Matthew Koehler was born and raised in Glocester, RI. He joined the United States Army in 2000 where he was trained and functioned as a Surgical Technician. During his time in the military he deployed to Iraq where he participated in many mass casualty situations. It was then that he decided that critical care nursing
was for him. Matthew was honorably discharged from the army in 2006 when he moved back to Rhode Island to attend Rhode Island College’s Nursing Program. While in school, Matthew worked as a Surgical Technician in the operating room
at Rhode Island Hospital, Rhode Island’s only level I trauma center, specializing
in vascular and trauma surgery. He has gained a wealth of clinical experience working in the healthcare field for almost ten years which has served him well in the nursing program.

From the beginning of the nursing program, Matthew had set his sights on qualifying for induction into Sigma Theta Tau. He considered it an important achievement. He believes what one puts into nursing academics significantly contributes to nursing excellence when paired with quality clinical experience.
He looks forward to becoming involved in RISNA and Sigma Theta Tau, so that
he can play a part of shaping the future of the profession of nursing.

Matthew is enthusiastic about learning as well as teaching. While attending RIC and working at Rhode Island Hospital, he served as a preceptor for new Operating Room nurses as well Surgical Technician students.  Matthew was recently selected for Rhode Island Hospital’s Critical Care Internship where he will be working in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit.  After gaining critical care experience, he plans to go back to school to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA).