March of Dimes Honors HMC Nurse Couchon

HOLYOKE — Brian Couchon, a nurse at Holyoke Medical Center, has been named Nurse of the Year by the March of Dimes in the category of labor and delivery. This distinction was awarded at a ceremony staged last month in Natick.

“I was shocked,” Couchon said. “I was there with nurses from hospitals all over the state, so it was quite an honor to be chosen. This award is also a testament to Holyoke Medical Center and my nurse manager, Ginny Thomas, who provided me the unique opportunity for a male nurse to work in labor and delivery. All my coworkers are such a great team, and I share this award with them.”

The Nurse of the Year Awards is a statewide event that recognizes exceptional nurses, creates awareness of professional excellence, and promotes the future of the nursing profession, while helping to advance the mission of the March of Dimes.

The selection committee reviewed applications in the categories of advanced practice, community health, public health, education, neonatal, nurse researcher, administration, pediatric, family medicine, women’s health, student nurse, maternal/newborn, labor and delivery, and anti-partum. More than 75 finalists emerged, and 17 were chosen to receive top honors in the various categories.