San Juan Regional Medical Center’s pediatric unit has served tens of thousands of children since it opened in 1978. We are grateful to have the only designated pediatric unit in our region, providing our youngest patients with their own space instead of putting them on units with adult patients. However, it’s time that the unit’s design and décor match the outstanding care provided by our caregiving teams.
San Juan Medical Foundation is helping to make this much needed upgrade a reality with its Building Wings Children’s Fund. This initiative’s goal is to raise $500,000 for some hugely impactful improvements that children and families will enjoy for years to come. These changes will optimize the way we deliver care so our children can get the best care possible right here at home.
We want our pediatric unit to be a warm, comforting, inviting place where our patients and their families can receive state-of-the-art, compassionate care. In order to do that, we need to bring the unit up to date. Our much-needed renovations include:
- Patient room upgrades
- Medical grade air
- Negative pressure rooms
- Nurse station upgrade
- Unit entry upgrade
- Security upgrade
- Playroom addition
“I have witnessed the impact we are able to have on the health and wellness of the children in the Four Corners and their families. A large part of this impact is made by our amazing pediatric nurses, respiratory therapists and the countless support staff that make our unit run so well. A big void in delivering the very best care has been our outdated pediatric ward which is missing such necessary modernizations as private rooms, and adequate space for parents to remain with their children,” said Brad Scoggins, DO, of San Juan Health Partners Pediatrics.
Upgrades to patient rooms will include private bathrooms for each room, flat screen televisions, and a comfortable sleeper recliner where parents can stay with their children. In addition, two negative pressure isolation rooms will be added to the unit to prevent the spread of airborne diseases.
Maybe most exciting for the children, the upgrades include a community playroom. Currently, all toys available for children to play with are sitting on a small desk with no real space to spread out and play. The community playroom will provide a much-needed break for children physically able to take one. It will feature natural light, bright, happy colors and seating for parents and caregivers.
Nurse station upgrades will include a spacious layout with readily-accessible patient intake and guest registration access to ensure that our nurses and support staff are ready to deliver the outstanding service we’ve come to expect. To enhance security, remote locking secure doors will be added to the unit with the ability to lock down in case of an emergency.
“We are very excited for the improvements to come and the benefits they will bring to the children of our community,” said Jeff Bourgeois, President and CEO of San Juan Regional Medical Center. “This initiative is something that’s near and dear to all of our hearts, as our children are truly our future. In fact, 100 percent of our senior leadership team has contributed to the Building Wings Children’s Fund. Every single donation counts. It takes all of us together to make a difference.”
The San Juan Medical Foundation will be running the Building Wings Children’s Fund campaign through the end of 2021. Donations can be made online. If you are able to contribute, we thank you. Every single dollar collected will help us to create a space equipped to deliver quality care for years to come.