Thank You, Maureen Kuhn,
Family Nurse Practitioner

Maureen Kuhn, Family Nurse Practitioner, is retiring from Bassett Medical Center after 40 years.

Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs) are nurses with an advanced degree who treat a full range of patient populations, from infants to the elderly.

“I came to Bassett as a float FNP, there were three health centers at the time, Cherry Valley, Edmeston and Morris,” Ms. Kuhn said. “I was hired to float between those three health centers,” she said.

Ms. Kuhn graduated from Pace University in West Chester, in 1980. “Right after I graduated, I did a residency at Bassett for two months. Then I went to the Schriver Center in Boston for a couple of years working with developmentally challenged adults,” she said.

Ms. Kuhn then got a call that there were a couple of positions open in the Bassett system. “They said they would love for me to come back to Bassett, so I came back!,” she said. “I was covering the three health centers. After three months, I took over the Cherry Valley location full time and I’ve been here ever since,” she said.

“I think the high points in my career here have been working with families. I’ve watched their kids grow, I’ve helped generations with their healthcare and wellness. I have a handful of families that I’ve helped for five generations,” Ms. Kuhn said.

A lot of her patients are sad she is leaving…and worried.

“I’m sad too. I know what is going on in the families even if my patients don’t come right out and tell me. It’s a small community,” she said.

“I’ve worked with entire families. That helps to treat then. I know them. I’ve celebrated births with them, and have helped them through deaths. Good times and bad. But they will all be fine and will continue to get excellent healthcare,” she said.

As for the low points, there aren’t many.

“Healthcare has become more of a business. I’ve always been responsible because the town runs this business. We are employed by Bassett under contract, but the town actually runs this health center,” Ms. Kuhn said. “It’s a little different arrangement than most health centers. We are fiscally responsible to the town.”

“We don’t seem to have as much time to spend with patients. The good part about this health center is we can spend time with our patients and do the right thing as long as our board is happy with us. We haven’t had any complaints; our ratings are good, patients love us and we try to have good access,” she said.

She feels it’s an honor to take care of families. “I cry with them, bury their loved ones, bring new ones into the world, I treat the whole family and that’s what has been the most rewarding,” Ms. Kuhn said

She is not just a FNP, she is also part therapist. “When I first started, we dealt with stable things: diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, things that were treatable. Then people got sicker and lived longer and we just started doing more chronic and acute care,” Ms. Kuhn said.

Giving people bad news has been the hardest.

“Telling people they have a terminal illness is difficult. Dealing with patients who are dying is a gift but it’s hard,” she said.

Ms. Kuhn’s last day is September 23. She is looking forward to retirement and she has big plans for herself and her partner Carrie Carney. “We love the area and want to stay here. We want to travel around the states and Europe. I really want to read a book other than medical journal! We play golf a lot and want to see more friends,” she said.

“I’m really going to miss the people. I will miss looking my patients in the eye, laughing with them and giving them a tissue when they need it; just part of everyday living. I’ve certainly gotten back as much as I’ve given.”