Every year, Mary Rutan Health takes part in celebrating National Nurses Week, a week where they celebrate nurses for all the care, knowledge, and compassion they bring to our community. From moments of joy to times of uncertainty, they are a constant source of comfort, strength, and healing to patients and families across our communities.
During this week’s celebrations, Mary Rutan Health has the honor of naming one Nurse of the Year from a Mary Rutan Health Clinic, and one from Mary Rutan Hospital. Nurses of the Year are nominated by their peers. The nominations are sent to the Office of Patient Services, where the final nominee is chosen after all nominations have been submitted. Nurses of the Year exemplify the mission and vision of Mary Rutan Health by providing progressive, quality healthcare with a personal touch.
The 2026 Mary Rutan Clinic Nurse of the Year is Ashley Davis, LPN and the 2026 Mary Rutan Hospital Nurse of the Year is Joseph Young, RN. Mary Sebring, VP of Patient Services, commented, “The Nurse of the Year Award recognizes not only clinical expertise, but also leadership, teamwork and the ability to make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients, families, and colleagues every single day. We are extremely proud to give this honor to both Ashley and Joe, who go above and beyond in their roles each day through their professionalism, integrity, and their dedication to excellence!”
Ashley Davis, LPN, is a nurse at Mary Rutan Ear, Nose & Throat. She spends much of her day providing kind and compassionate care to all who visit the clinic, and her teammates say she goes above and beyond to create a smooth, easy workflow for all who work with her. Her peers nominated her for many different reasons, expressing, “Ashley has a strong work ethic, striking intellect, strong attention to detail, and is very reliable” and, “Ashley has mastered every aspect of being an LPN, and not only that, she is one of the kindest, caring people that brings a good attitude and positivity with her to work each day.”
Joseph Young (middle)
Joseph Young, RN, is a nurse at Mary Rutan Hospital, where he provides care to inpatients on the 4th floor. Joe is known to be a thorough, kind, and compassionate member of the Mary Rutan Health team. His teammates say he is hardworking and respectful, and this makes him a joy to work with! One staff member that nominated Joe said, “Joe always has a positive attitude that lifts everyone around him. He consistently offers help and ensures patients are cared for. He is a go-to friendly face at Mary Rutan Hospital.” Another team member stated, “Joe’s attitude and the way he treats people is mind blowing. He is just a really good human! I would take Joe as my nurse one thousand times over, not just because he is a great person, but also because he is great at his job!”
In surprise ceremonies at their respective offices, Ashley and Joe received their Nurse of the Year plaques, along with flowers and other gifts of gratitude from their team members, as well as nursing and administrative staff, who congratulated and thanked the Nurses of the Year for their dedication and compassion. Ashley and Joe will also have their names added to the Nurse of the Year Registry at Mary Rutan Health as a lasting reminder of their compassion and dedicated care.
