Donald and Marilyn Keough have donated a $1 million gift to Saint Joseph’s Health System for the establishment of the Keough Nursing Research Center, located in the Kenneth E. Thomas Center for Nursing Excellence at Saint Joseph’s Hospital, Atlanta. The Keough’s have been donors to Saint Joseph’s since 1976 and Don has served on the Saint Joseph’s Mercy Foundation Board since 1981.
“We are honored that they have been so generous to Saint Joseph’s with their time and their donations,” says Sister Jane Gerety, senior vice president of sponsorship at Saint Joseph’s Health System. The gift, dedicated to nursing education research, will help identify new ways to incorporate technology to enhance learning; focus on research to determine patient outcomes and satisfaction; support internal, external and collaborative research for nurses at the bedside; conduct research throughout the health system to identify how the organization and delivery of health care influences quality, cost and the patient experience; and assess the competencies and environments needed to foster nursing leadership.
“As Atlanta’s only Magnet hospital, Saint Joseph’s already demonstrates the anecdotal results that better nursing care improves patient outcomes, “ says Donald Keough. “Formalizing the research will help improve patient care in every hospital by creating verifiable, practice standards.”
Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing is designated by the American Nursing Association’s American Nursing Credentialing Center (ANCC) and is considered the gold standard for nursing care. Saint Joseph’s was only the third hospital in the country to earn the designation when it began in 1995 and has been re-designated in each subsequent, four-year rating period. Saint Joseph’s hosted the national Magnet conference earlier this month.
For more information contact Lynn Peterson, marketing and media relations specialist, at 404-851-5849.
