Ryan Fish
Tomah Health registered nurse Ryan Fish knows the importance of making a connection with his patients. The Emergency Services RN was named the hospital’s 2025 recipient of the internationally recognized Daisy Award May 12 during a program as part of National Hospital Week.
Fish was one of 49 nurses at Tomah Health nominated for the award. His nomination came from a family member of a patient who said Fish should be recognized for his exemplary care. “Ryan treated Dad with the utmost respect, compassion, and care,” wrote the family member. “Dad is a veteran, as is Ryan who made things happen that were in the best interest of Dad and that is what health care should be. Every patient should have a Ryan,” the family member concluded.
Fish said receiving the award was an honor. “I connected with that person, because I’m a fellow veteran and I have a soft spot for the veterans and we have a lot in this community, so they played to my heart,” said Fish, who served six years in the Air National Guard. “That family I could tell was in a lot of distress. I tried to make sure that what we do best here and make sure that they understood what was going on and give them the best care possible.”
Fish has worked at Tomah Health for four years and is the ninth person to receive the DAISY award since the hospital first implemented it in 2017. He is also the first male nurse at Tomah Health to receive the award. “I think that’s pretty exciting,” said hospital Chief Clinical /Chief Nursing Officer Tracy Myhre, MSN, RN. “We know that male nurses are underrepresented in the workforce, so it’s really exciting when we can highlight the important work that they bring to the field.”
The DAISY award recognition program was established by the not-for-profit DAISY Foundation, based in Glen Ellen, California, by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), an autoimmune disease. Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, President and Co-Founder of The DAISY Foundation said the care Patrick and his family received from nurses inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.
Myhre said Fish characterizes the vital role that nurses play as well as the care provided to patients. “It really highlights that our nurses connect with their patients. When people come here, they really want to be more than just a number and I believe they are. Patients who come here feel cared for, they feel heard and seen and that makes a huge difference in outcomes for patients because they put their faith in us.”
Fish said his passion to become a nurse began when he was 15 years old. “My first job when I was 15 was a CNA (certified nursing assistant) in Sparta. That’s where I really started to enjoy taking care of people in nursing.” While nursing is a challenging career, Fish admits that it is one he truly enjoys. “I have good days and bad days. Families like to know they’re not just a number. They like to know that they’re heard, and we are making it a priority here at Tomah Health. I think we do that very well,” he added.
Myhre said the hospital takes part in the DAISY Award because it validates the type of nursing care provided at Tomah Health. Nurses are nominated for the award by patients, families and colleagues, and then chosen by a committee of nurses at Tomah Health to receive the award. Nearly 180 nurses are part of the Tomah Health staff.
To Nominate a Nurse for our Daisy Award, CLICK HERE