Melissa Rackmil had a powerful and deeply personal experience with the healing power of nursing. So she became one.
Melissa Rackmil was a freshman in high school in her hometown of Blasdell, New York, a small village south of Buffalo, when her father had a massive heart attack. He was only 47 years old.
Rackmil’s Dad survived after quadruple bypass, open heart surgery. She distinctly remembered the powerful and positive impact nurses had in saving his life.
“My Dad survived the un-survivable. When I saw what the nurses did for him during one of the most difficult times for my family, I was in awe and grew an immediate respect for the profession,” said Rackmil.
“I went to visit my Dad in the ICU and I fainted. He was pale and gray. It didn’t look like my father. When I awoke, I saw how caring and compassionate the nurses were. I wanted to become one, but didn’t think I could,” said Rackmil, who pursued and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Speech Pathology.
“There is an important need for Speech Pathologists in health care. But I wanted to serve patients on the front lines, just like the nurses who helped my father heal and live,” said Rackmil, who earned a Registered Nursing degree, then a Master’s in Business Administration eight years later. The goal was to help others and learn the economics of health care.
Rackmil’s combination of working as a nurse and having a strong business background led to high level positions in hospitals in Western New York and the Southern Tier.
Her 16-year health care career included: Bedside Registered Nursing in the Cardio-thoracic Step-down unit caring for patients after having open-heart surgery, Nursing Supervisor and Manager at Buffalo General Hospital, Director of Invasive and Non-Invasive Cardiology at Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer at University of Rochester Medicine- St. James Hospital, and Director of Nursing Services within the Kaleida Health Care System.
Now Rackmil brings her impressive health care and business resume to Auburn Community Hospital, where she has been Chief Nursing Officer since November 2024.
“What ‘sold’ me on Auburn Community Hospital (ACH) was their reputation for phenomenal patient care and the amount of services offered. I’m grateful for the opportunity and jumped at the chance to lead this great team, to continued success and Nursing Excellence” said Rackmil.
As Auburn Community Hospital’s new Chief Nursing Officer, Rackmil’s professional responsibilities include:
* Serving as Executive Nurse Leader for all nursing services in the acute care hospital and off-site nursing entities
* Managing the nursing department to assure that exceptional care is being delivered to patients in a safe environment
* Establishing a “shared governance, decision making” model with nursing staff so they can provide input on providing the best care possible
* Strengthening positive health outcomes to help ACH earn a “Pathways to Excellence designation”
“Auburn Community Hospital has an impressive and wide range of health care services for patients. The nursing care is phenomenal here and we’re only going to continue to get better. As the Chief Nursing Officer, I look forward to continuing down the path that ACH has paved to provide exceptional care to patients and this wonderful community,” concluded Rackmil.