“We don’t work in silos and as a provider, you have to wrap your arms around everyone who works with you,” Gregory said.
Tim Barnes
Being a registered technologist in Radiation Therapy was not Tim Barnes’ first career.
“I started off in law enforcement in Wilson,” Tim shared. “I was a homicide detective for seven years and a patrol officer three years before that.”
However, Tim said a lot of his work in law enforcement informs the work he does today.
“It’s a big jump, but there is a lot of overlap,” he said. “They both revolve around doing things safely and paying attention to details. Radiation therapy is high risk and requires a great deal of care.”
One of those details was an observation Tim made about weekend emergency radiation treatments.
“We have a rotational on-call schedule for emergency weekend treatments, and there was just one therapist on call for a weekend,” he said. “During weekdays, however, the normal process involves at least two therapists for each treatment because there are a lot of steps.”
With such complexity, Tim wondered – why weren’t they using two therapists on weekends?
“This didn’t make sense to me, and when I became the lead therapist, I made a policy change stipulating that weekend emergency treatments required two on-call therapists, as well as a physicist.”
Tim also implemented the Good Catch program, a near-miss safety reporting system.
“I wrote an article for the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) magazine about incident reports,” he said. “I attended a presentation by Larry Marks, the Radiation Oncology chair at The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. They were developing a proactive reporting system known as the ‘Good Catch’ system, designed to learn from near misses and share how incidents were prevented. I wanted to implement a program like that here at our hospital.”
This innovation in safety reporting encourages team members to talk about what they do to prevent safety incidents from happening on a daily basis. Tim met with his team to explain the new reporting system but he said it took three years to get the team fully entrenched.
“I had to show them it was a way to make the department safer, not a tattletale system,” he said. “It took communication, and not just one day. Every month I met with the team to go through every single Good Catch, so they knew each one was being seen and discussed. Once it caught on and our department and the doctors were engaged, it became the culture of our department.”
Now, the program is system-wide, but Tim doesn’t want to stop there.
“I want to spread this beyond the system, so I’ve shared this at the National Commission on Quality Reporting (NCOG) in Charlotte for quality and safety improvement for radiation oncology clinics. With similar programs at other clinics, we can learn from each other.”
Tim said he’s humbled to win the Salus Luminare award.
“I didn’t go into this for me,” he said. “I did it because I saw a way we could treat patients safer. But I didn’t do it alone. I was at the forefront of the idea and introduced it to the department, but it took the team to get on board to make it happen. I share this award with them.”
A culture of safety and excellence
While three team members were named winners of the Salus Luminare aware, 56 team members were nominated, demonstrating ECU Health’s ongoing prioritization, implementation and recognition of safe patient practices.
Fannie Clemmons, supervisor in Food Service, joined what was then Beaufort County Hospital at the age of 18. This month, she’s celebrate 45 years with the system.
“I had two kids and was trying to raise them on my own,” the Martin County native said. “I came from a working family, and my parents said I had to get out there and hustle.”
Fannie joined the Food Service team, where her mother also worked, and started her career as a dishwasher. She worked with a lot of older team members who showed her the ropes.
“From dishwashing, I moved to patient service line to cafeteria to baking – I’ve been all over the kitchen,” she laughed. “You had to learn how to do anything. If they needed you to help in a certain area, they trained you.”
That training included working in catering, which Fannie said she enjoyed but was a lot of work, and baking.
“We did light baking in those days,” she said. “We made biscuits and cakes and pies from scratch. People really loved that.”
While she didn’t plan to stay at ECU Health for 45 years, Fannie said the work has been a blessing to her and her family.
“This has been a home away from home,” she said. “This is my getaway place, where I come to think about other people and not myself. I’ve been able to meet so many people – not just co-workers but patients and others outside the organization. There are patients you meet you get real attached to. They come and go, and you don’t ever forget them.”
A lot has changed in those 45 years, she said.
“Some of the processes have changed, and other things like serving more healthy foods and more options. The hospital has also grown a lot, but the more we grow, the more we learn.”
Although she’s 70 years old, Fannie said she hopes to continue her work with ECU Health – while also spending time with her children and grandson.
She’s also teaching the new team members, just as she was taught when she first started.
“Each age group is different, and you have to adapt to each of them. But I feel valued and appreciated when I can help someone beside myself. That’s the way I was raised, and that’s the impact I want to make – to inspire them.”
