Healthcare workers encounter tragic circumstances while doing their job. This may include a patient dying or a family with an ill or injured loved one. Since this affects these workers personally, hospitals are increasingly making efforts to help ease caregivers' stress, according to a Los Angeles Times report.
For instance, St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, Calif., launched a Code Compassion program in July. The program consists of regular meetings where workers can talk about their experiences with patients. It also provides stressed workers with another outlet for their feelings — they can call the hospital operator, and a staff member will find the worker and bring water bottles, cookies and pretzels, according to the report.
St. Joseph Hospital isn't the only hospital making efforts. North Hawaii Community Hospital in Kamuela offers a Code Lavender program.
The program allows staff to discuss their pain with colleagues in the hospital chapel, among other things, according to the report.
Keck Medical Center of USC in Los Angeles also launched a Code Lavender program. According to USC, staff members who call a Code Lavender receive a "healing" basket with items such as calming tea, hand lotion and aromatherapy products. The program also consists of consoling, prayer and listening.
Read the full LA Times report here.
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