I am one of the anesthesiologists at the hospital, and I would like to commend Kris for going above and beyond for a patient and his family.

The patient has a severe mental delay and has endured multiple setbacks over the past year, including prolonged hospitalizations that left him with PTSD related to healthcare settings. He had once enjoyed going out but had since become fearful of leaving his home. We needed to complete a procedure that had already been delayed twice due to multiple factors. His aging parents were understandably anxious, worried that their adult yet mentally juvenile son would not receive compassionate care since he could be combative.

On the day of surgery, the patient and his parents were first cared for by Kris in pre-op. Their fear was immediately eased. Kris was professional yet gentle, and he was able to establish trust with the patient in a remarkably short time.

The crucial moment came when it was time to place a peripheral IV to start anesthesia. Because the patient trusted Kris, he allowed him to hold his hand while I placed the IV. It was as atraumatic as could be. From there, everything else fell into place. Kris even accompanied the patient from pre-op to endoscopy, where the procedure took place.

The surgery would not have been possible without Kris’s groundwork that morning. When I followed up with the patient’s mother later, she shared how well he was doing. He even went out with friends and enjoyed himself again. She was incredibly grateful for the care her son received at ECH.

We are fortunate to have such wonderful perioperative staff, and Kris stands out as an exemplary employee.