More patients means more nurses at LMC

Heath Mitchell is Limestone Medical Center's director of nursing. Journal photo/David Stone Limestone Medical Center's increase in services and patients has Nursing Director Heath Mitchell scrambling to increase the size of his nursing staff.

"Right now, the hospital has about 50 nurses," Mitchell said. "But many of those are part time. We have quite a few that are continuing their education."

While hospitals around the nation are feeling the nursing crunch -- nurses gain experience at small hospitals then leave for high-paying jobs at larger medical centers -- Mitchell said LMC does a good job of retaining the nurses they have.

"We're seeing more patients, so we need more staff," he explained.

While 50 nurses may sound like a lot, Mitchell explained that LMC runs three shifts of nurses.

"This job never stops," he said. "We staff the hospital 24/7."

Mitchell's nursing staff not only staffs the hospital's patient wing, at least two are required per shift in the emergency room.

Mitchell, who has been at Limestone Medical Center for about two years, became director of the hospital's nurses last month.

He said it takes a strong nurse to work in a rural hospital such as LMC.

"The demands are higher at a rural hospital that at a hospital in a city," Mitchell said. "In a city, nurses have a lot of support -- a lot of doctors, large nursing staffs, technicians. Rural nurses often don't have that kind of support."