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.”