ECU Health Medical Center is proud to welcome the 12th class of Project SEARCH students to work in the hospital environment. The year-long internship program will empower the six students with intellectual and developmental disabilities to learn real-world work experience, develop valuable job skills and build the confidence needed to successfully transition from school to the workforce.
The Project SEARCH Class of 2027 includes Jaden Chamberlain, Marquell Jones, Mattie Breault, Tyler Frazer, D’Mari Clemons and Michael Dunbar.
“We are delighted to welcome another class of Project SEARCH students to ECU Health Medical Center and continue investing in opportunities that help young people build confidence, independence and career-ready skills,” said Doris Hill, workforce development coordinator at ECU Health.
“Project SEARCH creates meaningful pathways to employment by giving students hands-on experience in a real-world health care setting while allowing them to discover their strengths and talents,” Hill continued. “The program not only transforms the lives of participating students but also enriches our workforce and strengthens our commitment to creating an inclusive environment where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.”
Project SEARCH is a partnership between ECU Health Medical Center, Pitt County Schools, McCloud & Associates, Inc. and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Employment and Independence for People with Disabilities.
During the program, students participate in internships across various departments at ECU Health Medical Center, including in hospitality, cafeterias, housekeeping and some clinical spaces. These experiences help students transition from classroom learning to professional environments, connecting their educational journeys to their next chapter in a workplace setting.
“Project SEARCH gives students the chance to learn and grow in ways that aren’t possible in a traditional classroom setting,” said Jay Cotton, Project SEARCH instructor. “Through internships and daily workplace experiences, students develop valuable job skills, gain confidence and learn how to navigate professional environments. I am excited to watch these students discover their potential and take important steps toward achieving their goals after graduation.”
The employment rate for youth with disabilities is about 60 to 70 percent less than youth without disabilities, according to the U.S. Office of Disability Employment Policy. Project SEARCH has proven results with a 65 percent employment and 90 percent retention rate nationally. Students who participate in the program are enrolled at various Pitt County high schools.
The Project SEARCH program at ECU Health Medical Center began in 2015 with the support of its founding partners: Pitt County Schools, RHA Health Services and the North Carolina Division of Employment and Independence for People with Disabilities. The program has become a beacon of hope and opportunity for participating students while also making significant contributions to the local community. Project SEARCH is instrumental in cultivating our ECU Health community into one that embraces diversity, inclusivity and shared success.
Since 1989, the Great 100 Nurses of North Carolina celebrates registered nurses who demonstrate exceptional practice, leadership and professionalism in a variety of settings.
This year, the program set a record with nearly 500 nominations. Among this year’s honorees were 18 ECU Health nurses, underscoring the system’s commitment to high-quality care and team member recognition.
In this series, we’ll introduce you to each of ECU Health’s honorees. In our second installment, meet: Sherri Crouch, RN, Leighann Henley, MSN, RN, Heather Fox, BSN, RN, OCN, Erica Askew, MSN, RN and Toni Merritt, RN are among the 18 inductees this year.
Sherri Crouch
Crouch joined ECU Health Beaufort Hospital right out of nursing school in 1993, continuing a legacy her mother started.
“She was a nurse with ECU Health for 40 years at Beaufort, and she was my inspiration,” Crouch said.
Crouch likes the small hospital community, and although she works in the ambulatory surgery unit and endoscopy now, she started in labor and delivery and has worked in almost every department in the hospital.
She said she doesn’t know why she was nominated as a Great 100 Nurse, although she was humbled to be a part of the esteemed group of winners.
“It’s nice for someone to see you pour yourself into your work, but I’m not one who likes recognition,” she said. “I love my job and taking care of people.”
Leighann Henley
Henley always wanted to be a nurse, and in 1991, she joined ECU Health’s neonatal ICU.
“I did that for a few years and then worked with the transport team with EastCare, but then I found an opportunity with oncology, and I’ve been there 25 years,” she said. “You either love oncology or you don’t, and I fell in love with it.”
