St. Joseph’s and Arizona Diamondbacks team up for nurses
Celebrating the grand opening of nursing resilience rooms
St. Joseph’s Foundation announces generous grants from the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation have funded the creation of two Nursing Resilience Rooms at Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center. The grand opening of the two rooms was recently celebrated on the campus of the Phoenix hospital, which has been operating for nearly 128 years, welcoming patients and saving lives longer than any other Valley hospital.
Leaders from Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation, St. Joseph’s Foundation and St. Joseph’s Hospital unveiled signage for the new rooms, bearing the hometown team’s name. The rooms offer respite for nurses during their shifts, allowing them to meditate and rejuvenate while resting in massage chairs, lounging in zero-gravity recliners and easing their muscles using handheld percussion massagers.
St. Joseph’s Foundation awarded a Ken Kendrick Grand Slam Award
St. Joseph’s Foundation was awarded a Ken Kendrick Grand Slam Award and additional funds to support the rooms based on a presentation that allowed the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation board members to hear directly from nurses about the challenges they faced throughout the pandemic when they were working around the clock to ensure the greatest outcomes for patients.
“The D-backs and St. Joseph’s have been partners since 1998, and we’re extremely proud of our partnership, but never have we been impacted like this before,” stated D-backs Executive Vice President of Business Operations and Chief Revenue Officer Cullen Maxey. “I think we all have a whole new appreciation for nursing, which was brought to a special light during the pandemic.
“We appreciate our partnership with the hospital, but more than anything we appreciate the nurses,” Maxey continued. “We couldn’t be more proud to support these caregivers.”
Nursing resilience rooms in 2 locations
In addition to funding the two rooms at St. Joseph’s campus in downtown Phoenix, the D-backs are also supporting the development of a Nursing Resilience Room at Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Westgate Medical Center in Glendale.
Research conducted at numerous reputable medical centers during the pandemic, when medical providers were especially challenged, has revealed that meditative activities and resiliency training are effective in enhancing the well-being of nurses. Rooms like the ones created at St. Joseph’s offer reprieve during busy workdays, helping nurses to quiet their minds and rejuvenate their bodies before returning to treating patients. Studies have reported this can lead to numerous benefits for nurses and patients alike, including better job performance, improved patient outcomes, less errors and increased employee retention.
Recognizing the benefits resilience rooms provide, and with a newfound devotion for supporting nurses throughout the community, the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation funded similar rooms at other area hospitals, including Dignity Health East Valley.
“We value our relationship with the D-backs and are beyond grateful that our request to support the health and well-being of nurses resonated so deeply and personally with them,” stated St. Joseph’s Foundation President Terri Hoffman. “Likewise, the fact that our hometown baseball team supported the creation of these resilience rooms is resonating deeply and personally with our nurses. And now, every time St. Joseph’s nurses take a few minutes to unwind and rejuvenate, they will be reminded that they are truly appreciated.”