GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) – Nineteen nurses from Eastern Carolina have been named to the 2026 Great 100 Nurses of North Carolina list. Eighteen work at ECU Health hospitals, while one works at CarolinaEast in New Bern.
Nurse Ali Grimes is among the ECU Health nurses named to the list.
ECU Health Chief Nursing Executive Dr. Trish Baise said she is happy to see the nurses recognized.
“I work with these nurses every day, and I know who they are, their hearts and what they bring to our region, so a really great validation of what we know to be true every day,” Baise said.
The North Carolina Great 100 has honored nurses annually since 1989 for their work. Each year, the organization’s board asks patients, health care workers, friends and family members to nominate nurses for the list.
Grimes said the job can be challenging but rewarding.
“We do hard work every single day, and it is really great, especially in the children’s world, being able to really get a front seat to lots of great stories, lots of patient celebrations, things like that,” Grimes said.
Grimes said she is proud to be included on the list.
“I’m excited to be among that very prestigious group,” Grimes said.
Baise said the work nurses do is not easy.
“It is not an easy job. It is definitely a work that comes from the heart,” Baise said.
Last year, ECU Health nurses made up one-quarter of the Great 100 list.
A full list of this year’s ECU Health recipients can be found here.
The CarolinaEast recipient is Amanda Sawyer.
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