When asked if she had any advice for team members joining ECU Health, she offered these words: “Life is what you make it. Be positive, be an inspiration. If it’s helping someone, it’s good enough.”
Celebrating Rural Health Day: The Beating Heart of Rural America’s Well-Being, Workforce and Economy
Dr. Michael Waldrum
Each year on National Rural Health Day, we pause to recognize the incredible contributions of those who provide care in rural communities. It is here, in rural America, where resilience, innovation, and compassion intersect to create lasting impacts in the lives of patients and their families.
But this day is more than a celebration of service. It’s a reminder that rural health care organizations are powerful engines of workforce development, economic vitality, and community well-being.
There’s no question that rural health care faces persistent challenges: workforce shortages, funding gaps, and infrastructure limitations. Yet, despite these realities, thousands of people across eastern North Carolina, and millions across the nation, go to work each day to care for others.
At ECU Health and the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, we understand rural health care because it is who we are and what we do. Our rural hospitals and clinics aren’t just a small part of a broader health system, they are the heart of our mission to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina. Within their walls are the people who make our vision of creating the national model for academic rural health care a reality.
We are proud of our rural identity, and it guides us in everything we do. In towns where the nearest hospital may be miles away and the population sparse, rural health care providers are often the largest employers. Clinics, hospitals, and community health centers like ours don’t just deliver care, they create jobs, train future professionals, and anchor local economies. From nurses and lab technicians to IT specialists and administrative staff, rural health care organizations offer career pathways that keep talent rooted in rural America.
Moreover, organizations like ours are uniquely positioned to cultivate the next generation of health professionals. Through partnerships with schools, colleges, and workforce organizations, they provide internships, apprenticeships, and continuing education that open doors and meet community needs. These programs don’t just fill vacancies, they build futures and empower young people to pursue meaningful careers without leaving their hometowns.
The economic ripple effect is profound. A thriving health care sector attracts new businesses, supports housing markets, and enhances quality of life—making rural communities more attractive for families and entrepreneurs alike. When rural health care is strong, the whole community flourishes.
So, on this National Rural Health Day, let’s celebrate the caregivers, support teams, educators, and advocates who make rural health care possible. And let’s also commit to supporting the policies, investments, and partnerships that strengthen their role as workforce developers and economic catalysts.
Because when rural health thrives—America thrives.
Mike Waldrum, MD, MSc, MBA
Chief Executive Officer, ECU Health
Dean, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University
Identical twins Richard Gregory, DMSc, PA-C, and Kenneth Gregory, DNP, FNP-C, have spent more than a decade working side by side in the ECU Health Edgecombe Hospital emergency department, where their collaboration is as intuitive as it is impactful.
Their journey to saving lives and treating patients in need of emergency care began long before they donned scrubs. From high school classrooms to military service in the U.S. Army, Richard and Kenneth have always moved through life together.
That shared experience laid the foundation for their parallel careers in health care—Richard as a physician assistant and Kenneth as a nurse practitioner. Their bond, forged in discipline and purpose, has shaped not only their clinical practice but also their academic pursuits.
In 2025, the Gregory brothers reached a milestone few siblings achieve together: earning their doctoral degrees. Richard graduated from A.T. Still University in Mesa, Arizona, with a Doctor of Medical Science, serving as vice president of his class. Kenneth earned his Doctor of Nursing Practice from East Carolina University in Greenville.
“Although our programs differed, Kenneth and I shared the same motivation to grow,” Richard said. “We held each other accountable, often staying up late to discuss coursework, research and strategies for balancing academics with full-time clinical responsibilities. There was an unspoken understanding: if one of us advanced, the other would not be far behind.”
“We’ve always moved through life together,” Kenneth shared. “So earning these degrees side-by-side just feels right.”
Their academic journey was not without challenges. Balancing full-time clinical responsibilities with demanding coursework required late nights, sacrifice and mutual support.
“We were each other’s personal accountability partners,” Kenneth said. “Our support focused less on reviewing content and more on making sure the other didn’t burn out.”
For Richard, the decision to pursue a DMSc was driven by a desire to expand his impact beyond direct patient care. With more than 25 years of experience, including a decade in family medicine and 15 years in emergency medicine, he saw advanced education as a way to strengthen leadership, education and evidence-based practice.
“Completing the DMSc program enabled me to contribute to meaningful improvements in patient outcomes and team performance,” Richard said.
