Insights > Meet the Pros: Ashley Melder

Meet the Pros: Ashley Melder

09/30/2024

Today we recognize a member of a team that perhaps goes unnoticed until needed, that is, when a physical exam is required or medical qualifications need updating, or just when a nagging cough needs some extra attention. In addition, they work in the access organization, responsible for screening, testing and authorizing access to our nuclear facilities. As part of that group, they help administer the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Fitness for Duty program, which ensures that our workers are always fit to operate and maintain the plants.

That team is the nuclear medical staff and in particular, the site nurse, the one who keeps us healthy and in compliance so we are able to continue our work. Meet Ashley Melder, site nurse at Arkansas Nuclear One.

Give us an idea of your typical day. What does your job entail?

I do all the respiratory physicals for the fire brigade, operators and so on, and I make sure that everybody's medical qualifications are up to date. If someone has a medical change, they report it, and we follow up with the physicians to see what needs to be done next. If someone needs a little bit of first aid, I am able to do that as well. I'm the only nurse onsite until we do in-processing of our contract workers brought in for refueling outages, and then I bring in a supplemental nurse to help.

Tell us how you came to Entergy.

I was a school nurse in Russellville prior to coming here, and my supervisor reached out one day asking if I knew of any other nurses who would be interested in a job. And let's just say I didn't tell any other nurses, and I applied. So it just kind of happened. I've been here five years, and it's been fun ever since.

Why are you proud to work for Entergy?

We're all here to keep the public safe, so we stay on top of everyone's needs onsite. We make sure our operators and security personnel and everyone involved are up to date and healthy to keep us operating. During Covid I wondered, "Am I in the right place at the right time? Should I be in the hospitals helping those nurses?" But then again, I'm in a place where we're keeping the lights on at those hospitals. That's important too.

What's the importance of teamwork in your work here?

Teamwork goes a long way here. And with medical, it involves me, and it involves the doctors. It involves each employee and their supervisor. We have to plan ahead and work together to keep everyone qualified, to make sure physicals are getting done prior to their expirations. It takes a lot of people to play the role of keeping them qualified.

Tell us about life for you outside of work.

My husband Casey and I have two young children, a nine-year-old and a five-year-old. We do basketball and soccer, and we have two bulldogs. They all keep me pretty busy.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

We live in a small town, in Dardanelle, and you can probably tell that when you meet me! We live in the country, so we love being in nature and just being outside. We love going to the lake and being on the water or at the beach. My kids are water babies, so they love to go swimming and playing in the creek.