Jay Kohlbrenner, PhD, RN, a former vice president of clinical services and chief nursing officer for 20 years at Bethpage, N.Y.-based St. Joseph's Hospital, died July 6 at 72.
Dr. Kohlbrenner spent most of her 45 year career as a nurse leader, first at St. Joseph's Hospital, then at Oneida (N.Y.) Health Center until she retired in 2017.
She received many awards for her work in nursing throughout her life, but she was most proud of helping St. Joseph earn Magnet designation in nursing excellence twice and becoming a Johnson & Johnson Wharton Fellow of Nurse Innovation at University of Pennsylvania, according to her obituary.
She is survived by her husband, three children and seven grandchildren.