Memorial Medical Center in Las Cruces reflects on challenges, growth during pandemic

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico -- After a year of strained resources, overwhelmed healthcare workers and unprecedented obstacles during the pandemic, the leaders of Memorial Medical Center in Las Cruces reflected on the hospital's challenges and preparedness for future emergencies.

"We have gone through a lot as a hospital, as a region, as a community and cooperating with hospitals and other providers throughout the state of New Mexico," said John Harris, the CEO of Memorial Medical Center.

On March 3, 2020, the hospital received its first Covid-19 patient. In November of 2020, the staffers at Memorial Medical Center saw the highest number of virus patients during the pandemic, caring for 71 people at a time, healthcare officials confirmed at a news conference on Friday. Currently, the hospital is treating five Covid-19 patients.

The hospital's chief nursing officer and incident commander reflected on the most difficult moments of the pandemic.

"You look at your staff's eyes, and you see the exhaustion and you can't fix that," recalled Caryn Iverson. "I can tell you that will probably affect me for the rest of my life."

As of Friday, 81% of staffers at Memorial Medical Center were vaccinated, hospital leaders said at the news conference. The hospital currently does not require its employees to get vaccinated.

"Our parent company was not going to make it mandatory at this time," said . "That doesn't mean it may not happen at a different time, but they felt like they would give the employees the opportunity to do it and with 81% of our employees doing that, we felt that was a good turnout."

Medical experts at the hospital strongly recommended that Las Cruces residents who have delayed their yearly check-ups schedule them now.

"It's time," said Twyla Anderson, the hospital's director of infection control and prevention. "Act now if you're been putting off getting your preventative healthcare."