AdventHealth Avista Unveils Wellness Center to Champion Team Member Wholeness

On Monday, February 10, the ground floor of AdventHealth Avista buzzed with excitement as leaders and team members gathered for the grand opening of the Wellness Center. This milestone was brought to life by the executive team and several team members at AdventHealth Avista, but the dedication of Erika Schick, Cath Lab RN, drove the project to fruition. Erika recognized the immense value of providing a space where team members could decompress and work out without leaving the facility or making extra stops on their way to and from work.

"We had an Oasis Room pre-Covid that was invaluable for team members who needed to de-stress for 15-20 minutes," Erika shared. "Unfortunately, the space was eventually repurposed, but after attending a Magnet conference two years ago, I learned that offering wellness spaces within hospitals has been shown to significantly boost staff morale and retention. Avista's commitment to offering this room for exercise and stress relief is a testament to their care for our team members. I'm incredibly grateful to the leadership team, facilities, and everyone who contributed to making this room a reality."

Two community partners stepped up to purchase state-of-the-art exercise equipment for the new space. Thank you to ServPro and Grainger for your generous donations to the Wellness Center! We were delighted to have a couple of representatives from ServPro at the grand opening.

Monica Smith, Joint and Spine Program Coordinator, also played a crucial role in establishing the Wellness Center. Monica expressed her excitement about the new resource, saying "it's great to have this space open – it addresses every aspect of wholeness and wellness, tailored to meet individual needs. Our wellness program started years ago, and it's amazing to see its continuous progress. Ensuring our team members feel whole in mind, body, and spirit is essential."

The Wellness Center offers team members several exercise machines, weights, a space for stretching, massage chairs, and a relaxation area. May each team member who uses this space leave feeling a sense of renewal and wholeness.