Prowers Medical Center Board Approves Foundation By-laws, Considers LCC Funding Request

PMC Construction Site

Representatives from Lamar Community College, President John Marrin, Director of Nursing and Allied Health, Kathy Henderson and LCC Foundation Director, Anne Marie Crampton, visited with the Prowers Medical Center Board of Directors during their October 28 meeting, to request funds for the school’s nursing program for another year.

The hospital granted last year’s request of $60,000 for funding for faculty salaries for the nursing program. Marrin said there have been additional expenses at the college and in order to continue with the program, another year of funding would be appreciated to maintain a program of study.  Henderson explained to the board that the program would accommodate 60 students with 30 in the first and second levels.  She said the numbers are not currently at capacity.

“In order to get to that point, our biggest need is a faculty member. We have two full time members and I’m listed at four-tenths, so we have great need for that extra member.  In order for the college and nursing department to be accredited nationally which is what the state board of nursing requires, we have to have 100% of our full time faculty masters-prepared, so that is a goal of the college, but they aren’t falling from the sky.  We hope with your partnership, we can hire a person who can assist us.”  She added that national accreditation regulations have added to the cost of complying with curriculum hours and credits for courses.

George Gotto, former PMC board chairman attended the meeting and mentioned the importance of finalizing the hospital Foundation by-laws after two years of revisions. He emphasized that Foundation fund raising efforts had been hampered by the lack of approved by-laws.  He stated that he and Foundation director, Susan Lamont and Foundation members were eager to get started on their efforts.  The board voted to approve the by-law revisions.

Hospital board members approved six contracts for either medical equipment, cleaning services or compliance oriented software. The equipment included such items as operating room sterilizers, an infant warmer for the New Birth department, wiring for the nurses call system and surgical towers which is an array of video and monitoring systems used in the operating theater.

Craig Loveless recapped some of the progress being made for the renovation project at the hospital, stating that the emergency room and operating theaters should be available for use by the end of November. “We did have another rain delay last week for outdoor construction and we want to finalize as much of that work as quickly as possible before the weather turns cold,” he explained.  Loveless added that interior work on the therapy gym should be finished by February and construction to the roof and some exterior framing is almost complete.  He noted there had been some problems with electrical switches on the new boiler complex which will replace the outdated units.

The board voted to combine the monthly meetings for November and December due to the proximity to the two holiday dates. The next PMC board meeting will be held on December 2.

By Russ Baldwin