Either ourselves or our family members have relied on nurses to meet our physical, psychological, and/or emotional needs. It is obvious when we have encountered a “great” nurse. It takes a special kind of compassionate personality, integrity, competence, and commitment to care for people during their most vulnerable and scary times of their lives.
Each year, the Great 100 Nurses of North Carolina Board of Directors asks patients, coworkers, friends, and family members to nominate an outstanding nurse practicing in North Carolina for recognition. Prior to scoring, all identifiable information such as the nominees’ names, their place of employment, etc. is removed. These blinded nominations are then dispersed throughout North Carolina to be reviewed by Great 100, Inc. volunteer scorers. Nominations are scored based on how the nominee:
- Promotes and advances the profession of nursing in their practice setting and/or community
- Demonstrates integrity, honesty, and accountability
- Displays commitment to patients, families, and colleagues
- Demonstrates caring and assists others to grow and develop
- Radiates energy and enthusiasm, and contributes to overall outcomes in their practice setting
The one hundred recipients are honored at a statewide gala in October. With 2020 being named as the “Year of the Nurse”, the Great 100, Inc. Board of Directors would not allow the current pandemic to prevent the 2020 class of North Carolina Great 100 Nurses from being recognized. After all, this is a once-in-a-lifetime award and nothing (not even Covid-19) can interfere in honoring these dedicated nurses.
On October 10, 2020, nursing resilience was on display once again. The Great 100, Inc. Board of Directors hosted the first ever virtual celebration. The 32nd annual gala boasted an address from Governor Cooper, recognition of our generous donors, videos from our scholarship winners, and videos of each of the one hundred recipients being recognized by their nursing leaders. The Gala Committee, led by Rhonda Creech, worked for months to make the night memorable for our recipients.
Nurses honored on this evening represented many sectors of health care, working as nurses in hospitals, public health, nursing schools, home health, etc. They came from all practice areas in nursing, including acute care, sub-acute care, school nursing, nurse leaders, academics, and many more. This statewide event belongs to the people of North Carolina and is made possible through the generous support of our sponsors.
In addition to recognizing outstanding nurses, the 100 Great Nurses of North Carolina is also able to provide financial support to nursing students. Due to generous donors, The Great 100, Inc. can provide scholarships to future North Carolina nurses. This is an investment in the future healthcare of North Carolinians.
It is time to begin noticing other “great” nurses and developing their nomination for this tremendous honor. Who do you know that stands out to you as a peer? Who do you work with that embodies the Great 100 Nurses of North Carolina criteria and promotes the nursing profession and is an extraordinary caregiver? They should not go unnoticed! Nominate them between January 15, 2021 to April 15, 2021.
Annually, the Great 100 Board of Directors sponsors a Great 100 Workshop to get our nominations underway. At this point, we do not have this planned for 2021, however the Board of Directors is meeting in November to discuss. Please check our website or “friend” us on Facebook for upcoming announcements as we navigate these ever-changing times.
I would like to express a huge amount of gratitude to Great 100 Board of Director member, Renee Bridges, for leading us in creating a new website. Renee has worked tirelessly to reinvent our website and has done a tremendous job! Sincerely,
Jeffrey T. Friday, MSN, RN, NE-BC
President Board of Directors, Great 100, Inc.