RIO RANCHO, N.M. — If you have to spend time in a hospital, things running efficiently should be the last of your worries. But now our state’s largest hospital system, University of New Mexico Hospital, is cutting 53 jobs.

Several of them are at Sandoval Regional Medical Center in Rio Rancho. A representative for the United Health Professionals of New Mexico, Adrienne Enghouse, said the decision could be disruptive to the flow of care, but is necessary.

She and other nurses have been raising concerns about resources at SRMC for years. They placed flags outside of the hospital in 2023; each one represented a healthcare provider who quit the hospital.

“We feel like because of the pressure these cuts were necessary to start to allocate resources in a way that will elevate patient care,” Enghouse said.

President of SRMC, Jamie Silva-Steele, was included in the cuts along with the chief financial officer, chief human resources officer, and the chief diversity and wellbeing officer. Five vacant positions were also eliminated, including the director of emergency services and the director of case management.

In a statement, a spokesperson for UNMH wrote, “Like many hospitals post-COVID, UNMH is facing financial challenges and preparing for possible federal funding changes.” He also wrote that by taking these steps now, the hospital is positioning itself to balance its current and future budgets.

Enghouse said she hopes the cuts free up more money to recruit providers.

“We really need more staff that want to stay at the bedside and that means creating a working environment that people want to work in,” she said.