Veronica Pound reflects on her career at Socorro General Hospital and what comes after retirement

After nearly four decades in nursing — and more than 35 years at Socorro’s hospital — Veronica Pound walked out the doors for the last time on February 27.

Pound, who has served as hospital chief executive and chief nurse executive at Presbyterian Healthcare Services’ Socorro General Hospital, retired last week, closing a career that began in 1982 as a nursing student at University of New Mexico.

“It was a long journey,” Pound said of her path into nursing. She started school in the early 1980s but paused her studies for more than a year when her father became ill. He suffered from ankylosing spondylitis and was paraplegic, and Pound stepped in to help her mother care for him. Eventually, she graduated from nursing school in 1986.

Her father, she said, was the reason she chose nursing — even though he tried to discourage her.

“He always told me, ‘Don’t go into nursing. It’s hard work. It’s long hours,’” said Pound. “But caring for him inspired me. We don’t know a patient’s story or their family history. We’re here to help them get well and move on to a better journey.”

After working at Presbyterian Hospital in downtown Albuquerque, Pound married a rancher from Magdalena — Walter “Primo” Pound, as he’s known in the community — and moved to Socorro in 1987 to work as a staff nurse at the hospital.

From there, her career steadily advanced. She became OB manager in 1989, later overseeing both obstetrics and medical-surgical departments. By the late 1990s, she was director of nursing, and in 2008 she became director of patient care services, supervising clinical departments including nursing, radiology, respiratory therapy, pharmacy and rehabilitation.

In 2011, she stepped into a dual role as interim hospital chief executive while continuing as chief nurse executive. After earning her MBA in 2014, she was officially appointed hospital chief executive.

Along the way, Pound completed Presbyterian’s 18-month Executive Leadership Program, which she credits as one of the most valuable experiences of her career.

 “It built relationships and knowledge,” she said. “I had a lot of mentors across the system.”

Despite her executive titles, Pound says some of her most meaningful moments happened at the bedside.

For years, she worked as both a manager and a practicing nurse, helping deliver babies in the OB department and caring for medical-surgical and emergency room patients. She has watched generations of Socorro families grow up — babies she once delivered returning years later as adults.

“What made it personal for me was taking care of my neighbors and friends,” she said. “Making sure they had the best experience and the follow-up care they needed.”

She describes herself as a “servant leader,” a philosophy that shaped her approach to administration. When patients voiced concerns, she reframed them not as complaints but as opportunities.

“I don’t call them complaints,” she said. “I say, ‘Thank you for the opportunity to help us improve.’”

Under her leadership, the hospital worked to sustain and expand services despite its size. The Socorro facility is a small critical access hospital and the second smallest in the Presbyterian system’s nine hospitals.

 In recent years, Pound said it reinstated 3D mammography services, expanded home health and hospice care, and is preparing to launch inpatient sleep studies — reducing the need for residents to travel to Albuquerque for specialized care.

Pound credits staff and providers for those accomplishments.

“A lot of people here wear several hats,” she said. “They have multiple roles to provide care in our community. I couldn’t have done this work without them.”

Leadership responsibilities will temporarily shift to a regional executive while Presbyterian searches for her permanent replacement.

As for what’s next, Pound plans to embrace her newest role: grandmother. Her first granddaughter was born earlier this month in Texas, and another daughter is expecting twins soon. She and her husband also plan to devote more time to their ranch between Magdalena and Socorro — and perhaps even a little gardening.

“I’ve done this work for 39 years,” Pound said. “Now I want to take time to take care of myself and my family.”

Before leaving, she offered one final message to the community she has served for nearly four decades: “Thank you for utilizing the hospital and helping us sustain these services.”