Why the shock about hospital grade?

UNM Hospital CEO Kate Becker was “shocked” that the hospital received a failing grade (Failing the Grade: New Mexico hospital rated ‘below average’ in national survey, Jan. 30)? Really? How?

Because we, the overworked health care professionals who staff the hospital, have been yelling about this for quite some time now. Have we been screaming into a void? Apparently.

The United Health Professionals of New Mexico sounded the alarm when we knew the hospital was failing. We said we know what the issues are, and we were very clear that we know how to improve things. We’ve been begging the hospital administration to work with us to implement solutions.

When you are at 130% capacity every day and don’t have enough health care professionals to respond, patients suffer. When a work environment is so demoralizing that one quarter of your staff leaves in one year, patients suffer. When those of us who have the education and the experience to improve things are ignored, patients suffer.

We are shocked that Ms. Becker is shocked. We invite her to sit down with us and work to fix it.

Sandoval County deserves better.

Adrienne Enghouse and the United Health Professionals of New Mexico