Her colleague and fellow Great 100 Nurse, Heather Fox, emphasized the work Henley has done to lead the oncology team through two major transitions, work that demonstrates her leadership and commitment to the institution.
Despite her passion for her work, she was surprised to learn she was a Great 100 Nurse.
“I knew my manager nominated me, but I didn’t think about it until I got the letter,” she said. “It’s nice to be appreciated for what you do.”
She was also quick to celebrate her team and fellow Great 100 winners.
“I love my patients and my coworkers,” she said. “We have the best team in the hospital, and I do well because of the people around me.”
Heather Fox
“As the oldest daughter in my family, I helped care for my younger siblings,” Fox recalled. “When I was 13, my brother had his appendix out and I stayed with him at the hospital and that was my first exposure to nursing. Watching his nurses care for him and provide comfort to the family made a lasting impression.”
After she graduated from high school, Fox considered being a veterinarian, but at the end of her sophomore year of college, she realized nursing was where she belonged. Now she works in oncology and it’s a perfect fit.
“I have been in oncology my whole career of 21 years. It’s where my heart is; it is meaningful,” she said. “You’re caring for people during a vulnerable time and walking with them down this challenging path.”
“Heather is so awesome. She puts patients first,” said her fellow Great 100 Nurse, Leighann Henley.
Not only does Fox take care of people at work; she also serves her community by fostering children.
“Caregiving has been a consistent part of my life, both personally and professionally,” she said. “Becoming a foster parent has further deepened my commitment to supporting vulnerable individuals during times of uncertainty,” she said. “These experiences have reinforced my belief that caring for others is not just what I do. It’s who I am.”
Despite the work she does at the hospital and in the community, Fox said she didn’t expect to be a Great 100 Nurse.
“When my manager told me she was nominating me, I was embarrassed. I’m just doing what comes naturally,” Fox said.
Erica Askew
As a child, Askew had three goals: be a nurse, own her own home, and buy a BMW.
“I’m still waiting on that BMW,” she said.
She’s been a nurse now for 21 years, and in her role in the medical surgical unit at ECU Health Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, she has had the opportunity to do a lot with her team.
“I train new nurses, serve as a clinical coach, work as a unit educator, serve as a vascular access nurse and this year, I’ll be a clinical instructor for Roanoke-Chowan Community College where I got my degree,” she said. “I like to learn new things.”
When she’s not working, Askew volunteers at the local animal shelter, and she recently graduated with her MSN from the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
“I was so surprised and proud to be a Great 100 Nurse,” she said. “Nursing is natural for me because I began caring for others at an early age; it’s something I enjoy doing.”
She’s a big part of that growth, and she’s proud to inspire nurses to go back to school and stay with ECU Health.
Toni Merritt
Although she began her career in graphic arts, Merritt quickly decided that wasn’t a good fit and she went back to school to be a nurse. She graduated from Roanoke-Chowan Community College in 1989, and she’s been with ECU Health Roanoke-Chowan Hospital since 1991.
“I always wanted to be a nurse. When my grandmother was sick, I wanted to take care of her, and that inspired me,” she said.
As a Great 100 Nurse, Merritt trains new nurses, serves as a clinical coach, is a safety coach, is a patient family advocate, has been cross-trained as a nursing house supervisor and she recently served as a facilitator for the Peri-op 101 course in the operating room.
“I’m honored to work with this team; we’re so lucky to have this hospital,” she said. “I show up for work and do the best I can. I learn something new every day and make a difference in some small way. That makes it worth it.”
For 50 years, resident physicians have had the opportunity to live, train and learn in eastern North Carolina through Graduate Medical Education (GME) at ECU Health Medical Center and the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. As the program celebrates its semicentennial, leaders from across ECU Health and the Brody School of Medicine gathered to celebrate the program’s impact and the people who make it work.
During an Aug. 21 luncheon at the East Carolina Heart Institute, resident physicians past and present had a chance to reflect on the history of GME at ECU Health Medical Center.
