A new study has found these room reduce stress, anxiety, and burnout among nurses.
For healthcare systems looking to improve the well-being of their nursing staff, a first step may be as simple as bringing in a massage chair. A recent study, co-authored by a group of Cedars-Sinai nurses, found that using a massage chair in quiet room for 10 minutes helped nurses' mental and emotional health.
One of the authors, Florida Pagador, MSN, came up with the idea for the lounges prior to the pandemic when she was looking for a place to relax for a break. Thinking other nurses would appreciate it, she approached her manager and one of her co-authors, Melanie Barone, MSN, to help her find an underutilized space they could use.
"When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I know that, personally, I hadn't seen that many people pass away in a long time," Barone said in a statement. "For many of us, it was just very challenging and emotionally exhausting seeing so many families struggle. Just knowing the Serenity Lounge was there if I needed it was important."
Nurses in Barone and Pagador's unit came together and furnished the space with items from their homes, including aromatherapy oils and personal artwork. Ground rules were also established for the space, such as no cellphone conversations, loud music, or crowding.
For the study, nurses were asked to fill out brief surveys before using the lounge, and once more after leaving. The surveys asked participants to report levels of different feelings they were experiencing, including frustration, stress, and anxiety.
Participants who used the message chair for 10-20 minutes reported a lower level of emotional exhaustion, weariness, and anxiety afterward. For those who used the chair longer than 20 minutes, their anxiety levels were reduced even further.
Ten units in the hospital now have Serenity Lounges, accommodating two to three people at a time.
"We know that our nurses can't pour from an empty cup," David Marshall, JD, DNP, RN, FAAN, senior vice president and chief nursing executive for Cedars-Sinai, said. "This study highlights the critical importance of caring for our nurses so they can provide the best care at the bedside and demonstrates the widespread impact our nurse researchers can have on the worldwide medical community."
Cedar-Sinai's leadership supported the Serenity Rooms from the beginning, Barone said.
"We didn't have to beg to make this happen," she said. "Instead, our leaders came to us and asked, 'What can we do?' They've established a culture where it is okay to take a moment for yourself."
“When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I know that, personally, I hadn't seen that many people pass away in a long time. For many of us, it was just very challenging and emotionally exhausting seeing so many families struggle. Just knowing the Serenity Lounge was there if I needed it was important.”
Melanie Barone, MSN, Cedars-Sinai
Jasmyne Ray is the revenue cycle editor at HealthLeaders.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Nurses completed brief surveys before and after utilizing the space to see how their emotion levels changed.
Cedar-Sinai leadership understood the importance of caring for their staff's wellbeing, and ten units in the hospital now have Serenity Lounges.