Putting patients first.
It’s not enough for Prigett Higgs to help make patients feel good when he’s on the clock. He also comes in on his days off and cuts patients’ hair as a volunteer. Yet another stunning example of a ECU Health team member who truly goes above and beyond when it comes to putting patients first.
Lifting Patients Physically and Emotionally
Stuck in a dead-end warehouse job, Higgs knew he wasn’t making use of his natural talents: interacting with people and bringing them joy. So when a friend called and told him about the Lift Team he was putting together at ECU Health Medical Center, Higgs saw an opportunity to pursue a more fulfilling career path. As part of the Lift Team, Higgs would check on patients every two hours and reposition them, primarily to promote skin wellness. But for Higgs, visiting and bonding with patients and their families was the best part of the job.
“ECU Health Makes You Feel Like You’re Important”
In less than three years, Higgs advanced to team lead, in large part because of ECU Health’s culture of education and support. “ECU Health really supports whatever you’re trying to do,” says Higgs, who notes that many Lift Team members have gone on to become nurses or work in other areas of health care. For Higgs, the ultimate payoff is putting a smile on someone’s face. If he can do that, he says, “I did something good for that day.”