Submitted Photo Pictured is Trinity Health’s Resiliency Room.

Trinity Health Foundation recently received a $50,000 donation from retired nurse, Joanne Quale, to aid in the creation of Trinity Health’s Resiliency Room, according to information provided by Trinity Health.

The Resiliency Room will provide a place for Trinity nurses, who have been under unprecedented stress due to the new challenges and demands placed upon health care staff due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a place to relax.

Karen Zimmerman, Trinity Health’s chief nursing officer and vice president of Patient Care Services, had the idea for the Resiliency Room and reached out to the Trinity Health Foundation for help with this project.

“COVID has tremendously impacted our front-line staff, especially our newer nurses. They have seen things in a short time that many of us only see over a lifetime. This has left many of them struggling with mental health issues (similar to PTSD) requiring therapy, sometimes medication, and support to help them cope. As I look at ways to help them, it was apparent that we do not have a place for people to go to truly regroup or take a ‘restful’ break. Our breakrooms are often busy with several people in them; our lunch room is busy; and the chapel is not always the first choice for people. I wanted to create a serene space where people can go to refuel and refresh (even if it is for 5 minutes),” said Zimmerman.

As a result, the Resiliency Room was created through Quale’s donation and was dedicated to Ruth Rexine, who has been a Trinity nurse for 50 years.

A room at the current hospital has been remodeled to include painting the room a soothing color, adding soft flooring, and furnishing it with two massage chairs with curtains draped between each chair for privacy. Trinity Health Foundation has also donated two electronic tablets downloaded with calming meditative apps. The room has also been stocked with a small fridge containing bottles of water and ice packs for the nurses. The furnishings in the room will be utilized now in the current hospital and will then be moved to the new campus in 2023, once opened.