VA Providence Nurse Michael Matos Honored for Excellence in Nursing

For Michael Matos, RN, nursing is about more than providing treatment. It is about building relationships, helping Veterans heal and seeing the direct impact compassionate, consistent care can have on quality of life.

That commitment has earned the VA Providence Podiatry Services nurse recognition as the Clinical Practice Nurse honoree in Rhode Island Monthly’s 2026 Excellence in Nursing Awards. Rhode Island Monthly and the Rhode Island State Nurses Association are recognizing nurses across 13 categories this year, with Matos selected for Clinical Practice. 

Matos brings more than 20 years of nursing experience to his work, including approximately 15 years specializing in wound care. His interest in the specialty began early in his career at Pawtucket Memorial Hospital, where an exceptional mentor helped inspire his passion for the field.

For Matos, wound care provides something particularly meaningful: the ability to see how treatment and patient education directly affect healing and quality of life.

That impact is especially meaningful when caring for Veterans.

In his profile with Rhode Island Monthly, Matos reflected on the significance of caring for those who served, including the personal connection he feels through his brother, who is a Veteran. He also emphasized the relationships he has developed with the Veterans he cares for and works alongside.

Matos acknowledged the challenges facing nurses in an increasingly complex health care environment, but said the most rewarding moments come from seeing patients succeed — wounds healing, quality of life improving and patients achieving outcomes they once believed were impossible.

Those moments capture what the recognition represents: skilled clinical care paired with education, support and a commitment to the individual Veteran.

The 2026 Excellence in Nursing Awards recognize nurses throughout Rhode Island for their dedication, compassion and contributions to patients and families. Matos joins honorees representing areas including clinical education, public health, nursing leadership, long-term care and advanced practice nursing. 

For VA Providence, his recognition also highlights the nurses whose expertise and relationships with Veterans make a difference every day.

Read Rhode Island Monthly’s 2026 Excellence in Nursing Awards feature⁠