What began with a single Family Medicine Residency program in 1976 has blossomed into 38 resident physician and fellowship programs that give providers hands on experience as they treat patients in rural eastern North Carolina.
“Today we celebrate a legacy of 50 years which has produced many of the physicians who currently practice medicine in our region,” said Dr. Mary Catherine Turner, associate dean for Graduate Medical Education at the Brody School of Medicine and ECU Health Medical Center. “GME is a beautiful example of ECU Health intentionally living out its mission to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina. We are in an active phase of growth and anticipate another 50 years of caring for patients across our rural communities.”
GME quickly grew in the 1970s, adding residency programs in fields like pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology and psychiatry. Through the 1980s and 1990s new programs including ones in geriatrics, cardiology and immunology were introduced. Most recently, ECU Health Medical Center has added residency programs in neurology and ophthalmology, with recruiting underway to launch the newest fellowship program in addiction medicine. All the while, residency tracks in rural medicine have given physicians opportunities to care for patients in underserved areas, with new rural residency tracks continuing to launch through summer of 2027.
In 2025, 39 GME graduates entered the physician workforce in eastern North Carolina. Dr. Turner said maintaining that number for the next five years would see 195 physicians practicing across the region.
“The mission of ECU Health and the mission of GME have not changed. Since day one, we have focused on recognizing and addressing disparities in rural health care,” said Dr. Jonathon Firnhaber, interim chair of the Department of Family Medicine at ECU Health. Dr. Firnhaber served as a residency program director for 14 years. “That commitment was made in 1976, carries through today and will continue forward. It is exciting for me, from a training perspective, to know there is a hospital in this geographically diverse region, which generally lacks other medical care, with virtually every aspect of care available. It’s an incredible training opportunity.”
Dr. Michael Waldrum, CEO of ECU Health and Dean of the Brody School Medicine, said the celebration marked what academic health care can accomplish when mission meets action.
“Today reminds me of why I love health care,” Dr. Waldrum said. “When we embarked on our mission to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina, we injected the value of education into our organization. It’s important to celebrate and understand the importance of how we educate the future of health care, how we educate ourselves and how we build a better future for our communities and each other. The work toward that goal is represented in this room, and I thank you for building that personal future that impacts our communities and, frankly, the nation.”
East Carolina University’s College of Nursing launched an Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) post-graduate certificate program in 2025. The program’s first cohort of five – Charlsie Woodard, Hunter Venters, Rachel Ferrell, Richa Dhungana and Angela Jones – graduated and say the experience strengthened their skills and expanded opportunities to care for critically ill patients.
Filling the gaps
Dr. Kristie Hertel was asked to serve as the program’s director, something that seemed a natural progression of her education and practice.
“As a bedside nurse, I worked in the trauma ICU and have a passion for that patient population,” she said.
During those years, she had mentors who encouraged her to think critically and to continue her education. That mentality shaped how Dr. Hertel led the AGACNP program.
“I had no plans to be a program director, and there was a steep learning curve,” she shared. “But I love hearing from the students thanking me for guiding them through the program and helping them find a new career path.”
“I had some amazing preceptors, and Dr. Hertel runs a first-class program,” Hunter Venters said. “She focused on the things we needed to know.”
As the clinical manager of critical care air and ground transport with ECU Health EastCare, Venters said his work as a flight nurse exposed him to some of the sickest patients, but this program helped fill the gaps.
Rachel Ferrell, a nurse practitioner at ECU Health Chowan Hospital, was in a similar situation: she has worked in the emergency and hospitalist departments for much of her career but wanted to take the next step and get her certification.
“I had been looking at other programs when I found out ECU was putting together this program,” she said. “I preferred ECU because my BSN, MSN and FNP are all with the university and it has a great reputation.”
In her 36 years as a nurse – 19 have been in acute care – Charlsie Woodard, a nurse practitioner in internal medicine, said much of her early training was on-the-job.
