An Unsung Hero, Nurse and Vietnam War Veteran Retires

As a nurse she has seen it all, including wartime images right out of a MASH episode: she has walked past unexploding missiles on her way to work, took cover during rocket attacks, and even flown in a helicopter transporting patients to jungle hospitals. During peacetime, June Mckenzie has served as an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurse for Redlands Community Hospital (RCH) for more than 45 years, delivering compassionate care to the Redlands community. RCH will celebrate her retirement on Friday, Nov. 6, 2 p.m. at the hospital. A nurse for more than 48 years, Mckenzie started her career at the age of 16 and has worn many hats as a Registered Nurse. Throughout her career she has seen the development of technology evolve right before her eyes, from the development of present day high-tech advancements to seeing the first cardiac monitors covering the walls of Dartmouth Medical Center in 1967. For the past decades, Mckenzie has served many roles in the Redlands Community Hospital’s ICU department, from charge nurse, patient care coordinator, and clinical instructor. She is well known for guiding patients who deal with difficult decisions concerning treatment and end-of-life issues. In 2006, she was awarded the Alice Raumin Award for Nursing Excellence and was “Redlands Community Hospital’s Patient Hero” in 2007. “The past 45 years of my career as a nurse have been thrilling each and every day,” says Mckenzie. “I am honored and grateful to have worked alongside such a fine group of professionals at Redlands Community Hospital and have been a part of so many families [and] personal health moments.” During her second year of nursing, Mckenzie was sent to Vietnam to the 312 Evacuation Hospital in Chu Lai. Upon her arrival, she quickly learned that she was the only nurse with critical care experience on her team. The ICU had 20 beds, half filled with military patients and the other half with wounded Vietnamese. Her ICU nurse experience in Vietnam would be like nothing she had ever experienced before. This was the first time that helicopters were used in time of war to transport patients. Thousands of lives were saved because patients would be transported to the hospital within 30 minutes of sustaining critical wounds. Because of the large influx of patients being admitted, there was no time to wait for doctors orders; McKenzie had to quickly rely on her own judgment when deciding which patients would be seen first and what type of treatment they would receive. It was during this time that McKenzie would discover a passion for ICU care and would remain in the field for more than four decades. “June has left an indelible mark on the fabric of RCH,” said Lauren Spilsbury, Vice President of Nursing. “She has made an impact on patients, students, staff and physicians. We will miss her terribly but wish her well in her future endeavors.”