The Love of Life, Family, and Being a Nurse
Ryan Massicotte, Uconn
Adopted as an infant from a rural town in Colombia, South America Ryan Massicotte, RN, has taken advantage of every opportunity presented to him. Had he not been adopted, he’s not sure what his life would look like today, or if he would even have had a basic education.
“I’ve been given this life for a reason and for me to not take full advantage of it would be a disservice,” says Massicotte, a Uconn John Dempsey Hospital nurse.
Massicotte graduated as President of the 75th graduating class of the University of Connecticut School of Nursing in 2017. As the third generation of nurses in his family and the first to earn a bachelor’s degree, he is now on his way to obtaining a master’s degree in nursing education in 2023, also from Uconn. He participates in many activities at Uconn Health, and now represents the alumni of Uconn’s nursing school as President of the alumni board.
Massicotte was only a few years into his career when the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in the United States. He had a personal stake in the success of COVID-19 patients both at Uconn Health and at home: Massicotte’s mother fell ill with a serious case of the disease. On her 54th birthday, she was intubated.
“It was obvious that this weighed heavily on him, as one might expect, but he did not falter in his commitment to his patients,” says Kaitlyn Standish, Nurse Aid at Uconn Health.
Every day he wasn’t with his mother at the hospital or her rehabilitation facility, he was at work, providing the same care to COVID-19 patients that he hoped was being provided to his own family. His mother was released from the rehabilitation facility on the 25th anniversary of his adoption, and is now doing well.
“From the beginning, Ryan worked through the entire pandemic and has been a staple on the unit, providing support to our Med 3 floor team and our patients and their families,” says Magdalena Pierce, MSN, RN, Nurse Manager, Medicine at Uconn Health.
His favorite part of the job is connecting with patients, forming relationships, and relating to their hopes and concerns as he cares for them.
“Theoretically the nurse is there with the patient the most, and I like connecting on a personal level to get to know them more than just a diagnosis. I want to know their hopes and fears, what keeps them up at night,” says Massicotte. “This was heightened during the pandemic as patients were not allowed to have in-person visitors and many nurses sat by the bedside and held their patients’ hands.”
Through the care he provides his patients, and the support he offers to his fellow nurses, his goal is to lead and inspire both current and future nurses. He is dedicated to the success of Uconn Health and the Uconn School of Nursing and has been entrusted also with teaching nursing students, new graduates, and interns as a clinical instructor. Massicotte would like to become a clinical nurse specialist, with the ultimate goal of teaching at his alma mater.
It is a common sight to see Ryan in the halls of the hospital, even late after his shift or on his days off. He makes a distinct effort to support his fellow nurses and the patients they serve.
A continuous learner, Massicotte loves to teach and can often be spotted with a medical textbook in hand. Several students have benefited from his desire to teach, not only to become proficient in day-to-day tasks but also to explore the “why” behind every medical intervention. Massicotte’s goal is to provide the best care to the patients at Uconn Health and ensures that his fellow nurses share that goal.
Massicotte met his fiancée while in nursing school and they worked together on the same floor during the pandemic. “She was my rock,” he says. When not working, studying, or supporting his nursing colleagues, he likes to play soccer and video games.
Massicotte is proud to be the first bedside nurse in the two years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to receive the Nightingale award at Uconn Health.
Massicotte’s legacy is just beginning. Wherever his path leads him, it is clear that he will conduct himself proudly as a Uconn nurse who has already made Uconn Health proud.