“I wanted to improve my skills, and this program was such a great learning experience. I’m honored to be in this first class,” Woodard said.
For Angela Jones, a nurse practitioner at Bertie Hospital, the program came at exactly the right time.
“I was transitioning to work in the emergency department (ED) and I quickly saw how medically complex our patients are,” she said. “It was clear I needed this program. Having advanced training and experience has been so advantageous.”
Learning beyond the classroom
The graduates said the program took strong time management and sacrifice to balance work and life with the clinical rotations and coursework, but the support they received from each other made it possible. The cohort had a group chat they still use today, and when it was time to prepare for an exam, they often studied together.
“The members of that first class brought so much knowledge and experience,” Jones said. “Some had more than 20 years working in acute care. We worked in different areas and specialties, and everyone was willing to share their knowledge. It took many late nights and early mornings, but I most definitely apply what I’ve learned.”
Although the program was primarily remote learning, the graduates were able to access the skills simulation lab at ECU, and the exposure to different settings and patient populations during clinical rotations gave them opportunities to practice skills they may not have encountered in their day-to-day roles.
“In the smaller hospitals you don’t always have the opportunities to perform procedures such as insertion of dialysis catheters or multi-lumen access catheters, but I was able to see and do that during my clinical rotations,” Ferrell said.
While some graduates are already considering their next academic or professional steps, they agreed the program has made them more confident clinicians and strengthened the care they provide.
“With this training, I feel more confident I can serve those who walk through the doors,” Woodard said.
“Patients don’t come from a textbook world,” Jones added. “We have to critically think and look at the literature. Being in environment conducive to learning makes all the difference.”
Greenville, N.C. – ECU Health has been recognized with a 2025 Global Healthcare Exchange (GHX) Supply Chains of Distinction Award, highlighting the health system’s commitment to investing in people and technology to contribute to long-term savings and more efficient supply chain management. ECU Health was named among the top 25 large organizations, a distinction which reflects transaction volume and not hospital size.
The Supply Chains of Distinction Award honors top-performing GHX Exchange-connected health care providers who demonstrate industry-leading supply chain performance through exceptional execution of GHX’s fully automated “Perfect Order” performance metrics. ECU Health averages 20,000 automated transactions per month that required no human intervention from purchase to payment from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2025.
“This recognition reflects ECU Health’s ongoing commitment to excellence in an increasingly complex and visible area of health care,” said Brian Floyd, Chief Operating Officer of ECU Health. “Our mission to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina depends on our ability to procure the supplies care teams need to deliver exceptional care. Our supply chain management team strengthens the health system through contracting, purchasing and delivering essential goods and equipment that support patients, team members and visitors daily. I am proud of the dedicated professionals who help lead this important work.”
ECU Health clinicians, nurses and various internal analytics, data, contract and logistics teams work to ensure best spending practices and to benefit patients and team members. The health system exceeds its supply savings goals in part by investing in jobs and technology that improve long-term fiscal sustainability.
“Over the past three and a half years, ECU Health’s team has invested in people, tools and processes to develop and refine its innovative supply chain system,” said Andrew Montgomery, vice president of supply chain management for ECU Health. “Those investments have transformed our team’s operations to support ECU Health’s mission to deliver exceptional patient care. We are proud of our progress and continued efforts to achieve our goal — delivering the right products at the right cost for our team members and patients.”
Greenville, N.C. – ECU Health has reached an agreement on a new multi-year contract with UnitedHealthcare, restoring in-network access to care for more than 100,000 UnitedHealthcare-covered patients and supporting rural health sustainability in eastern North Carolina effective Aug. 7, 2026.
The new contract covers patients with Commercial, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid UnitedHealthcare plans, allowing patients to access care from the ECU Health providers, hospitals and clinics they know and trust.
Throughout negotiations, ECU Health’s priority was to protect and restore patients’ access to high-quality, affordable care close to home while ensuring the organization can continue providing essential services across the region.
After years without meaningful increases in reimbursements from UnitedHealthcare despite rising costs associated with delivering care, ECU Health successfully negotiated sustainable terms for the care we provide.
Importantly, this agreement supports:
- Full in-network access to all ECU Health providers, facilities and services for UnitedHealthcare members
- Reimbursement terms that better reflect the cost of care
- Reduced administrative burden
- Fewer barriers to care
- Preserves the relationships our providers have with patients covered by UnitedHealthcare
“Throughout this process, patients and families across eastern North Carolina have been our top priority,” said Dr. Michael Waldrum, CEO at ECU Health. “Meeting the mission of improving the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina means ensuring the sustainability of the services we provide, particularly given the ongoing challenges rural healthcare will continue to face. This agreement ensures patients can access the care they trust at ECU Health, close to home, and allows us to move forward with UnitedHealthcare in a way that supports the long-term health of our communities.”
Patients with canceled or postponed appointments can reschedule with their provider on MyChart or call their provider’s office directly to resume care.
For additional questions or support, patients can visit ECUHealth.org/UnitedHealthcare.
Greenville, N.C. – Five ECU Health team members are among the first graduates from East Carolina University School of Nursing’s Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) program, a post-graduate certificate program that prepares specialized nurse practitioners to care for senior patients in acute care settings across North Carolina. The five ECU Health providers are Charlsie Woodard, Hunter Venters, Rachel Ferrell, Richa Dhungana and Angela Jones.
“As we continue to see the aging population grow nationwide, ensuring nurses at ECU Health and across the state have access to specialized training will continue to be a priority for ECU Health,” said Dr. Trish Baise, chief nursing executive, ECU Health. “Programs like this ensure our teams are prepared to deliver high-quality, specialized care close to home. We are grateful for our strong partnership with ECU, which continues to strengthen our workforce and elevate care across the region.”
The AGACNP certificate further prepares APRNs to deliver specialized acute and critical care services across a variety of settings including emergency departments, inpatient acute care units and intensive care units.
“Expanding the number of AGACNP-prepared providers helps address critical workforce shortages in these high-demand areas while strengthening access to specialty and acute care services for the rural and underserved populations of eastern North Carolina,” said Elaine Cudnik, executive director, Women’s and Children’s Advanced Clinical Practice, ECU Health. “By developing a highly qualified acute care workforce locally, ECU is helping to improve healthcare access, reduce disparities, and ensure that patients can receive timely, high-quality care closer to home.”
This program was established through ECU Health and ECU’s College of Nursing. ECU Health previously developed pathways for the development of the future of nursing care in eastern North Carolina with the establishment of an academic practice partnership, seeded by a $1.5 million investment from ECU Health over five years. This investment has provided the ECU College of Nursing with the opportunity to expand faculty and resources to support students in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner post-master’s certificate program and the development of the Doctor of Nursing Practice in AGACNP. Four graduates were granted financial support through the ECU Health Foundation. Dr. Kristie Hertel, serves in a dual role as an ECU Health trauma nurse practitioner and the AGACNP program director.
Jones, FNP, an Emergency Department Nurse Practitioner at ECU Health Bertie Hospital, also completed the program. Jones’ participation was not funded through the ECU Health Foundation’s tuition assistance program.
The program welcomed its first cohort in Spring 2025 and is designed to address the growing demand for acute care and gerontology services. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 18% of North Carolina’s population is 65 or older. The program ensures alignment with the Licensure, Accreditation, Certification and Education model as well as the Advanced Practiced Registered Nurse (APRN) Consensus Model by providing formal education preparation that matches the APRN’s population focus and practice setting. The additional certification supports regulatory compliance and ensures APRNs have the tools to practice to the full extent of their education, training and licensure in acute and complex care environments.
“We truly value the strong partnership between ECU Health and the College of Nursing to address the shortage of advanced practice nurses health care workers nationwide,” said Dr. Julie Linder, chair of the ECU College of Nursing’s Department of Advanced Nursing Practice and Education. “Collaborating within an academic health system lets nurses receive high-quality training they can carry forward into their work in specialized communities.”
