CHRISTINA CITARELLA

It is with excitement and pleasure that I nominate Chrissy as a Nurse of the Year. Chrissy was instrumental in the success of her unit during this Covid pandemic. Her unit was designated as the “COVID unit,” and she immediately became the cheerleader for her team! She became the champion for innovation, encouraging and supporting her co-workers as they tried new things, leading change initiatives. As we all know, PPE was in short supply and solutions to caring for the COVID patients needed to be improvised. Chrissy served as a solution seeker, always raising the bar for optimal patient care and at the same time being cognizant of the needs of her caregivers. She consistently offered her time and assistance, encouraged team growth; helping her team work together to accomplish the necessary goals. As I rounded on the floors, I always saw Chrissy stepping in for extra work without complaint. She was always pleasant in interactions with patients and staff, demonstrating empathy to all, showing compassion for patients and their loved ones.

Chrissy would be the first inpatient nurse an admitted COVID positive patient would meet; her team would go down to the Emergency Department to transport their patient to their room. In full PPE, she would enter the room, greet the patient and instill an air of confidence and reassurance to the patient. She wanted to be certain the patient was put at ease during their difficult time.

The last year has been a very emotional time for all nurses. When integrity, caring, compassion, positive attitude, professionalism, sense of ownership and teamwork was an absolute requirement for survival, Chrissy led the charge, demonstrating personal accountability for the success of her team and the entire organization. Most importantly, for those moments when patients were at their most vulnerable, Chrissy was there to hold their hands, provide much needed emotional support, and yes, even be there as COVID won the battle.