Physician Helps Outfit Room for Caregivers To Relax In
In this 24/7 hospital world of nonstop alarms, of life-or-death decisions, of long hours but never enough time, who couldn’t — especially in the middle of a pandemic — use an oasis?
At Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, two such rooms exist with more on the horizon. These Wellness rooms — more focused than a relaxation room, more private than a break room — are open for hospital staff members any minute of any shift. Filled with comfortable couches and chairs, pillows, neck and foot massagers, positive affirmation artwork, resources for wellness, soothing essential oils, tension balls, as well as comforting and thought-provoking words and messages, they’ve been a welcome respite even in the short time they’ve been open.
“Everybody is so impressed at how wonderful it is and loves having the space to separate yourself from the stress going on in ICU,” said Jenna Hermann, nurse manager of the medical intensive care unit (MICU) on the third floor of Hamon Tower, where one of the rooms, called the Zen Room, is located.
“One of my nurses had a difficult assignment that was emotionally upsetting,” Hermann said. “She and another nurse went in and sat for a few minutes to gather their composure. She told me she was then able to gather her thoughts and to go out of the room with the strength to finish what she started.”
That room had existed for a few years prior to the pandemic, she said, but had morphed into a partial storage room. That’s what it was when Jennifer Denning, M.D., at left, began working her magic.
“Another wave of COVID-19 was affecting morale,” said Denning, an obstetric hospitalist on the medical staff at Texas Health Dallas. “There was a nursing shortage and there was turnover, and I could see it was hard on my team. On a systems level, Texas Health had started talking about wellness, burnout and things happening on a higher level.
“I was trying to think: ‘What can I do right now?’”
She learned more about Zen, the existing wellness room in Hamon, and Relaxation, the existing room in Perot. She then contacted Hermann and Adora Quilantang, who received an award years earlier from Texas Health Dallas for the inception of the hospital’s first wellness room. Denning asked their permission to go forward and for their input on how to make the rooms as helpful as possible. She did research about the science behind wellness and burnout, using as a key source the “Healing the Healers” campaign through the Gratitude Blooming company.
After the rooms in the hospital were cleared, she brought in pillows, throws and rugs. She added artificial succulents, soft-lighting lamps, artificial candles, a sound machine, foot and shoulder massagers — “a hodgepodge,” she said.
“I was just looking for a way to bring in some light during a very dark time. After that, it was just a matter of spreading the word and raising awareness.”
Response has been phenomenal and another six to eight rooms are planned, said Jim Parobek, hospital president.
One nurse wrote Denning that she goes into the room every day before her shift. Another told Hermann that the time she’s in the Zen room is the best seven minutes of her day.
“Kudos to Dr. Denning,” Hermann said. “It brings me to tears that she helped us do this. She’s not even in our building. We communicate through email; I’ve never even met her face to face. She comes in and out like a little angel.”
As for Denning, “I hope it helps people feel peace; to feel centered, calm, confident — whatever they want. Having it makes them feel supported: It’s where you belong. It’s where you’re supposed to be. Everything is going to be OK.”
