• Square Footage: 212,000
• Attached Medical Office Building (not owned by Mercy): 153,00
• Total rooms: 82
• Medical staff: 444
• Caregivers: 937
• FY24 Patient Financial Assistance: $6.4 million

The first hospital in the Four Corners region was Mercy Hospital of the San Juans, started by the Sisters of Mercy in 1882. Although it had only six beds and was attached to a boarding school, the small hospital opened to great fanfare on September 1. It was located along the Animas River in what was then an open field north of old downtown Durango. In 1884, a new building, often referred to as the "stone hospital" because of its native sandstone construction, was finished, and the hospital's name was changed to Mercy Hospital.

Major additions took place in 1892, 1931, and 1952, and over the following 50 years, the building, located at 375 East Park Avenue, went through various additions and remodels, while older sections of the facility were demolished to make room for the new. By the late 1990s, Mercy Medical Center was operating at capacity but unable to expand because downtown Durango had literally grown up around it. Plans were drawn for a brand new facility to be built in the newly annexed Grandview area of Durango.

In June of 2006, Mercy Hospital opened. The 212,000-square-foot facility is state-of-the-art, with the latest medical technologies, an attached 153,000-square-foot medical office building, an ambulatory surgical center, and plenty of room to expand in the future. The old Mercy Hospital building was demolished in 2006, and the land was donated to the city of Durango. The Durango Public Library now occupies the former hospital site.

A brief history of the Sisters of Mercy Catherine

McAuley was born in Dublin, Ireland, in September 1778, to a prosperous Catholic family. Her father, James McGauley, died in 1783 when Catherine was just five years old, but his compassion for the poor — especially children and families who lived nearby — was a lifelong example for his eldest daughter. When her mother Elinor died in 1798, Catherine chose to live in the home of relatives, some of whom were non-Catholic and had little tolerance for her pious practices. In 1803 Catherine was invited to live in the home of William and Catherine Callaghan as a companion to Mrs. Callaghan. The Callaghans were childless, and upon Mr. Callaghan's death in 1822, Catherine inherited their fortune of £25,000 (the equivalent of about £1,048,000 or $1.6 million in today's currency), their estate, "furniture and plate." In 1824, Catherine used her inheritance to lease property on Baggot Street, a fashionable neighborhood in Dublin, for the purpose of building a large house for religious, educational, and social services for women and children. Other women, intrigued by the house and the work for which it was intended, were attracted to Catherine and began to join her preparations for the ministry she planned.

On September 24, 1827, the Feast of our Lady of Mercy, the first residents came to live in the house they called "the House of Mercy" in honor of the day, and two years later, the chapel was dedicated. Between late 1829 and 1830, after prayerful deliberation and consultation, Catherine and her associates agreed to found a new religious congregation. Though this was not her original intention, Catherine began the founding of a new religious congregation of women dedicated to service to the poor. Catherine and two of her associates entered the Convent of the Presentation Sisters in Dublin on Sept. 8, 1830, to begin formal preparation for founding the Sisters of Mercy.

Fifteen months later, the trio pronounced vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, and to persevere until death in "the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy." Thus, the new community was founded on December 12, 1831. Catherine lived only 10 years as a Sister of Mercy, but in that time, she established nine additional autonomous foundations in Ireland and England and two branch houses near Dublin. When she died in 1841, there were 150 Sisters of Mercy. Shortly thereafter, small groups of sisters left Ireland at the invitation of bishops in Newfoundland, New Zealand, the United States, Argentina, and Australia.

The first Sisters of Mercy arrived in the United States in 1843 at the invitation of the Bishop of Pittsburgh. Their energy in ministering to the sick and economically poor attracted many new members. By 1854, the Sisters of Mercy had come from Ireland to settle in New York and San Francisco. They continued to spread throughout the country, establishing schools and hospitals where they went, including Durango. Mother Mary Baptist Meyers and four other Sisters of Mercy arrived in the fast-growing mining town of Durango on April 29, 1882. They were recruited from St. Louis, Missouri, by Colorado's first bishop. Being a nursing and teaching order, within four months, the sisters were running two schools, a temporary orphanage, and a small hospital attached to one of the schools.

The Sisters' community involvement and membership grew over time with the establishment of the order's first Colorado motherhouse in Durango and their expansion into other Colorado communities. During her 18 years in Colorado, Mother Baptist sent Sisters of Mercy to Ouray, Cripple Creek, Manitou Springs, and Denver. She eventually moved the motherhouse to Denver because funding opportunities were greater for the numerous charities and non-profits operated by the religious order. But Mother Baptist never abandoned Durango; she died on her final trip to the Durango convent. Although the Sisters of Mercy are no longer involved in the hospital's operation, Mercy Hospital honors and continues the Sisters' legacy of care.

