The First Great 100 Nurse Recipient to Walk Across the Stage

The 100 Great Nurses honor focuses on the nurses' qualities as role models in leadership, service to the community, compassion as a caregiver, and significant contributions to nursing.

The Great 100 program originated by a group of Triangle area nurses who were inspired by a similar program in Louisiana. The award honored registered nurses across North Carolina who demonstrated excellence in practice and commitment to their profession. The Great 100 award was conceived to increase public awareness of the importance of nursing to society, and to raise funds for nursing scholarships. The selection committee used a double-blind system to ensure impartiality to choose nurses not only for their professional qualities, but their influence to the nursing profession.

In 1989, Wanda Adams became the first recipient of the Great 100 award. With legs trembling, afraid she would fall she walked across the stage, wondering why she was nominated to be a Great 100 Nurse because she ”was just doing her job.”, Television crews recorded this historic moment. Wanda has a VHS copy to remember this proud event that occurred before the era of DVD’s!

Wanda was an assistant clinical manager for women’s gynecological surgery in 1989, she was nominated at that time for the Great 100 by her Director, a nurse educator. Wanda attributes her involvement with the North Carolina Nurses Association as the basis for this recognition. She held the office of North Carolina Nurses Association Secretary and was actively involved in the Convention Planning committee.

Wanda has been a nurse at Rex Healthcare for 27 years. She has been a staff nurse on a Medical/Surgical/Gynecology Unit, a Staff Development Educator and, since 1998, she has been the Clinical Manager of a postpartum unit. During her career, Wanda has seen three major renovations in the Women’s and Children’s division at Rex. She is the Manager of the newest postpartum unit and states, “I never thought I would have the honor to be the Manager of such a beautiful unit.”

Wanda has been an active member of the North Carolina Nurses Association and AWHONN since 1990. She has served on the board of the Great 100 as a committee member of the Publication Committee and currently is the chair. Wanda has also served on Selections Committee.

Wanda is busy with many committees as part of her Manager role at Rex. She is on the Ethics Committee, Safety Committee, Service Excellence Committee, Behaviors Committee, Magnet subcommittee, and she also implemented the Diversity Committee at Rex. She is currently obtaining her Leadership Certification at North Carolina State at the Equal Opportunity Institute. The Great 100 Nurses Organization believes a great nurse has excellent interpersonal skills and works well in a variety of situations with different people. Additionally, great nurses work well with their peers, doctors, and other members of the healthcare team. Wanda exemplifies this belief!

As mentioned earlier, Wanda implemented a Diversity Committee at Rex Healthcare. There is also a diversity course and Wanda is a presenter. She is proud that Rex staff is aware of diversity and culturally sensitive issues because of her involvement. Wanda implemented a post partum support group for moms called “Moms Supporting Moms. It was something that was needed and is led by a psychiatrist and now has a 24 hour hotline.

Wanda’s plate has been full during the 21 years since receiving this prestigious recognition. She is married to Sam, her husband of 28 years and has two sons, Sam Jr. and Colby. Her oldest son has a master’s degree in accounting from North Carolina State University and the youngest is an undergraduate student at East Carolina University. Wanda’s family is very important to her. Wanda’s hobbies include cooking, which she loves, she and Sam have restored a vintage car, which they have taken to a car show to display. Wanda loves to exercise and makes it a part of her daily life. She is training for her first triathlon in May called the Rambling Rose. Wanda participates in the Susan Komen Race for the Cure, the March of Dimes and Rex Heart Walk every year. Hats off to our first Great 100 recipient that walked across the stage to receive her award.