Hospital board sees updated plans

Roosevelt General Hospital is seeing some new changes on the horizon as evidenced by the steps taken by board members and administration Thursday during the monthly board meeting.

Hospital administrator James D’Agostino presented an updated set of plans for expansion, which include a new emergency room, private patient rooms, an ICU unit and expansion of the dietary services and storage units.

Officials will break the project into phases and estimate the costs from that point, D’Agostino said.

Board members approved looking into funding options and cost projections.

“I think we need to continue to press on,” D’Agostino said.

In other business:

• Interim nursing director Tawnya Burton said a program designed to provide long-term care for sexual assault victims has been established at RGH.

The pediatric sexual abuse deferred reporting program is spearheaded by nurse practitioner Gail Guiterrez, and will be used for victims in Roosevelt and Curry counties.

Roosevelt General Hospital is the fifth such designated site in New Mexico, Burton said.

“I’m really excited. It’s a huge stride for us for the care of victims in our community,” Burton said.

• Chief Financial Officer Eva Stevens reported a $300,000 profit in January, most of which was received from the New Mexico Legislature, Stevens said.

• Applicants for the director of nursing have been narrowed to two candidates.

• Estimated completion of the new building for MRI is scheduled for 12 weeks.

• A policy has been established to limit the hours and shifts of emergency room doctors to help prevent overload on the doctor and ensure proper patient care.

• Training has continued in the certification of critical care nurses. A total of eight nurses will be certified in the hospital upon completion of the training.