By Cornelia De Bruin, The Daily Times, Farmington, N.M.
Jul. 29–FARMINGTON — Deborah Gerber, San Juan Regional Medical Center’s chief nursing officer, is retiring after nearly a quarter-century career at the facility.
The regional hospital’s clinical director of nursing, Suzanne Smith, succeeds her Aug. 15.
“I’ve been under Deb’s tutelage the entire time, and it’s prepared me to assume the role,” Smith said. “I’m excited, but I’m nervous to step into her shoes and do a service to the community.”
The position Gerber vacates oversees the nursing services to patients at San Juan Regional. The chief nursing officer also offers mentorship to the hospital’s nursing staff and acts as a liaison among the physicians, nurses and with the hospital’s board of directors.
“It’s a leader for the services with a focus on quality, consistency and compliance,” Smith said.
Gerber considers the change to be her retirement, but like many career workers, she will keep her hands in her profession.
“I’ll be working for Herman Miller as a consultant,” she said.
The national firm provides health care products. Gerber said she will remain in Farmington.
“It’s been a hard decision because I have spent a large part of my life here and I have a lot of friends in the organization,” she said.
Her working career spans four decades, beginning in Wichita, Kan., and tailing off as citizen ambassador to China, a position awarded her by the American Organization of Nurse Executives last year.
Gerber watched the hospital grow from a two- to a four-floor facility with a tower during her years at San Juan Regional. The nursing administration offices occupy the hospital’s original Labor/Delivery area.
Women’s medical needs led the way for changes in how health care services are delivered.
“The national demand by families led the movement to health care delivery,” Smith said, referring to the more family friendly options available to parents when a new baby joins them. “It’s evolution.”
Speaking to the liaison duties of the chief nursing officer, both women said another aspect of changes in the medical care delivery systems the hospital offers is the cooperative, collegial relationship between nurses and physicians, and the open lines of communication between the two groups.
“The hospital’s medical staff has been very insightful in putting together guidelines that keep all of us to a higher standard,” Gerber said.
Gerber’s and Smith’s nursing training taught them it is a privilege and an honor to care for patients. That training will go with Smith into her new position.
“Things change and evolve; I still get to do nursing and stay abreast of what’s going on,” she said. “Nursing administration is real nursing.”
Reminiscing over her years at San Juan Regional, Gerber praised the hospital as a great organization that is progressing and filled with state-of-the-art equipment.
“I give a lot of credit to the hospital,” she said.
San Juan Regional is San Juan County’s largest employer, with more than 1,400 employees. Many of them — 475 total — are nurses.
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