Labor and Delivery nurse Teresa Jones was named a Great 100 nurse for 2025.Photo of female labor and delivery nurse standing by bed warmer and bassinet.
AMH labor and delivery nurse Teresa Jones named 2025 Great 100 Nurse
JEFFERSON, N.C. — Ashe Memorial Hospital is pleased to announce that labor and delivery nurse Teresa Jones has been named a 2025 Great 100 Nurse.
The Great 100 recognizes and honors registered nurses in North Carolina for their commitment to excellence and promoting a positive image of the nursing profession. Jones, who also was nominated for the award in 2023, is the only nurse from our region to have been selected for this year’s honor.
“The Great 100 is an esteemed award that recognizes and celebrates nurses who have positively impacted the lives of patients, families and communities,” said Brian Yates, chief executive officer for Ashe Memorial Hospital. “We are grateful for all that Teresa Jones does for Ashe Memorial Hospital and our patients. We are so proud of her for receiving this well-deserved honor.”
Nurses are nominated by the hospital and chosen for the Great 100 based on several criteria, including their integrity, commitment to their patients and colleagues, contributions to the nursing profession and mentorship of others. This special recognition is only given to 100 nurses throughout the state each year.
“It’s an absolute joy to celebrate Teresa Jones and her well-deserved recognition as a Great 100 Nurse,” said Tiffany Weaver, director of inpatient services for Ashe Memorial Hospital. “Teresa’s journey — from starting as a CNA at Ashe Memorial to becoming one of only two nurses to advance the clinical ladder last year — is a testament to her unwavering dedication and passion for patient care. As a labor and delivery nurse, med/surg nurse, house supervisor, childbirth educator, and bereavement program liaison, Teresa wears many hats, and she does so with grace, compassion, and excellence.”
A true role model and patient advocate, Jones is a valued member of the nursing department and sets the example of what others aspire to. She is the first one to step in and help during emergency situations, remaining calm and supportive while supporting patients, family and coworkers.
“I was very surprised when I learned I was named one of the Great 100,” Jones said. “I feel like the things I do in my job are really nothing special. I do what I feel is right by all my patients and treat them how everyone should be treated with understanding, kindness, patience and non-judgement. In this career, you can either be there for someone through some of the greatest moments in their lives and help them through the worst times in their lives or you can make them much worse. I feel it is never a good idea to make an already bad, painful or hurtful situation worse. You can either be a bright light to someone or you can be a black light.”
Jones, who initially wanted to be a veterinarian, began her career as a Certified Nursing Assistant in 2001 after taking health occupation classes in high school and receiving loving support and guidance from her teacher Phyllis Ashley. She later decided to go back to nursing school, earning an associate degree in nursing from Wilkes Community College in 2007 and a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Appalachian State University in 2009.
Jones holds Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Supports (PALS) and Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) certifications and was the first nurse to advance in Ashe Memorial Hospital’s newly created clinical ladder advancement program.
“Her depth of knowledge and clinical skill are matched only by her servant’s heart,” Weaver said. “Teresa is the kind of nurse who shows up fully for her patients, her colleagues, and her community. Having worked alongside Teresa in labor and delivery and now serving as her supervisor, I can say without hesitation that she embodies everything the Great 100 Nurse recognition stands for. Her impact is felt in every corner of our hospital, and we are incredibly proud to call her one of our own.”
In addition, Jones is a trusted preceptor for new hires and recent graduates, modeling not only best practices but also the empathy and integrity that define truly exceptional nursing. She also teaches Prepared Childbirth Education Classes for expectant mothers and is a car seat technician, birth certificate registrar, and is a member of nursing leadership as a prn house supervisor and an ad hoc member of the OB committee.
“The part of my job that I love the most is helping others,” Jones said. “As a labor and delivery nurse I get to be a part of some of the most miraculous moments in lives. I also am able to help mothers who have suffered some of the greatest loss imaginable. Even in my other roles as a nurse, I strive to make some of the worst situations just a little bit better. Being hospitalized is very stressful for people on many different levels. As a nurse you have the decision to help ease this stress or to make it worse by how you care for and treat your patients. I choose to help ease this stress.”
Jones will be recognized for her accomplishment during the 37th Annual NC Great 100 Gala on October 11, 2025, at the Maxwell Center, in Goldsboro.
About Ashe Memorial Hospital
For more than 80 years, Ashe Memorial Hospital’s dedicated team of board-certified physicians, nurses and staff members have provided the highest quality medical care available to the people of Ashe County and the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains. Ashe Memorial Hospital offers a wide variety of emergency, elective, rehabilitation and preventative health services.
Founded in 1941, Ashe Memorial Hospital is a fully accredited 25 bed critical hospital located in Jefferson, N.C. For more information, please visit ashememorial.org or call 336-846-7101.
