Women’s History Month: Desi McCue

Desi McCue’s career dedicated to helping women

Desi McCue’s love for Legacy came after she spent a shift as a guest during trauma rounds at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center.

“I was so excited with the medicine and expertise I saw,” she said. “I wanted to work at Emanuel and engage in high acuity patient care. I was impressed with everyone I met at Legacy and wanted to join the team”

She finally realized her wish when she joined Legacy in 2024 as the chief nursing officer at Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, Desi, DNP, recently spoke with us about how her work supports woman, whether they are patients, colleagues or community members. 

Tell us about your background and how it relates to women’s health.

I started in health care as a volunteer. I’ve worked in nutrition, patient access, radiology, the OR, as a CNA, and progressively moved into higher positions and into nursing. At each step, I’ve focused on women’s health issues.

My first nursing job was in a cardiac intensive care unit where I did a lot of teaching with women regarding heart disease. Women often present differently than men and don’t report their symptoms. Later, when I began working in an emergency room in Idaho, I started a sexual assault nurse examiner program for survivors of sexual assault and domestic abuse. I was able to advocate a lot for women and other survivors in that realm. My focus was to get survivors resources, to mitigate their continued trauma, and to collect good evidence so it would stand up in court so they could be vindicated. I served as an expert witness, and I continue to do that in Portland. Just before coming to Legacy, I also ran the Center for Women’s Health at OHSU.

This year’s Women’s History Month theme at Legacy is Women’s Health: Moving beyond “I’m fine.” How does this theme resonate with your personal and professional experiences? 

My family has a long history with mental health concerns and disorders. I grew up in this culture where you don’t get those treated. It’s seen as a moral weakness or character flaw if you have a mental health concern and get treatment. The stigma in my family is to the point where they won’t get the medication or counseling they need.

I have learned over time that taking care of my mental health and wellbeing has to be a priority because if I’m not mentally well in my personal life I can’t be mentally well at work. I advocate for getting checkups and seeing a psychiatrist or psychologist if you need to. Mental health is just like any other health. It needs preventative care, maintenance and attention. No one should be ashamed to admit that they are addressing their mental health and wellness.

I did my doctoral work on mental health and resilience using mindfulness-based stress reduction. I found that people who engaged in mindfulness actually had less burnout at the bedside. That translates to the work we do every day.

How do you advocate for women at Legacy Health? 

I think the biggest way is by amplifying other women’s voices and making sure they feel heard. I also donate to the Women of Meridian Park philanthropy group.

I make sure that women who are seen at Meridian Park feel heard and that their concerns are taken seriously, whether at the family birth center or if they’re having surgery. I want that treatment team to be aware of the unique needs of each patient.

If a woman feels uncertain about advocating for themself, how would you encourage them? What specific advice or resources would you share with them?

I think women can be afraid to advocate for themselves due to cultural norms. Some women fear if they advocate for themselves they may seem pushy... However now is the time to advocate for yourself and other women in your community. If you need help, reach out to another woman. A good advocate won’t take your voice but amplify it.