The history of nursing at Mercy

Five Sisters of Mercy from St. Louis arrived in Durango in 1882. The first night they arrived, they slept in the loft of a barn behind the Catholic church, but within weeks, they had opened two schools (one on each side of the Animas River because the bridge was unsafe) and a temporary orphanage, established their Motherhouse, and were visiting the area's ill and infirm. On September 1, 1882, these five remarkable women opened two ward rooms attached to a school and christened it Mercy Hospital of the San Juans.

The Sisters began their legacy of care in the two-room hospital, which slowly grew with the needs of the community and evolved along with the science of healthcare. In the first few years, all nursing care was provided by the Sisters, but as the years passed, they relied more and more on locally trained women. In 1910, the Mercy Hospitals in Denver and Durango co-sponsored a school of nursing. In those days, nurses managed every aspect of the hospital. The one thing that has not changed with time is that nurses are still at the patient's bedside every hour of the day.

Nursing at Mercy today

Today, Mercy Hospital nurses proudly continue the Sisters' legacy of care and make a difference in nearly every department of the hospital. Here, you will find them not only in the traditional patient care units, but also in our integrative care department, risk management, quality, case management, various clinics, the education and chart auditing departments, and elsewhere, applying their critical thinking skills to continuously improve our hospital.

We believe in patient care provided predominantly by an RN nursing staff. Because of this care delivery model, and our belief that more nurses at the bedside results in better patient care, Mercy Hospital has attained excellent quality outcomes, short lengths of stay, and outstanding patient satisfaction scores.

Mercy Hospital may be located in a rural area, but it is by no means simple. Our nurses have the opportunity to partner with internationally known members of our medical staff to deliver exceptional orthopedic and spine care, trauma care, intensive/critical care, women's health services, and cardiac care (including interventions), and more, all at the area's only comprehensive regional medical center.

Our philosophy of patient care

In the spirit of shared decision-making, we each embody personal commitment, respect, integrity, accountability, and compassion in all that we do, and with all who we interact. We passionately believe a joyful heart is good medicine.

Our nurses are deeply compassionate professionals who care for their neighbors and friends. Our belief in shared decision making ensures that front-line nurses are actively involved in a variety of committees and task forces, guiding decisions that set the direction for care at the bedside.

We are proud of our nurses here at Mercy Hospital, and proud to work with them.

Personalized care 

From a patient's perspective, being in a hospital is often a cause of anxiety. Who will care for me? Do they know what I need? Are there enough people to care for me?

At Mercy Hospital, a team of well educated professionals takes care of patients at the hospital 24 hours a day. Patient care teams are tailored to the patient's needs, depending on the severity and type of illness or injury a patient may have. We treat each patient as an individual, not a condition, and we do everything we can to accommodate their unique needs and make their stay as comfortable as possible. At every opportunity we strive to exceed our patients' expectations.

Integrative Care Services/Touch, Love, and Compassion (TLC) program includes complementary therapies for patients, such as:

• Gentle massage
• Healing touch therapies
• Aromatherapy
• Guided meditations
• Relaxing music through the CARE channel

Are there age requirements to volunteer at Mercy Hospital?
Yes. Volunteers must be 16 years of age or older. Some volunteer opportunities may be limited due to additional age requirements.

I do not have a Social Security Number. Can I still apply to volunteer?
No. A valid Social Security Number is required because no other form of identification can be substituted for our verification process.

I have court-ordered community service. Can I volunteer at Mercy Hospital?
No. We cannot accept court-ordered service volunteers.

Where do I send my completed application?
You may complete and submit your application online. All applicants under the age of 18 must have a parent or legal guardian sign the Authorization to Volunteer.

What will happen if I do not agree to complete the screening process?
According to laws and healthcare regulations, all prospective volunteers are required to complete our screening process, which includes a thorough background check and health screening. Those who do not complete the screenings will not be able to volunteer at Mercy Hospital. This process, though rigorous, helps to ensure the health and well-being of our volunteers, staff, and the patients and families we serve. As a result, it is a benefit to you as well as to Mercy Hospital.

What should my immunization record show?
We require proof of immunization against MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) and chickenpox (varicella). If you do not have records of these immunizations, you may ask your physician to draw a blood titer to determine which vaccinations you have received. If you have not had the above immunizations, you will need to receive these before volunteering; the costs of obtaining those immunizations will be your responsibility to incur, so you may want to check with your insurance provider or physician's office.

Where can I get a physical or have blood titers drawn to prove immunity?
Your family physician should be able to assist; however, if you do not have a physician or do not live close to your physician's office, you may call the volunteer office to arrange a blood draw at Mercy Hospital. All costs of obtaining a physical or immunizations are your responsibility, so you may want to check with your insurance provider or physician's office.

Why do I need a Tuberculosis (TB) test, and what is it?
The TB test is used to determine if you have developed an immune response to the bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB). This response can occur if someone currently has TB, has been exposed to it in the past, or has received the BCG vaccine against TB (this vaccine is not given in the U.S.). At Mercy Hospital, we do a TB Quantiferon. This is a blood test that takes the place of doing multiple TB skin tests.