Chris was recognized because "she demonstrates kindness, caring and compassion towards both her staff and the patients here at Warren General Hospital. She devotes her time and energy to making sure Warren General Hospital's IMSAC, CCU, and Respiratory departments are running smoothly. She is the backbone of these units and has dedicated her entire nursing career to our Hospital." When COVID hit Warren County, Chrissy stepped up and made sure the nurses and respiratory knew she was in this fight together with them. The first COVID Code on IMSAC, Chrissy was right in the room helping run the code. She has taken on extra responsibilities to help when needed, without complaint. She puts in extra hours every week to be sure every need is met. She is a Teambuilder among her peers and staff members. Chris's care towards others inspires us to be better at what we do. She is definitely a leader with a big heart. She is always concerned for the well-being of others and putting her personal needs last. Today I would like to recognize Chris Sonney for all she does, the compassion she demonstrates, and the devotion she has for Warren General Hospital. Thank you for being an Exceptional Nurse Leader.
One nurse who has worked at WGH for 17 years wrote, "Warren General Hospital is like sand running through fingers. Nothing stays the same very long. People are never the same, policies, drugs, nurses, doctors, management, and managers changing all the time. At times it seems like chaos and nothing is stable, except the hand. Without the hand, the sand would stop flowing. There wouldn't be anyone there to sweep down and gather more sand to start over; there wouldn't be any more constant flow. Through all these years, I have felt like we have a hand. Chris has been our hand. I knew it didn't matter how little sand or if there were buckets of sand, her hand has always been there. Every time there is more work than nurses, she gathers what she has with encouragement, love, and understanding. Every time the wind blows in another storm, we hold our breath and wonder how we will survive this one. I can't even imagine how many times Chris has questioned her own ability. We have lost countless managers, leaders, nurses, and staff. We have cried with countless families as they said goodbye. How can she take on one more responsibility, one more job, one more care, one more of our burdens, or one more bucket of sand? I have often wondered how Chris keeps going. How does she remember everyone's name and care about each of us, our families, our schedules, our concerns and still manage to keep everything flowing so smoothly and still smile. Chris is a powerful, smart caring woman. Nevertheless, just a human hand led by an Almighty God, a woman full of faith, compassion, prayerful wisdom, and God-given strength. Chris is our hand. She has the hand that never stops loving all of us. She has a hand to help us up when we are down, a hand to give an extra push to keep us going, a hand to settle the problems down when they arise. Chris has a hand that has never given up through all the storms of many years at Warren General Hospital. She has given every one of us her everything, every single day. It wouldn't matter what we did, it could never be enough to thank her for always being our hand. She has never expected or received any praise or recognition from others but we notice. We have always noticed that without your hand we could never do what we do. Thank you."