As part of his doctoral research, Richard explored the use of low-dose ketamine (LDK) for managing acute pain in the adult population within the emergency department. With opioid stewardship in mind, his work aimed to educate providers through a decision tree that highlights an active protocol already in place across the ECU Health system.
“This research is about improving pain management while reducing reliance on opioids,” Richard said. “It’s a practical tool to support evidence-based decisions and enhance patient care.”
This addition reinforces Richard’s commitment to clinical innovation and aligns with the broader theme of systemic improvement. It also complements Kenneth’s work on opioid use disorder, as both brothers are tackling different aspects of the same public health challenge.
Kenneth’s DNP journey was inspired by a desire to implement systemic solutions in rural health care. His doctoral project focused on integrating transitional care for patients with opioid use disorder into the emergency department—a complex initiative requiring research, operational planning and administrative coordination.
“I wanted to go beyond treating immediate symptoms and focus on evidence-based, systemic change,” Kenneth says. “The DNP program trained me to lead, translate research into practice and serve as an innovative change agent.”
Now, with degrees in hand, the Gregory brothers are focused on using their expertise to advocate for rural health care needs at ECU Health Edgecombe Hospital and in eastern North Carolina—as well as champion the meaningful difference continuing education can make.
“Don’t pursue a degree just for the titles,” Kenneth said. “Pursue it to address a clinical or systemic problem that frustrates you. Having a clear purpose will keep you motivated when the coursework feels overwhelming.”
“Do it and don’t let fear hold you back,” Richard shared. “Advanced education challenges you to view health care form new perspectives and helps you to become not only a better clinician but also a stronger communicator, leader and advocate for patients and peers.”
The 29 learners who started their quality improvement journey a year ago as part of the Teachers of Quality Academy (TQA) 8.0 cohort officially wrapped up their participation in the program at a recognition ceremony Oct. 22. While the ceremony marked the end of the cohort’s formal learning sessions in the program, the multidisciplinary group of health care professionals is now poised to take their knowledge back to their workspaces with the goal of driving continuous quality improvement across ECU Health and the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University.
TQA is a professional development program for health care leaders designed to fundamentally change care delivery through a curriculum focused on building knowledge and skills in Health Systems Science which comprehensively explores how health care is delivered.
“We hope the biggest take away from this last year of learning is the importance of taking what they’ve learned back to their teams so they can apply their knowledge and skills to be catalysts for positive change in their local communities and local teams,” said Dr. Jennifer Sutter, TQA physician director. “This is a diverse group of professionals who represent many different parts of the health system so we’re confident they can have a broad impact on driving quality improvement for ECU Health and those we serve.”
The 8.0 cohort included health care professionals from clinical, administrative, leadership and educational backgrounds, all of whom were selected from a highly-competitive pool of applicants.
“The work that we do in health care is purposeful work, but nobody would define it as easy,” said Dr. Niti Armistead, chief medical officer and chief quality officer at ECU Health, during remarks at the recognition ceremony. “What I’ve found in my own quality journey is that quality improvement is the antidote to burnout by converting the burrs in the saddle into problems to be solved. Quality improvement is a way to re-establish your agency and feel like there are real things you can do to drive improvement and make a positive difference.”
Throughout the past year, participants engaged in advanced learning in quality improvement, patient safety and team leadership, develop improvement projects to apply these skills across the health system, teach others in their environment about these concepts and evaluate the outcomes of improvement interventions.
Lauren Chambers, pharmacy supervisor at ECU Health Medical Center, and Brynn Schiller, who started the program as an administrative fellow but now serves as a workforce development project manager, partnered together on a project aimed at improving hyperglycemia management for medical intensive care unit patients. Hyperglycemia, otherwise known as high blood sugar, can result in organ damage and other serious complications if not treated and managed quickly and effectively.
Chambers said that when the two were deciding which project to pursue, they wanted to be bold and pursue something meaningful and sustainable. For Chambers and Schiller, their hope is that others will take advantage of the opportunities provided through TQA to explore important topics in areas meaningful to them while making important connections along the way.
“You learn a lot about yourself and you get to connect with people you don’t normally connect with,” said Schiller. “I got to know Lauren who is clinical in pharmacy. My background is not clinical so it was really interesting to work together on a project where I didn’t know a lot but I learned a lot thanks to our work on the project together.”
“The program helped me reach my goal of working at ECU Health,” said Kara Dozier, a hostess with the Food and Nutrition Services team, of the NC Works program.
