The hospital is using multiple ways to fix the issue
It is no secret that Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services has faced some staffing issues over the past couple of years.
The problem became so prominent that the hospital had to close its Labor and Delivery Unit on Aug. 1.
In an Oct. 17 interview RMCHCS’s Chief Human Resources Director Rebecca Martell went into more detail on how dire the staffing situation at the hospital is. She said that they’re seeing shortages throughout the hospital, and have a multitude of open positions, from R.N.s and providers to billing specialists and housekeeping.
Martell said the hospital has been working to advertise these open positions by utilizing social media advertising, newspaper ads, and even sending out weekly emails to current employees showing them a listing of the open positions.
Getting current employees to help fulfill the empty spots is a big part of what Martell does. She explained the Refer a Friend program, in which the employees can get a bonus if they share a job opportunity with a friend who later gets hired. For the positions that are harder to fill, employees can get up to $3,000 for referring a friend.
Martell said these sorts of programs were something that she was used to in her prior role. She started at RMCHCS in June 2020. Before coming to RMCHCS, she served as the chair for the New Mexico Rural HR Executive group.
“These are the things that when I came here, I took for granted,” Martell said. “I’m going on 19 years in HR health care, and the world I came from had all these since I started in HR healthcare. It’s just great and humbling getting to work here and to implement these programs.”
RMCHCS is also providing scholarships to current employees who are wanting to go back to school or receive more training. Martell provided examples of someone wanting to learn more about wound care or someone in HR going to school for their bachelor’s degree. She said this effort is all about trying to retain the employees the hospital currently has.
As for new hires, they receive a sign-on bonus and a relocation bonus if they’re moving to Gallup and coming on to a hard-to-fill position.
The hospital is also trying to bring in people who have just graduated college. College students are encouraged to do their clinicals at RMCH, and then they’re welcomed on as full-time staff, if they want, Martell said.
With all of the changes the hospital has made recently, and the efforts they’re making to bring in new hires, Martell claims these efforts have made a positive impact on the staff’s morale.
“There’s just so much we’re doing, and it feels really good. I can feel the culture shifting,” she said.
She explained that at the “new employee orientation,” new hires are handed a survey. Martell was touched by answers to the question, “Why did you come to work here?”
The two top answers in October: It’s a great place to work and the hospital is close to home.
Martell said the hospital is currently trying to hire more people from Gallup and the McKinley County area.
When asked what she looks for in a qualified candidate, Martell spoke about positivity.
“The most important quality we look for in a candidate is a positive/can-do attitude and demonstrate they strive to fulfill the mission, vision and core values of RMCHCS,” she said in an email to the Sun.
To apply for a job at RMCHCS, go to their website and click on “Career Opportunities.”
By Molly Ann Howell
Assignment Editor