Expectant mothers now have more options at ECU Health when it is time to have their baby. That includes Certified Nurse Midwives, or CNMs, whose expertise lies in supporting those moms-to-be throughout their pregnancies, all the way to the delivery table. At ECU Health, qualified, experienced CNMs are now empowered to work within the full scope of their practice authority, a change that aims to improve health care outcomes for mothers and babies while better distributing provider workloads across maternal care teams.
As of April, independent CNMs at ECU Health with at least two years and 4,000 hours of clinical experience are now able to admit patients to the hospital, discharge patients from the hospital and write all notes and orders without the need for a physician’s co-signature or supervision.
CNMs deliver babies from “standard risk” pregnancies while consulting with physicians to identify cases that come with higher risks of complication or need procedures like C-sections. They continue to work in tandem with other members of the maternal care team like OB-GYN physicians.
“This was an incredibly important step forward to ensure that we are using our providers to their full scope of practice in order to improve access to care and broaden our services,” said Elaine Cudnik, executive director for Women’s and Children’s advanced clinical practice at James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital at ECU Health Medical Center. “There is a nationwide shortage of OB-GYN providers and ECU Health is not immune to the challenges in recruiting that specialty. We continue to augment our services with advanced practice providers and independent certified nurse midwives who can support that critical maternal service here at ECU Health.
Added Cudnik, “I think allowing independent CNMs to work to the top of their license brings an incredible value to the community that we serve and will only expand the access that we’re able to provide.”
On the day the change went into effect two CNMs — Sarah Sears and Margi Reither — were granted independent CNM privileges at ECU Health. Reither called it a monumental step and the result of decades of advocacy. She is grateful that ECU Health now grants qualified CNMs more freedom in scope of practice.
“It is great, professionally, to be able to take care of our own patients,” Reither said. “That’s what we are truly grateful for. We have had wonderful support from our OB-GYN team who agree this is a good, professional decision. This was truly a team effort between midwives, physicians and administrators.”
Sears said the change is empowering, and that it shines a light on how midwives are crucial parts of an OB-GYN team.
“It makes us feel seen,” Sears said. “There is certainly a feeling of respect not just in being able to work with my patients in a new way, but from the health system recognizing what we do and making our roles more visible.”
More importantly, the change is good for patient outcomes. Sears said midwifery care is shown to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes. When physicians and midwives collaborate, it allows providers to play to their own strengths. For midwives, that is recognizing and managing standard risk labor and delivery.
“Physicians really are needed for the high-risk things, the abnormal circumstances that can arise during a delivery,” Sears said. “As midwives, we are focused on the normal. It comes down to working together to make sure our approach fits each individual patient on a case-by-case basis.”
Dr. James Whiteside, department chair, Obstetrics and Gynecology, ECU Health and the Brody School of Medicine, played a critical role in helping expand the scope of midwifery practice at ECU Health when he arrived at the health system in 2022. He said further expanding midwives’ scope of practice to include independent care is an important step toward addressing clinician shortages that continue to strain maternal care nationwide.
“We saw an opportunity to expand the role of midwifery across our region and leverage independent scope of practice for these integral members of our care teams,” Dr. Whiteside said. “More midwives will help us address the real challenges facing rural delivery, specifically when it comes to resources and the number of clinicians we have available to provide high-quality care and reduce risk associated with delivery.”
Dr. Dan Dwyer, chief medical officer, ECU Health Community Hospitals and an obstetrician, said he is excited for the positive impact the change will have on maternal services in some of eastern North Carolina’s most rural communities. CNMs will have reliable teams they can work with and the ability to transfer care to another clinician, or to another facility, as needed, in the most efficient way possible.
“Looking ahead, we are excited to introduce independent Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) into care teams throughout ECU Health’s rural community hospitals,” Dr. Dwyer said. “Teamwork is a cornerstone of our culture, and we are committed to recruiting and nurturing skilled CNMs whose dedication and values align with our mission. These professionals are essential to delivering the highest quality care in rural settings.”
