The South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations (SDAHO) is proud to showcase Tonya Bloom, RN, with Fall River Health Services in Hot Springs, South Dakota in this weeks, Rural Healthcare – Expanding the Workforce Pipeline, video campaign.
About the Campaign:
This campaign is part of SDAHO’s broader workforce development grant initiative, designed to help member facilities recruit and retain health care professionals. In 2023, SDAHO received the Rural Network Development Grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), leading to the formation of the South Dakota Rural Workforce Network (SDRWN), a collaboration among health care organizations and community partners across the state.
As part of this initiative, a video series was created featuring SDRWN members. The series highlights real health care professionals in South Dakota, providing valuable insight into their roles, skills, training, and educational journeys.
The campaign specifically targets:
- Second-career individuals
- High school students exploring healthcare careers
Featured Professional:
Tonya Bloom, a Registered Nurse at Fall River Health Services, exemplifies a career defined by unwavering dedication and a lifelong ambition to care for others. Her path to nursing, though not direct, showcases a profound commitment to her goals, her family, and her community.
Bloom’s journey in the healthcare field began in 2003, not in a classroom, but on the front lines of patient care as a Nurse’s Aide. It was in this role that her innate passion for nursing solidified, leading her to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA).
Recognizing her potential and dedication, Fall River Health Services, along with her friends and family, provided a crucial network of encouragement and support to continue to health care education. As a single parent, the prospect of juggling a demanding job, rigorous studies, and raising a family was daunting. However, Bloom’s perseverance prevailed, and she successfully earned her nursing degree.
Today, as a Registered Nurse, Bloom finds daily fulfillment in her work, embracing the rewarding moments that come with helping patients on their healing journeys. Her dedication has not only shaped her own career but has also inspired the next generation. In a testament to her influence, both of her daughters have chosen to follow in her footsteps, embarking on their own health care careers at Fall River Health Services. Her journey from a Nurse’s Aide to a Registered Nurse is a testament to her resilience and a source of inspiration for her colleagues, her family, and others looking for their own unconventional health care career.
Full Video featuring Tonya Bloom:
Watch More:
Additional videos can be found on the South Dakota Health Care Workforce Resource Center Webpage at: https://sdworkforce.com/expanding-the-workforce-pipeline/
Throughout June and July 2025, SDAHO will share additional articles and videos showcasing more SDRWN members sharing their own professional health care journey.
To stay updated on video releases, follow campaign efforts, or explore tools and resources visit the South Dakota Health Care Workforce Resource Center Webpage at sdworkforce.com or contact Lindsay Stroman at Lindsay.Stroman@sdaho.org.
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $1,150,097 with 0% percentage financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.
