Born and raised in Maine, Carmen was the first
woman in her family to attend college. She earned
her bachelor of science degree in nursing from the
University of Maine. Just months after receiving her
degree, she joined the U.S. Army nurse corps and went
to Vietnam. She served as a float nurse, traveling and
filling in for other nurses while they were on leave from
their duties. When the war ended, Carmen went on to
complete her master’s in medical and surgical nursing
at the University of Colorado.
“At that time, the role of nurse practitioner didn’t ex-
ist and we were just beginning to see nurses specializing
in critical care,” Carmen said. “After completing my
master’s, I began teaching as a professor of nursing.”
Her teaching took her first to the University of Texas
in Austin and then to the Intercollegiate Center for
Nursing Education in Spokane, Washington. She
also held several different roles at Deaconess Empire
Health Services in Spokane before making the move to
Kootenai Health.
By Kim Anderson
They represent
a work force that is 574 strong. At
25 percent of employees, they are the largest percent
of the largest employer in northern Idaho. They
are Kootenai Health’s nurses. Legendary for their
compassion, relentless in their craft, they put the care
in health care.
This year, for the first time in 25 years, the nurses at
Kootenai Health will be looking to a new leader. Chief
nursing officer Carmen Brochu announced her retire-
ment this past spring. As significant as the change will
be, a survey of her career shows it will be another in a
series of changes throughout her tenure.
In 1988 Coeur d’Alene’s “big blue hospital” was just
4 years old and still carrying debt from its expansion.
The local economy was finally taking an upturn after
years of business closures and economic depression.
Kootenai Health recruited Carmen as its vice president
of nursing.
25
years
of caring
As CNO, Carmen Brochu regularly meets with
nursing staff to plan and coordinate care initiatives.
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NURSING
