Methodist Hospital | Texsan recently announced the appointment of Tonja Thigpen, MSN, CCNS, CCRN-K, NEA-BC as their new chief nursing officer (CNO). Previously, Tonja served as the chief nursing officer at Methodist Hospital | Atascosa. Tonja has held several other leadership roles throughout her career, including administrative director of nursing operations and practice at Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
During her time at Methodist Hospital | Atascosa, Tonja helped lead through the last major COVID-19 surge, while continuing to aid in the achievement of high employee engagement and patient satisfaction scores. Since joining the Methodist Healthcare System, Tonja has been a hands-on leader. She has been supportive and encouraging to ensure that we provide the best care to our community and stay true to our mission.
Tonja holds a BSN from Virginia Commonwealth University, an MSN from Liberty University and earned her Doctorate degree from Virginia University of Lynchburg. She has also completed the AONE Nurse Director Fellowship Program in 2016 and is a board-certified critical care nurse specialist certified in critical care nursing and nursing administration. Tonja has a proven track record of fostering a culture of ownership through accountability, respect, innovation, and shared governance. Tonja also served in the United States Army for nine years.
“Under Tonja's leadership, Methodist Hospital | Texsan will continue to provide exceptional care to the community while growing to meet the needs of the patients and families in our community,” said Scott Rausch, chief executive officer for Methodist Hospital | Texsan.