Photo submitted to Times Observer From left, Nurse Educator Penny Jensen, Registered Nurse Chelsea Loney, Respiratory and CCU Nurse Manager Chris Sonney, and Certified Nursing Assistant Jett Nicholson pose with the DAISY Award banner after Sonney was named Warren General Hospital’s most recent recipient of the award.

Being a health care provider has grown even more challenging during the COVID pandemic.

A nurse manager at Warren General Hospital has been recognized for stepping up to that challenge and continuing to be the backbone of several departments and showing her ‘kindness, caring, and compassion.’

Chris Sonney, RN, is the hospital’s fifth DAISY Award for an Extraordinary Nurse winner.

She was nominated anonymously by one of her peers in December, according to a hospital release.

According to the nomination, Sonney ‘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 to 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 team builder 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.”

Co-workers continued to heap praise upon Sonney during the DAISY Award celebration.

A 17-year veteran of the staff said Sonney has provided stability through difficult times. “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 wind blows in another storm, we hold our breath and wonder how we will survive this one.” “I can’t even image 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 does keep 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.”

“The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s program to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform every day,” according to the release. “The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization, established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, by members of his family. 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.”

DAISY stands for “Diseases Attacking the Immune System.”

“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,” the release said.

“Nurses may be nominated by patients, families, and colleagues,” according to the release. “The award recipient is chosen by a committee at Warren General Hospital to receive the DAISY Award. Awards are presented throughout the year at celebrations attended by the Honoree’s colleagues, patients, and visitors. Each Honoree receives a certificate commending her or him as an ‘Extraordinary Nurse.’ The certificate reads: ‘In deep appreciation of all you do, who you are, and the incredibly meaningful difference you make in the lives of so many people.'”

“Honorees also receive a DAISY Award pin and a beautiful and meaningful sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe,” according to the release.

“When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night,” Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, President and Co-Founder of The DAISY Foundation, said. “Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human, extraordinary, compassionate work they do. The kind of work the nurses at Warren General Hospital are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”

“We are proud to be among the healthcare organizations participating in The DAISY Award program,” Chief Nursing Officer Joe Akif said. “Nurses are heroes every day. It’s important that our nurses know their work is highly valued, and The DAISY Foundation provides a way for us to do that.”