Press Releases
New Role for Versatile Nurse
Posted on Friday, April 7th, 2023
Hospital Case Manager Rose Quickly Through Education
Griselda “Chela” Santibanez is the type of Registered Nurse that other RNs point to with pride. “Write about Chela,” they say. “She is our case manager.”
(The case manager follows the progress of patients on the nursing floor or in the skilled nursing unit and helps them plan for care after discharge. More about that later).
To be clear, Santibanez is the hospital’s first fulltime case manager. She prepared by filling all the other nursing slots at Mercy Health Love County: medical assistant in the clinic, emergency room nurse, hospital nurse, and school nurse. That is in just 10 years on the job.
Successsive levels of education and training were required. And so it was that Santibanez followed up her medical assistant associate’s degree with a four-year bachelor’s degree in nursing, licensure as a Registered Nurse, and, most recently, six months of specialized training and interning in case management.
Every step, her colleagues and her husband, Armando Santibanez, LaRoca Restaurant’s cook, encouraged Chela to stay with her education. The Love County Health Center Foundation provided scholarships. Her mother, Gabina Bustos, an environmental services specialist at the hospital, and extended family members helped at home.
At one time, Chela’s schedule went like this: Work nights as a registrar at the emergency room, drive to campus, sleep in the car before class. After class, return home to study...
Hospital Support Tax Passes by 93%
Posted on Wednesday, February 15th, 2023
Prayer Answered: Hospital CNA Laura Beck held up an election flyer at the nurse’s station last week to express her hope for the outcome of the hospital sales tax election February 14.
County voters showed love for their hospital on Valentine’s Day, February 14. By a 93% margin, they renewed a one-cent sales tax for 10 years to equip and maintain the Love County Health Center.
The results were 335 Yes votes and 23 No votes. The proposition passed overwhelmingly at all 10 voting precincts.
The health center includes the hospital, clinic, and EMS. The tax raises revenue of about $1.6 million per year, according to hospital administrator Scott Callender.
“We are grateful for the support shown for our coworkers and operations. Everyone here is very happy today and appreciative of the patients and other citizens who showed how much they value their local healthcare,” Callender said.
Below are election results by precinct:
Precinct 101, Marietta School Auditorium – 52 Yes, 1 No
Precinct 103, Thackerville First Baptist Church – 33 Yes, 6 No
Precinct 204, Marietta First Baptist Church – 43 Yes, 3 No
Precinct 205, Turner School Auditorium – 51 Yes, 3 No
Precinct 206, Leon Community Building – 18 Yes, 3 No
Precinct 207, Rubottom Baptist Church – 27 Yes, 0 No
Precinct 310, Marietta, Love County Fair Building – 36 Yes, 3 No
Precinct 311, Greenville School – 29 Yes, 1 No
Precinct 312, Enville Community Church – 35 Yes, 2 No
Precinct 313, Eastman Baptist...
Help In a Hurry Proves Value of Local Healthcare
Posted on Thursday, February 9th, 2023
High-Level Help: Mercy Health Love County EMS summoned two air ambulances to transport seriously-injured patients after a multi-vehicle pile-up at mile marker 14 on I-35 on February 3. Behind the EMS ambulance, north-bound traffic was backed up all the way to the Red River bridge.
Travelers on I-35 and local residents can be thankful for Love County emergency response. Area firefighters and hospital medics delivered high-level assistance at pile-ups between the Red River and Marietta last week.
The latest incident occurred Friday afternoon at mile marker 14 on I-35. An RV towing a small sport utility vehicle struck an 18-wheeler that had slowed down for traffic.
The RV was occupied by two people and both required extrication with hydraulic rescue tools. Medics called two air ambulances to the scene to transport the seriously-injured patients. North-bound traffic was backed up all the way to the Red River bridge for several hours.
Icy conditions were the cause of a 15-car and truck pile-up on a bridge at the 8 mile marker of I-35 on January 31. Injuries were few, according to Tad Hall, Emergency Room and EMS manager, who said one patient was transported to an area hospital.
But more dispatches ensued. “Throughout the day, EMS responded to several other wrecks and illnesses, and a patient was transported from each of two wrecks,” Hall said. “At one point in the afternoon, all EMS staff were out on calls, operating four ambulances and a fire unit.”
It is...