Dozier enrolled in the NC Works program in October of 2024 and served as its first participant at ECU Health.
NC Works is an initiative throughout North Carolina for young adults ages 18 to 24 who are interested in exploring health care careers. The program brings together various statewide agencies including the Department of Commerce, Public Instruction and the NC community college system to create opportunities for young jobseekers to find employment. ECU Health is one of many work sites across the state for the NC Works program.
Kara said she’d always wanted to work in the hospital setting. “I have family who work in the hospital and had heard great things about ECU Health,” she said.
When she was at a job fair at the Greenville Convention Center, she saw an ECU Health table. “I thought, let me go over there and see what this is about, and Ms. Toyta told me about the program. She wanted me to give her my resume.”
Toyta Kee, a talent pipeline consultant at ECU Health, said the program makes a lasting impact on participants.
“It’s like an internship model,” she explained. “This program plants the seeds that will affect generation after generation.”
Kee emphasized that ECU Health’s broad spectrum of career opportunities makes it the perfect environment for introducing young people to the health care field.
“There are so many opportunities for participants to further their education. They didn’t think they could work in health care because they didn’t want to be a doctor or nurse. Here at ECU Health, they can get the exposure and education to many other jobs, and they receive guidance and mentorship as they learn about health care roles,” Kee said. “It warms my heart to serve as the navigator to help them have a successful life, to be a blessing to themselves and their families.”
In addition to helping young adults gain valuable skills, the program also creates a pipeline of talent that potentially leads to participants becoming members of the ECU Health team.
That’s just what happened for Dozier.
During her time in the program, Dozier worked in production, the call center and Food and Nutrition. She felt supported by her team and Kee, and before the program ended, her colleagues and supervisors from each department advised her to apply for a full-time role.
“I decided to stay as a hostess in Food and Nutrition,” she said. “I love the people I work with, and it has a good vibe.”
“We are so appreciative to the Food and Nutrition Service department for their unwavering support of this program,” Kee added.
Dozier is now in school at Pitt Community College, wrapping up a degree in business administration. “This is my last semester,” she said. “I hope to stay with ECU Health and do work that’s aligned with my degree.”
“Eleanor Roosevelt said, ‘The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams,’ and I believe in dreams,” Kee said. “This experience opens doors for people who might otherwise have socioeconomic barriers, and that’s what’s rewarding to my heart.”
To learn more about the NC Works program, contact Toyta Kee at [email protected], or visit the NCWorks website.
One of the newest education opportunities is the Learning Lab program, which provides ECU Health Medical Center team members the opportunity to earn their high school equivalency in partnership with Pitt Community College.
Housed on the Medical Center campus, team members who are accepted to and enrolled in the Learning Lab program can use the lab during their workday to complete schoolwork. Additionally, the program offers financial assistance for program-testing fees and compensates a portion of the team members’ school time.
A key feature of the Learning Lab is the one-on-one support from a Pitt Community College instructor, who helps with assignments and certain skill development such as organization and time management.
This spring, ECU Health celebrated its first three graduates from the program. Simone Cummings, a Central Services technician at the Medical Center and one of the graduates, has been with the health system for a little over three and a half years.
Simone praised the program and encouraged other team members to take advantage of this opportunity. “What I love about the program is that you can work at your own pace, have one-on-ones with the teacher if there is a topic you are having problems with and you’re with a small group which makes learning fun and more interesting,” she says.
Simone advises those interested in the Learning Lab to take action: “I would say to talk to your managers, get signed up. Time doesn’t wait on you; you wait on time. If you are thinking of going back and getting your GED or high school equivalency, I am so proud of you. Just by thinking about it you are already a winner, and your story has just begun. By joining this program, you already have a family to support and love you all the way because no one gets left behind.”Simone1.jpg
Programs like this one open doors for team members, providing the education needed to apply for other programs such as the NA I, NA Advancement, the HomeGrown program or to explore other opportunities in the organization that require a high school diploma or equivalent.
“The Learning Lab program is so beneficial to team members at the Medical Center because it provides a stepping stone to other programs we offer,” says Doris Hill, Workforce Development Consultant, and organizer for this program.
Team members interested in the Learning Lab program must complete the application process to be considered. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis for fall and spring semesters. For more information about the Learning Lab program, click here or contact the ECU Health Workforce Development office at 252-847-3174.