Mandy Feldkamp always knew she wanted to be a nurse so that she could help others. The Tomah Health Acute Care registered nurse was named the hospital’s 2024 recipient of the internationally recognized DAISY Award during a National Hospital Week event at Tomah Health May 14.
“Ever since I was little, I always wanted to be a nurse,” said Feldkamp. “I had a cousin that I looked up to and she was a nurse. I’ve always enjoyed just helping get people through that hard time in their life when they’re sick or in the hospital.”
Feldkamp has worked at Tomah Health for two years and is the eighth person to receive the DAISY award since the hospital first implemented it in 2017. “I just feel very honored to even be one of the candidates for this award. There are so many amazing nurses here at Tomah Health. Everyone does such a great job caring for patients,” Feldkamp added.
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.
Feldkamp was one of 41 nurses at Tomah Health nominated for the award. Her nomination came from a family member of a patient who said Feldkamp should be recognized for her bedside manner. “Mandy was so patient with my mom, the way she talked to her and interacted was special,” wrote the family member. “It gave me as her son, such peace of mind when she (Mandy) was her nurse,” the family member concluded.
Tomah Health Acute Care director Jessye Buswell said Feldkamp’s recognition was well deserved. “Mandy is always positive to both patients and her co-workers,” said Buswell. “I’m very proud that we have nurses that are thought of as the best in the trade, caring for our community members.”
Feldkamp said feedback from patients is appreciated from patients. “I love that we’re a small-town hospital and we really do get the time to make that connection with our patients.”
Tomah Health chief nursing officer Tracy Myhre said the hospital takes part in the DAISY Award because it validates the type of nursing care provided at Tomah Health. “It really sets the standard for nurses internationally, so it sets that bar to a level of our nurses who provide the absolute best care; the same care that patients get at any large facility. I would argue that patients get even better care here because it is really personalized and special.”
More than 150 nurses are part of the Tomah Health staff.
Patients, families, and colleagues can nominate nurses for the recognition using our DAISY Award nomination form. CLICK HERE