CareSouth Carolina's Tracie Thigpen named SCPHCA Nurse of the Year

CareSouth Carolina’s Tracie Thigpen was named the South Carolina Nurse of the Year at the South Carolina Primary Health Care Association’s 26^th annual Clinical Network Retreat, which was held virtually.

Thigpen, the Chief of Nursing at CareSouth Carolina, has been with the organization for three years said the award came as a shock to her.

“It’s humbling,” Thigpen said. “I’ve always strive to do the best that I can do in taking care of patients and staff members and this just reiterated to me that I am making a difference. I want to thank my team- both the management team and my staff- because without them none of this would be possible.”

CareSouth Carolina CEO Ann Lewis said Thigpen goes above and beyond the call of duty.

“I was proud to nominate Tracie Thigpen as SCPHCA Nurse of the Year and absolutely elated that she won,” Lewis said. “Tracie is the epitome of what a nurse stands for: compassionate beyond all boundaries, committed in heart, soul and body, knowledgeable with grace and humbleness. I am amazed by her strength and perseverance during this time of the pandemic.”

Thigpen said she felt the Lord’s calling from an early age to be a nurse and to get involved in healthcare management.

“Growing up, my mother had some health problems and I helped my dad in taking care of her. I knew then I wanted to be a nurse and I knew that I wanted to be in management,” Thigpen said. “The Lord made ways and opened up doors and I’m very blessed to be working here and in this capacity.”

Thigpen said a lot of prayers goes into her decision-making and she always looks to put patient care first.

“That’s the foundation of who I am,” Thigpen said. “I spend a lot of time seeking the Lord’s guidance in prayer. I like working at CareSouth Carolina because of the values. We put the patient first and it’s all about what’s best for the patients. We are committed to the community and that allows me to make a difference.”

The South Carolina Primary Health Care Association (SCPHCA) is the unifying organization for Community Health Centers (CHCs) in South Carolina. Established in 1979 and representing 23 CHCs across the state (to include the SC Agriculture Worker Program), the SCPHCA has been working to increase the availability of quality health care to low-income, uninsured, isolated, vulnerable, and special need populations.

CareSouth Carolina is a private, non-profit community health center delivering patient-centered health and life services in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina. CareSouth Carolina operates centers in Bennettsville, Bishopville, Cheraw, Chesterfield, Dillon, Hartsville, Lake View, Latta, McColl and Society Hill.

Services provided by CareSouth Carolina include family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, women services, OB/GYN, HIV/AIDS primary care, dental, chiropractic services, pharmacy, geriatrics, social services, clinical counseling, laboratory, 4D ultrasound, X-Ray, migrant services and veterans choice provider.