Casey Cantrell, RN, receives Haywood Regional Medical Center’s highest employee honor

Haywood Regional Medical Center (HRMC) recently announced that Casey Cantrell, RN, charge nurse in the hospital’s emergency department, has been named its 2026 Mercy Award winner.

The Mercy Award recognizes one employee from each Lifepoint Health facility who profoundly touches the lives of others and best reflects the spirit and values on which the company was founded. At the local level, the award serves as the hospital’s highest annual employee recognition, honoring one team member whose work, character, and service stand out among their peers. Established in 2001, the award honors the life and contributions of Scott Mercy, Lifepoint’s founding chairman and chief executive officer, and is considered the highest honor a Lifepoint employee can receive.

Cantrell was selected for the honor in recognition of her exceptional clinical skill, steady leadership, and deep compassion for patients, families, colleagues, and the broader community. As a charge nurse in one of the hospital’s most demanding care environments, Cantrell is known for leading by example and advocating for patients whose needs extend far beyond the bedside.

“At Haywood Regional Medical Center, the Mercy Award is especially meaningful because it honors the kind of compassion that cannot be taught from a checklist,” said CEO Sue Shugart, FACHE, CPPS. “Casey sees people fully, whether they are patients, families, coworkers, or neighbors in need. She brings clinical strength, steady leadership, and a generous heart to everything she does. We are incredibly proud to recognize her with this honor.”

Cantrell’s nominations tell the story of a nurse whose compassion is not reserved for easy moments. In the emergency department, where patients and families often arrive on some of the hardest days of their lives, she is known for noticing what others need and for taking action. She has found clothing, shoes, and other necessities for vulnerable patients so they could leave with dignity. She has helped bring comfort and normalcy to patients facing extended stays in the emergency department. She has brought in food and other needed items for patients, often quietly involving her own family to help meet a need.

Her leadership is felt throughout the department. Colleagues describe Cantrell as a nurse others turn to for guidance, clinical judgment, and support. She covers extra shifts, stays late so coworkers can attend family events, helps fellow nurses care for their patients, and continues to manage the flow of the department with focus and calm.

Cantrell’s service also reaches beyond the walls of the hospital. She has organized fundraisers for a local family with a loved one awaiting a kidney transplant, coordinated and delivered meals to neighbors who lost everything during Hurricane Helene, volunteered through her church’s food distribution ministry, and helped plan weekly meals for a local football team during the season.

“Casey is an outstanding nurse whose dedication extends far beyond routine responsibilities,” said Eric Zickerman, DO, medical director of the emergency department at HRMC. “She consistently advocates for patients and families while maintaining the highest standards of safety, communication, and evidence-based practice. Her ability to combine technical expertise with human connection makes her truly exceptional.”

Those who know Cantrell say she does not seek recognition for the many ways she serves. Instead, she is known for seeing a need and acting with compassion. Patients and families regularly recognize her through DAISY Award nominations and comments shared with the hospital, while colleagues describe her as dependable, generous, and deeply committed to doing what is right.