Bonnie Higgins, manager of the pediatric unit at San Juan Regional Medical Center in Farmington, has been with the unit her entire career.
“I have been here for 40 years and that was the original unit that I came to," Higgins said in a recent KOB 4 report.
San Juan Regional Medical Center is unveiling its new pediatric wing. Space was tight in the old unit, as it had not changed in 40 years.
“Everyone was cramped in there together, there were no private restrooms." Audra Winters, executive director of the San Juan Medical Foundation, told KOB 4.
The San Juan Medical Foundation started a fundraising campaign back in 2019 in an attempt to make it more like home for the children.
“The need for our kiddos to have a place to play and stay and heal," Winters said. “That’s really important when you’re looking to bring more people into the area and also hiring skilled care workers, too, you want to have something that’s high-tech and enjoyable to work."
Winters noted that the community was more than willing to help address that need, and they were able to raise $750,000 to move the old pediatrics unit to a newly renovated wing in the hospital.
“The number of rooms has increased so we’ll have a few more rooms and that will allow our patients to stay in the community," Higgins said. “We are one of the only hospitals that have a pediatric unit in the Four Corners."
Included in the new unit is a playroom, sleeper recliners, on-suites and two negative pressure isolation rooms. But the colors in the unit are what stand out the most.
“We always have that theme of balloons because New Mexico is known for balloons," Higgins said. “Hot air balloons and we wanted lots of color. The more comfortable you are, the more positive things are, the better you’re healing. That’s what we want, a more healing environment here."
Ninety-nine percent of the donations came directly from the community, Winters said. The new space will allow the hospital to be able to treat more children.