Serving 29 counties and operating eight rural birthing locations, Dr. Dwyer said ECU Health faces a range of challenges — not least of which are recruiting and retaining talented healthcare professionals.
“To address these needs, it is imperative that every member of our health care team — including independent CNMs — practice at the top of their license. Creating an environment where everyone feels valued and welcomed is central to our approach,” he said. “The collaborative efforts of CNMs, family practitioners and obstetricians, supported by advanced digital technology and a robust network of sub-specialists, are critical to ensuring patients receive timely, appropriate care wherever they are. We take great pride in the strength of our teamwork and remain confident that, together, we can overcome future challenges and continue to provide exceptional care for our communities.”
ECU Health has maintained labor and delivery services at its rural hospitals. Midwives’ knowledge and skills play a prominent role in ensuring that quality care is available to even more patients in eastern North Carolina, Cudnik said.
“We strongly believe in midwives’ practice and their ability,” Cudnik added. “We strive to create a place where that expertise is valued and leveraged in a way that supports our unique rural academic mission. Not only will expanded access to care benefit community hospitals and rural communities, these midwives will also have a chance to teach students and residents at our ECU Health Medical Center. We’re excited to see the independent CNM program grow.”
An unprecedented illness that started with stomach pain and spiraled into multi-system organ failure proved to be a defining experience in Kayla Jordan’s young life. Looking back, 14 years later, the now 20-year-old Jordan said it also shows how team members at James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital at ECU Health Medical Center gave a scared little girl in an extended stay hope, support and the chance to just be a kid.
In 2012, Kayla, then six years old, was taken to her pediatrician in Beaufort County for vomiting and stomach pain. She and her mother, Rebecca Williamson, were directed to the emergency department across the street where tests revealed that Kayla had an inflamed pancreas. As her condition rapidly deteriorated, an EastCare team transported her to ECU Health Medical Center for advanced treatment.
“I was going downhill pretty fast. They put tubes in my nose that night and then sent me to Greenville,” Kayla said. “From there on out, I was pretty sick for about a month.”
In Greenville, a care team told Rebecca that her daughter had necrotizing pancreatitis, where severe inflammation can kill tissue in a person’s pancreas. They said 50 percent of the tissue in Kayla’s pancreas was already dead. Soon after, Kayla’s organs began to shut down. She was placed in a medically induced coma because her pain was so unbearable. Her family had a chance to say goodbye, just in case, before she went under.
Rebecca, an assistant nurse manager at ECU Health, was shaken. Her instincts as a mother overrode her education as a nurse.
“It’s funny, you can be a health care professional and your kid or your loved one or someone you’re close to gets sick and suddenly, it feels like you know a lot about nothing,” Rebecca said.
Pediatric physicians worked tirelessly to determine how a 6-year-old could possibly contract a condition typically seen in older adults with a history of alcohol use. They consulted with infectious disease doctors at the hospital and on the other side of the country, performed genetic testing and ran an array of viral tests to determine the best course of treatment. It took time, but tests determined that Kayla had contracted mycoplasma pneumoniae, the bacteria that causes walking pneumonia. The bacteria had completely bypassed Kayla’s lungs and instead attacked her pancreas.
Andy Williamson, Kayla’s stepfather and an ECU Health nurse practitioner, said the diagnosis was unprecedented.
“That is unheard of, but once they identified the bug, they could treat it,” Andy said. “As soon as we got the right antibiotics on top of it, you could start seeing Kayla improve.”
The medicine worked and, astonishingly, Kayla did not require surgery. She soon began her month-long road to recovery at Maynard Children’s Hospital, where in addition to her medical care, she participated in pet therapy, received tutoring and schoolwork to prevent her from falling behind in her classes, and progressed through physical therapy to recover her strength. Friends from school wrote her cards, and her teachers even came to read to her.
