Mercy Health chasing away the blues with a touch of lavender

YOUNGSTOWN — Mercy Health has found a new way to offer its caregivers room to chase away stress and the blues.

Mercy Health has opened Lavender Rooms at each of its three acute care facilities: St. Elizabeth Youngstown and Boardman hospitals as well as St. Joseph Warren Hospital.

The rooms are dedicated spaces for de-stressing and resetting. They are available to all associates.

Taking care of others is routine for the caregivers throughout the Mercy Health-Youngstown footprint. But one year into the coronavirus pandemic, hospital officials are aware that there are times when the burden of responsibility that the role carries becomes too much for even the most seasoned health care professional.

Stacie Call, chief nursing officer for Mercy Health-Youngstown, recollects the countless conversations and interactions over the past year as health care workers fought the on-going COVID-19 pandemic.

"Every level of health care worker has been impacted by the memory of a patient they cared for at one point in their career," Call said in a news release. "Today, COVID-19 has left an imprint on each of us.

"Our associates have always been resilient, but at the end of the day, they are human and also need a moment to recharge and decompress," Call said.

Why lavender? In 2004, a doctor first used the term Code Lavender in relation to a program that cared for patients and their families. It soon came to stand for a program that helps restore the emotional, spiritual and physical well-being of caregivers, too.

Painted in calming colors, the rooms feature comfortable recliners, dim lighting, aromatherapy, soft music, journals and informational boards featuring details on how to contact support resources.

"When a situation that impacts the hospital staff occurs, front-line associates can use the space to disconnect, recollect and reflect," Call said.

Once the impacted team has gathered in one of the Lavender Rooms, spiritual care team members are available to speak with and support staff.

A critical incident stress debriefing team will facilitate a group discussion of their experience of the incident and its aftermath. Early interventions like this can help teams recover from grief by providing group support and linking employees to further counseling and treatment services if needed.

"These Lavender Rooms are an additional step to further remind our staff that we understand the impact their jobs have, mentally and physically," Call said.

Generosity is playing a role. Designer Looks at Value City Furniture donated eight recliners for the Lavender Rooms through the Mercy Health Foundation Mahoning Valley. And Casal's de Spa & Salon has contributed items for the staff to unwind and recharge.

"The nurses and doctors at Mercy Health have gone above and beyond the call of duty this past year, and it's our honor to support these individuals through this donation," Jonathan Schottenstein, president of Designer Looks at Value City Furniture, said. "We know the important role these Lavender Rooms will play in allowing front-line caregivers a much-needed space for moments of reprieve and solitude throughout the ongoing pandemic.

"It is our hope that this contribution creates an inviting environment and makes a lasting, positive impact in the lives of these vital staff members," Schottenstein said.

This story was originally published March 6, 2021 at 9:55 AM with the headline "Mercy Health chasing away the blues with a touch of lavender."