An online petition that was started to oppose what it says is the potential closure of Henderson Hospital’s maternity care and Neonatal Intensive Care units has gathered over 2,200 signatures.
The Change.org petition, which was created Wednesday by a registered nurse in the hospital’s postpartum unit, urges hospital leadership to prevent what it says is the possible shuttering of Women’s and Children’s Services and the NICU at the hospital.
“We are writing to express serious concern regarding the potential closure of Women’s Services and the NICU at Henderson Hospital, as communicated during a staff meeting on May 4, 2026,” the petition says.
Kim Trower, the registered nurse who started the petition, is one of two Henderson Hospital nurses who said administrators have informed staff of the potential closures. In a phone interview Friday, Trower expressed concern for a potential strain on neighboring hospitals and increased barriers to care for vulnerable patients. She said up to 140 nurses, staff and clinical professionals could be affected.
“This is going to affect the high-risk pregnancies,” Trower said.
According to the petition, the hospital supported 2,016 newborn deliveries and evaluated 3,099 pregnant women seeking obstetric care in 2025. The NICU, according to the petition, cared for 279 infants in 2025.
The Women’s and Children’s Services department provides care to women at all stages of the maternity process, the Henderson Hospital website explains. The hospital’s website also states its Level III NICU treats babies who are premature and sick and require specialized medical care.
Trower and another Henderson Hospital nurse, Karen Young, both said closing both Women’s and Children’s Services and the NICU would essentially eliminate childbirth and maternal care services at the hospital, with the exception of emergencies.
“If this unit closes, you would not be able to have a baby there and the specialized service would be gone,” Trower said.
Trower said she’s reached out to Henderson Mayor Michelle Romero regarding the potential closure. Romero in a statement, sent through a campaign spokesperson, said that the city intervening in Henderson Hospital’s operations would amount to government overreach.
“Commenting on the way Henderson Hospital, a privately owned business, maintains operations would be a gross overreach of government,” Romero said. “Henderson Hospital has been a wonderful community partner and will continue to be so in the future.”
A spokesperson for Henderson Hospital could not immediately be reached Friday.
‘My concern is for maternal health’
Trower said Friday that hospital leadership held a question-and-answer-style meeting with staff on May 4, informing them of the possible closure of Women’s and Children’s Services and the NICU. She said that, to her knowledge, the decision to close the units is not final.
In a separate phone interview Friday, Young said that staff in the May 4 meeting were told the hospital was considering closing the units due to staff costs and other issues. After the meeting, many of her colleagues were upset, Young said.
“It’s just sad for the women in our area,” Young said. She added the last day maternity and NICU services would be offered, if there are closures, could be sometime between June and September.
Trower stressed she does not have an ax to grind with hospital administration. She said she started the petition in part to notify the public and to sound the alarm before any final decisions are made.
“If we do close, this is a huge loss to the community,” Trower said. “This is basically a public health safety issue. Nevada is already a maternal care desert in many counties, and if this hospital closes, it’ll only add to that number. My concern is for maternal health.”
Trower said she is optimistic hospital leaders will find a way to stave off potential closures.
“I am hopeful and I plan to stay either until the end, or for the future of this hospital and in this community,” Trower said.
Contact Casey Harrison at charrison@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Casey_Harrison1 on X.