“I remember we celebrated the day that she made it all the way down to the little playroom,” Rebecca said. “She borrowed my husband’s credit card so she could play shop. There were so many things to help her feel like a kid.”
For her mom, the patient- and family-centered model of care was apparent. She also felt valued as a team member.
“They provided everything that my kid needed, not just for her health but for her mental state,” Rebecca said. “There were coloring books and crayons, playrooms and a pool and pet therapy.”
Rebecca’s ECU Health team also supported her during Kayla’s hospital stay.
“My nurse manager would come to check on me and ask if I needed anything,” said Rebecca. “They helped submit paperwork to get me started on my leave of absence. It was nice. I didn’t have to worry about my job and could worry about my child. I was treated like I was a family member of the hospital.”
Kayla celebrated her 20th birthday in February. She is now a rising senior at East Carolina University, where she helps broadcast Pirates athletics on ESPN+ and plans to pursue a career in sports broadcasting. She said she was a “frequent flyer” for many years at the emergency department as she dealt with stomach issues. She also recently had her gallbladder removed, a result of the pancreatitis she fought more than a decade ago.
“She’s so resilient,” Andy said. “Not many 18-year-olds get their gallbladders out. She continues to do so well, does well in school. She’s a very smart girl and she’ll do well. We’ll be there for her, like we always have been.”
For Kayla, it’s comforting to know that ECU Health team members are there to support her, whether that’s at home or elsewhere.
“Every time I’ve had to go to the emergency department or something like that, they were always very thorough with me, and they always took my past into consideration,” Kayla said. “There has been peace of mind for me and my mom, who always went with me. It always felt like a family environment.
“As a little girl, you don’t really understand what’s happening,” she continued. “Everyone still went above and beyond to make me feel like I was a normal kid. Looking back now, it shows that, for one, medicine is awesome, and secondly that having people who are right there with you the whole time makes a huge difference.”
In eastern North Carolina, summer can be a time of backyard cookouts or days spent at the beach. However, soaring temperatures and smothering humidity put residents at risk of heat-related illnesses that are even more dangerous for people with a heart condition.
Dr. Blase Carabello, ECU Health cardiologist and chief of the Division of Cardiology at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, explained that the heart has to work overtime in extreme heat as the body tries to regulate its temperature.
“Most people are familiar with a car’s radiator, and they know that if the radiator does not work, they will be stuck on the side of the road with steam coming out of the hood,” Dr. Carabello said. “The human body’s radiator is the skin, and when you need to get rid of heat, your heart needs to pump extra blood to the skin to let that radiator work. Almost anyone with a heart condition who already has a weakened heart or some other difficulty is going to be stressed by the heat or have trouble regulating their body’s fluids.”
High temperatures put people at risk of heat exhaustion, which can cause symptoms such as lightheadedness, rapid pulse, low blood pressure, headache or nausea. Anyone who begins to experience those symptoms needs to get out of the sun and drink fluids, Dr. Carabello said. If you stop sweating in hot weather, or start shivering, that’s an indication your health is at risk.
Heat stroke, where the body reaches a temperature over 104-degrees, is a life-threatening condition that requires treatment.
“The body’s temperature can reach the point where it will shut down all activity unless you receive treatment,” Dr. Carabello emphasized. “If someone around you says they feel lightheaded or like they are going to faint in the heat, it is important to act. Check their pulse and, if that does not look right, call for help. It’s much better to have a false alarm than the alternative.”
Dr. Carabello said that when a heat advisory is issued, people need to use their best judgment and make the right decision for their health. When heat indices climb into triple digits, it’s very difficult for the body to regulate. He pointed out that at the World Cup, even some of the best athletes on the planet take heat breaks during their soccer matches.
“If some of the best athletes in the world need that, think about if you’re not on that level,” Dr. Carabello said. “People tend to think they can do anything, that they are super people, but the truth is that the kind of heat we can experience in eastern North Carolina can put your heart to the test. You don’t need to test your heart, so don’t do that. Just use plain, old fashioned, common sense.”