NEWS RELEASE – January 12, 2023
McGaffee Named CCNO for Paintsville ARH
January 12, 2023 – Paintsville ARH Hospital is happy to announce Crystal McGaffee has been named as its community chief nursing officer (CCNO).
McGaffee took on the role of interim CNO in July 2022 and has worked enthusiastically to continue strengthening the connections with nursing staff and quality care. She developed a relationship with area nursing programs and recently joined the Big Sandy Community and Technical College Nursing Board in November as vice chair.
McGaffee has spent most of her life dedicated to the care of others. At 14 she became a volunteer at Highlands Regional Medical Center where she continued her role until she turned 18 and was hired as an employee in the emergency room/admissions department. She then moved to Highlands Clinic and to the surgery department in 1999 as an operating room technician and obstetrics technician. McGaffee sees serving in this role as the turning point in her career path when she discovered an even deeper love of patient care. She credits this experience as what motivated her to launch her nursing career. After returning to Big Sandy Community and Technical College in 2006, McGaffee graduated as a registered nurse in the top of her class in 2010.
Upon graduation, McGaffee went on to complete her trauma certification and worked for three years as a trauma coordinator in a neighboring county before returning to Paintsville in 2013 to join the surgical department. There she worked as a nurse, then transitioned to assistant surgical director. In 2017, McGaffee became the director of surgical services and during the pandemic, she assumed the role of Covid coordinator, leading the care and vaccination program for both the hospital and community.
McGaffe says, “I truly love the connection I have with the community I have grown up in, and that I not only get to take care of them but that I also get the opportunity to work with the people I know and love.”
McGaffee is a native Eastern Kentuckian and resides with her family in Prestonsburg, Kentucky. She is married to Trae McGaffee, and they have three children; Lauren, Matthew and LG. She is currently pursuing her BSN-MSN with Chamberlain University and is both excited and honored for the opportunity and future with ARH as CCNO.
“I’ve had so many knowledgeable and supportive mentors to work with who’ve helped lead my path. I have no doubt they will all continue to help me grow and build on my leadership skills. I look forward to leading Paintsville to become the best we can be and to always be a great TEAM.”
###
Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH), is a not-for-profit health system operating 14 hospitals in Barbourville, Hazard, Harlan, Hyden, Martin, McDowell, Middlesboro, Paintsville, Prestonsburg, West Liberty, Whitesburg, and South Williamson in Kentucky and Beckley and Hinton in West Virginia, as well as multi-specialty physician practices, home health agencies, home medical equipment stores and retail pharmacies. ARH employs more than 6,500 people with an annual payroll and benefits of $330 million generated into our local economies. ARH also has a network of more than 600 active and courtesy medical staff members. ARH is the largest provider of care and the single largest employer in southeastern Kentucky and the third-largest private employer in southern West Virginia.