The Great 100 Nurses in North Carolina honors the nursing profession by recognizing nurses around the state for their commitment to excellence. The recipients are distinguished for their outstanding professional ability as well as their contributions to improving health care services in their communities. This year, 19 ECU Health nurses were recognized as honorees, including Kayla Anderson, Brittany Harriett, Tracy Hobbs, Elizabeth Seawell and Deborah Rice. Each week in September we will highlight all 19 honorees.
Kayla Anderson
A Washington, North Carolina native, Kayla Anderson was born in Beaufort County Hospital and now has worked at ECU Health Beaufort Hospital for seven years where she serves as the education coordinator at the Center for Learning and Performance. She received her associate degree in nursing from Beaufort Community College, her BSN from Winston-Salem State University and she is currently pursuing her MSN in nursing education from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
Kayla said she decided to become a nurse after watching both her sister and her husband go through nursing school. “I was initially in administrative and adult education roles, and I felt somewhat unfulfilled,” she said. “The content my sister and husband studied was intriguing, and I was able to understand it, sparking my curiosity to learn more. This curiosity led me to take a job at the Center for Learning and Performance at ECU Health Beaufort Hospital, and then I applied to nursing school.” Blending her newfound passion for nursing with adult education “seemed like a calling,” she said. “It became clear that nursing was where I was meant to be.”
Kayla said that to be recognized as a Great 100 Nurse is a tremendous honor. “I am surrounded by many deserving colleagues, and I’m deeply grateful for the support and mentorship I have received throughout my journey,” she said. “This recognition highlights my dedication to learning and teaching within the field of nursing, motivates me to keep pushing the boundaries of what is possible in nursing education and patient care and it reflects the nurturing environment at ECU Health.”
Being a key player in that supportive environment is important to Kayla. “I am eager to support my peers and actively promote their achievements so that they, too, may receive recognition, perhaps even as a fellow Great 100 Nurse,” she said. “This recognition is more than a personal accolade; it’s a celebration of the collective commitment and progress of North Carolina nurses!”
Brittany Harriett
While Brittany Harriett was the recipient of the 2022 Juanita Jackson award and a nominee for the 2024 Susan Gerard Excellence in Leadership award, being a Great 100 Nurse is an honor she didn’t expect. “It means I’m doing something right and have made an impact on someone.”
Brittany is the assistant nurse manager on the medical unit at ECU Health Beaufort Hospital, and she also works part-time at the ECU College of Nursing. She was always a people person, and she initially considered nursing because her grandmother graduated from Duke University with a nursing degree. It was her father’s heart attack and subsequent triple bypass surgery in 2004, however, that solidified her interest. “While the doctors and surgeons were amazing, seeing the nurses care for and manage my dad’s care before and after surgery was truly amazing,” she shared. “They worked so seamlessly and gracefully; they made saving someone’s life look effortless. I knew in that moment that I wanted to be them.”
Being named a Great 100 Nurse has taken Brittany full circle, she said, from being a 12-year-old kid watching nurses care for her dad to being recognized for the very qualities they showed and that inspired her to become a nurse. “I hope I received this award because of my commitment and care for my patients,” she said. “I am thankful to whomever nominated me.”
Tracy Hobbs
After graduating from Barton College in Wilson with her BSN 27 years ago, Tracy Hobbs began her nursing career at ECU Health Medical Center and never looked back. She’s now the assistant manager for the 3 East Hospitalist Unit.
As a child, she gained inspiration from her mother, who went to nursing school when Tracy was five. “When I was little, I’d always want to play nurse instead of teacher. My mother would bring her CPR manikin home and I’d invite my friends over to teach them CPR,” Tracy recalled. She has always felt that nursing was her true calling.
Tracy has worked in a medical/surgical setting of some form or another her entire career, a choice that is “not for the faint of heart,” she said. “It’s not easy. You see such a variety of ages, diagnoses, socioeconomic statuses and more. It’s definitely a place where you can make a huge difference for people who have a great need, and being able to help people during their darkest moments is a privilege.” While 90% of her career has been at the bedside, she enjoys her role as a leader. “I love my team; they’re my family. I love moving the profession of nursing towards a positive direction on our unit.” During her tenure she has participated in a vast number unit based and hospital wide initiatives. She also enjoys mentoring new staff and seeing professional growth in her team.
When she found out she was named a Great 100 Nurse, Tracy said she felt undeserving. “I know and have worked with so many wonderful nurses who are just as qualified, but it is a true honor to be recognized for the contributions I have made during my career.
Elizabeth Seawell
As the trauma program manager at ECU Health Medical Center, Elizabeth Seawell has played an integral part of ECU Health maintaining its’ Level I Trauma Center status. She’s worked at ECU Health for 16 years with experience as a surgical/trauma nurse, professional development specialist, and educator for surgery, trauma, and cardiac units. Elizabeth strives to ensure everyone continues to grow and develop in their nursing skills. She’s an active participant in the Eastern North Carolina Nursing Honor Guard, the Trauma Survivors Network, the Professional Practice Council and other local community organizations.
Elizabeth is a native of Greenville where she grew up in an agricultural environment. She knew she wanted to be in health care as she saw how important the role of nurses and physicians were to her family. “When trauma hits home with your family, it leaves an indelible mark on your life,” she said. Her brother suffered a severe arm injury and her mother had several major surgeries. She witnessed the care provided to both of them by their nurses and knew that was her calling. Elizabeth attended East Carolina University obtaining both her BSN and MSN, finding her passion in caring for surgery/trauma patients.
“I am profoundly honored and humbled being chosen as a Great 100 nurse. Being recognized highlights my motivation and dedication to the continued growth and advancement of our trauma care. It takes a team effort on a daily basis to achieve the kind of care this wonderful group of nurses provide in their specific areas of practice. And to have 19 of us throughout the ECU Health system receiving this award shows we have the right people in the right places to impact the care of our patients in eastern North Carolina.”
She was also quick to emphasize that this sort of success doesn’t come without help. “I adore our team and appreciate my mentors and colleagues that have helped me throughout my career,” she said. “Caring for trauma patients requires many levels of collaboration and our team and institution does a wonderful job ensuring our patients receive the highest level of care. I am beyond thankful for my profession and this recognition that has been bestowed upon me.”
Deborah Rice
Deborah Rice always wanted to be a nurse, but life events prevented her from going to college when she planned. Then, in 2008, she and her family experienced four deaths, and Deborah was involved in care for all four of them until they passed away. “I was working at a bank as a database analyst at the time, but I knew deep down that I still wanted to be a nurse,” she said. In 2011, Deborah’s job at the bank was dissolved, so she decided that was the time to pursue her lifelong dream.
She first attended Edgecombe Community College to get her associate degree in nursing, followed by her BSN from East Carolina University. She joined ECU Health in 2019, where she began on the surgical oncology unit and then to her current role as a staff nurse III in the palliative care unit. “Taking care of patients at the end of life is my passion,” she said. “It’s such a blessing when I can help a patient and their family during such a difficult time.
Deborah said it was an honor to be chosen as a Great 100 Nurse. “When I received my letter, I was really in shock and disbelief,” she shared. “I’ve only been a nurse for eight years, so I never expected to receive such an honor. But I do what I do because I truly love it. Receiving this recognition is humbling, and it makes me want to do everything I can to ensure all of our patients receive the best care possible.”
The recipients will be honored at a statewide gala in September, to be held in Concord, North Carolina