US Navy team continues to help SJRMC personnel

FARMINGTON, N.M. – The San Juan Regional Medical Center in Farmington enacted crisis standards of care just last month. Now, it’s been almost two weeks since U.S. Navy personnel arrived to help with the fight against COVID.

“We are here to support the San Juan Regional Medical Center team through this hard time with COVID, we really just want to help them become more successful and create more safe care,” said Kennedy Garcia, a registered nurse in the U.S. Navy

The 20-person medical team already has their hands full.

“It’s been busy, but it’s been an honor and a privilege to help the nurses and all the staff with their patient load we realized very quickly that COVID is real and it does not discriminate,” said Lt. j.g. Alison Fleer.

About half of the patients at SJRMC have COVID-19. The team is hopeful to bring some sort relief to those ongoing challenges.

“Our mission here is really to support the people of New Mexico, we’re here to help with the COVID response and supplement staffing so they’re not so worked,” said Haley Ehrhardt, a registered nurse in the U.S. Navy.

The hospital remains in crisis standards of care. The U.S. Navy team will continue to assist the hospital by the start of next year.