Long before he became a nurse leader for Atrium Health Union's cardiac unit, Anthony Carnes grew up in a family where healthcare was part of everyday life.
Around the dinner table, he listened as his parents talked about their days at work. He heard stories about patients, teamwork and coworkers stepping in when someone needed help. He listened to conversations about caring for people during some of the hardest moments of their lives.
At the time, Anthony wasn't thinking about a career in nursing. Years later, many of those conversations would take on new meaning.
One piece of advice from his mother would eventually stay with him throughout his career: "Never get above a bedpan."
Anthony's mother, Geraldine, recently retired after 41 years in nursing and his father, Billy, now works at Atrium Health Union in training and development for the nursing team. Combined, they spent more than eight decades caring for patients, supporting teammates and helping make the hospital feel like home.
Rather than pushing him toward nursing, Anthony's parents encouraged him to find his own path. Growing up with diabetes sparked his interest in healthcare and for a while he thought pharmacy might be his future. So, when he told his parents he wanted to become a nurse, they were surprised.
"For years, he said he didn't want to do that," Geraldine said with a laugh.
The more Anthony learned about nursing, the more he saw the same blend of science, compassion and teamwork he had heard about growing up. He enjoyed the science, but he was equally drawn to the relationships and the opportunity to help people through difficult moments.
"At least in this way, I can make a bad diagnosis a little bit better or easier to manage," he said. That desire to make a difference still motivates him today. "Being able to come in here and do something every day to make it a little bit better than how it was. That's what keeps me going."
Looking back, Anthony credits both parents with helping define the nurse he became. "The inspirational nursing came from my mom," he said. "The science side came from my dad."
The Carnes family connection to Atrium Health Union runs deep. Anthony's parents met during a hospital softball game. He and his brother were born there. Many of the family's biggest milestones unfolded there.
That sense of connection was especially evident when Anthony was born. Although Geraldine was no longer working in labor and delivery, many of the nurses caring for her were former coworkers and close friends. As word spread that she was in labor, people kept stopping by to check on her.
Eventually, one nurse jokingly volunteered to be the bad guy. "Everybody loves y'all," the nurse told Geraldine. "But at some point, you don't need any more visitors." Years later, Geraldine still laughs about the memory. "It was like being taken care of by your family," she said.
That same family atmosphere is one of the things Anthony values most about Atrium Health Union today.
"I can't build that at a hospital where I'm walking down and I'm just a number," Anthony said. "Here, we all have a name."
It's one of the reasons he has spent his entire career at Atrium Health Union.
Leading by example
Growing up, Anthony watched his parents put patients first and treat every role as important.
The mindset his mother modeled in her nursing career stayed with him. For Geraldine, it was a reminder that patient care always comes first. For Anthony, it became a belief that no task is beneath anyone.
He believes leaders should be willing to do the same work they ask of others. "How can I expect my teammates to do this job if I won't do it myself?" he said.
Whether he's helping during a busy shift, learning a new process or supporting teammates through challenges, Anthony believes leadership starts with stepping in wherever help is needed.
For Anthony, that work is personal. The people he serves are often neighbors, family friends, former teachers and others from the community that helped raise him.
"This is serving my community, and I have a direct impact on the quality of care they receive," he said.
He often thinks about the fact that his own family members may one day rely on the hospital for care, reinforcing the responsibility he feels to every patient he serves.
"Just knowing that my family's going to come to this hospital and I can make it as good as possible and give them the best care, that's what drives me."
Growing the next generation
As his career has progressed, Anthony has become passionate about developing future healthcare professionals. He speaks proudly about welcoming nursing students, new graduates and aspiring caregivers onto the unit.
"We want to grow that healthcare community," Anthony said.
He takes mentorship seriously, knowing how much he benefited from those who invested in him early in his career. "No matter where in nursing you go, you're going to touch somebody's life," he said.
Many of those values were reinforced by his father, Billy, whose career has included supporting and mentoring the next generation of nurses. Asked what advice he gives new nurses, his answer is simple: "There's a reason we have two ears and one mouth," he said. "We should listen to patients twice as much as we talk."
It's the same spirit of mentorship and growth that Anthony hopes to foster with the students and new graduates who come through his unit.
For Anthony, that commitment is part of a family legacy that first connected him to healthcare.
"We've been rooted here since my parents met here and since I was born here," he said. "Even though we've branched out into education and leadership, we always come back to healthcare and Atrium Health Union has been the trunk that has held us all together."
