Blue Ridge Regional Hospital registered nurse Teressa Neill was recently named one of the Great 100 nurses for North Carolina.
Teressa Neill of Blue Ridge Regional Hospital has earned a special honor.
Neill, MSN, RN, who serves as director of hospital clinical operations for BRRH, was recently named one of the Great 100 nurses for North Carolina. The award exists to recognize and honor registered nurses in North Carolina for their commitment to excellence and to promote a positive image of the nursing profession.
Since 1989, the Great 100, Inc., has recognized and admired influential nurses across North Carolina, recognizing 100 professionals from the entire state who are nominated by their peers for the once-in-a-lifetime honor.
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.
“At the beginning of Covid, team members came together to pray for staff, facility, community and healthcare family across the world,” wrote Neill’s nominator. “Blue Ridge Regional Hospital did not waiver in its support for patients and families. Teressa’s slogan was ‘no one celebrates alone and no one dies alone,’ and nurses were encouraged to call her day or night to sit with dying patients. This slogan was adopted by every member of the team.”
Neill assisted staff in helping to take a patient “back to Italy” for their last anniversary, which included checkered tablecloths, Italian dinner music, pizza and candlelight. This leader advocated and supported Nursing Professional Governance Council for the health system since its inception.
Neill believes that nurses must have a voice and she supports their growth professionally by demonstrating how they can own their practice. This is also shown through the national workplace excellence designation that she championed.