Celebrating Women’s History Month: Michelle McQueen
Memorial is celebrating Women’s History Month by spotlighting members of our team who are committed to improving the health and wellness of our community. These inspiring women were nominated by their peers. We hope you enjoy learning about them!
Michelle is a nurse practitioner for our Internal Medicine clinics. When asked how she supports Memorial’s mission to heal, inspire, and transform the health of our community, her nominator wrote, “Michelle goes above and beyond to care for patients. She not only tries to ensure that patients receive a top level of care but she also inspires them to take charge of their own health. I am so honored to have met and worked with Michelle. She has truly made me believe that healthcare professionals are angels behind the scenes.”
Michelle answered a few questions so we could learn more about who inspires her.
What goes through your mind when you think of women who joined the workforce before you?
“Strong. Determined. Intelligent. Independent. Grit. Those are words that come to mind when thinking of the women who have entered the workplace over the years. It has become the social norm that women have a strong presence, but that has only been made possible by the hard work and perseverance of those who came before us. It will only be continued by the collective efforts of what we do from this point. We have so many exceptional women to thank for their tireless efforts to help get us where we are today.”
Have you drawn professional inspiration from other women? Tell us about someone who has inspired you.
“I have been so blessed to be surrounded by strong and courageous women who have undoubtedly influenced my professional career. An attempt to acknowledge each by name would be impossible. Of course, as a nurse practitioner, I have to specifically acknowledge all of the nurses and nurse practitioners who have encouraged, taught, molded, and stood beside me. Nurses are some of the toughest women I know, and I am grateful to have been in this field for over 20 years. While I owe thanks to so many women, it is important to acknowledge that inspiration does not always come from high-ranking position, or from one with many accolades. Teachers and mentors, counterparts in the professional world, office staff, food service workers, janitorial staff, political leaders, spiritual mentors, and even my own patients; these are all women of influence. If you are open to receiving it, it does not matter their position or title, education level, paygrade, age or ethnicity. As women, we all have a common identity. I am continuously inspired by other women in and out of health care. The contributions of women in all these areas are invaluable.”
What is one thing you wish more people knew about women in the workplace?
“I wish more people understood the hurdles women still face in the workplace. Although we have come a long way, there is much more to be done. Gender inequality is certainly real and remains to be a major concern across all professions. Across the board, there are countless concerns regarding hiring practices, organizational structure and decision making, advancement opportunities, wage disparities, just to name a few. For the women reading this, “Remember that no effort we make to attain something beautiful is ever lost” (Hellen Keller). In 2022, that remains true. For both men and women, there should be high expectations to eliminate these inequalities from both sides. My hope is that regardless of where you work or what profession you are in, male or female, you will make a concentrated effort to do your part in continuing the progress that has been made.”
Congratulations on your nomination, Michelle, and thank you for all you do to support our patients and the community!