KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) Two nurses at Cheshire Medical Center have been recognized at the state level for their outstanding contributions to nursing and patient care. Pamela Switzer and Chastity Hodgson were among 17 nurses statewide honored with the 2025 Excellence in Nursing Award, presented by New Hampshire Magazine and the New Hampshire Nurses Association.

Switzer, RN, BS, MSN, and Hodgson, RN, BSN, TCRN, were recognized for their leadership, skill, and dedication in their respective roles. The annual award honors nurses who go above and beyond to “comfort, heal and educate,” and this year included five other honorees from the Dartmouth Health system.

“I am so thrilled to see Chastity and Pam recognized at the state level,” said Anne Tyrol, Cheshire Medical Center’s Chief Nursing Officer. “They both represent the best of Cheshire nursing and are role models for consistently raising the bar for clinical excellence and professional practice.”

Switzer has spent nearly 25 years at Cheshire and currently manages the Pre-Operative and Post-Anesthesia Care Units. Early in her career, she considered becoming a flight nurse, but ultimately found her calling at the bedside.

“I want to be able to help people,” Switzer said. “I want to be able to support my team, be the voice of the patient and my team, and really just be present in helping people get well.” She added, “They’re the reason I come to work every day. It’s incredible to watch the extraordinary things they do with the patients. They make my job easy.”

Ashley Copeland, RN, MS, director of surgical services, praised Switzer’s leadership. “Pam is deeply knowledgeable and always has her staff’s back, offering guidance and support whenever needed,” Copeland said. “Her leadership style instills trust and confidence, making her a valued and respected manager.”

Hodgson began her career at Cheshire in 2017 as an emergency department technician while completing a co-op nursing education program through Northeastern University. She returned to Cheshire after graduation in 2018 and now serves as a charge nurse in the emergency department.

“I did my first one in an ED in Boston and then wanted to do my second one closer to home [in Jaffrey] so that I could … create connections for a potential job after I graduated,” Hodgson said.

“It is truly an honor to be able to be a part of patients’ hardest days,” she continued. “As a charge nurse, I end up spending a lot of time with families of critical patients, and I love being able to do small things to make their situations even just a little bit better.”

Justin Lyons, RN, nurse manager of the Emergency Department, described Hodgson as a steady presence in the most demanding moments. “Chastity is frequently the calm voice of reason during the most critical of situations and always sets a positive, professional tone in the department, no matter the atmosphere and workload,” he said.