Riverwood Healthcare Center is proud to announce that Ryan Henry, LPN, a nurse in the Aitkin Primary Care Clinic, has been selected as the latest recipient of the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.
Henry has been with Riverwood for nearly 16 years, dedicating his entire nursing career to serving patients in the Aitkin community.
Rita Oaks, the patient who nominated Henry for the award shared powerful words about the impact he has made:
“It’s always a great experience when Ryan is my clinic nurse. With his knowledge and experience, he makes sure everything is ready for my appointments and communicates quickly to keep me in the loop. Most importantly, Ryan is kind and caring. He sees me as a person and for who I am.”
Henry says his favorite part of nursing is “making sure my patients leave with what they need and closing the communication gaps along the way. Being their advocate is what drives me every day.”
Outside of work, Henry stays just as busy. He’s a full-time hockey referee, a lifelong sports fan (especially of the Timberwolves) and enjoys collecting vintage wrestling memorabilia. When he’s not on the ice or cheering on his favorite teams, you might find him out on the lake walleye fishing. He and his wife Beth, also a nurse at Riverwood, have been married for 11 years and met while working here. They share a blended family with daughters Natalie and Hailey, son Alex, and granddaughter Eleanor.
Carla Zupko, Chief Nursing Officer at Riverwood Healthcare Center, shared, “Ryan is the kind of nurse every patient hopes to have. His commitment to personalized care, follow-through, and patient advocacy is unmatched. We are thrilled to honor him with the DAISY Award and celebrate the impact he continues to make on our patients’ lives.”
The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, CA, and was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.