NYSAOHN Reminiscences - Kathy McEntire RN, CCM

Kathy McEntire RN, CCM is a 44-year member of NYSAOHN.  She was NYSAOHN President during 2008 - 2009 among many other leadership positions she has held at the state and local chapter levels.

Tell us about your educational background and your work experience. 

 RN Diploma Graduate. The first-year assignment was in Neurosurgery Intensive Care Unit. The subsequent 5 years were as a floor nurse on surgical, neurosurgery, and post open heart floors.

Tell us how you came to specialize in occupational health. Describe your first job in occupational health.

 I answered a newspaper ad for a job that sounded interesting.  My first occ health job was with a large international corporation.  I worked the 2nd shift and was responsible for injury care, annual surveillance care (audiograms, pulmonary function, EKG, etc.), filing workers’ compensation paperwork. 

Describe changes you saw in occupational health over your years of practice.

When I first started we were called Industrial Nurses.  Charting was written in files.  EKG and audiogram machines were manual. 

 What role did a mentor (if any) play in your professional life?  

N/A

Did being a member of NYSAOHN influence your career? If so, how?

I became a member of NYSOHN in 1976 shortly after starting in my first occ health job. One of the other nurses was President for the local chapter in Buffalo. I was allowed to leave work to attend the evening dinner meetings and presentations. I have always found the nurses in AAOHN, NYSAOHN and local chapters a great source for networking and discussing issues affecting the workplace. 

What led you to decide to volunteer for leadership in NYSAOHN?

I saw the need and was willing to share my expertise with other nurses. 

What were your goals and achievements while NYSAOHN President?                                                           

The goals were to maintain membership in the organization and to provide educational opportunities. For the NYSAOHN conferences, I sought to include nurse case managers and provided CCM CEUs for the conferences in addition to AAOHN CNE.

What were your concerns, challenges, and struggles while NYSAOHN President? 

One of the challenges was to enlist others to participate in organizing and implementing NYSAOHN conferences.

What nuggets of advice, words of wisdom can you offer to the NYSAOHN members of today and in the future?

You can build a strong kinship with other nurses. You can find support by networking with other nurses when faced with OHN issues you are not sure how to handle. 

Tell us something about yourself, such as family, hobbies, interests, volunteer activity.

I am a recent widow. I have 2 sons and 6 grandchildren. I enjoy traveling and taking day trips, such as wine or beer tastings. I volunteer at my church and have offered to volunteer as a community educator for the Alzheimer’s Association.