Pilot program helps de-stress nurses and promote wellness

by Julie Young

On any given day, nurses face long commutes to their jobs, 12-hour shifts, the most heartbreaking cases and countless thankless tasks. It's no surprise that, in the course of providing the best quality of care to their young patients, nurses at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago often neglect those who should matter the most — themselves. Though many hospitals offer plenty of opportunities to help nurses relax after a long day, few nurses want to hit the gym or stop in for a massage when they're facing an hourlong drive at the end of their shift.

To help nurses take part in programs and classes designed to help them relax, rejuvenate and take care of themselves, Connie Hill, MSN, RN, and Karen Richey, MBA, RN, spearheaded the Proactive Health and Wellness Program. This pilot program began in August 2006 on their own units, 9W respiratory/pulmonary and 3W neuroscience/endocrine/ortho as a way to help meet the needs of nurses and frontline caregivers.

Offering Something More

"We wanted to offer something more to the nurses and make those options available so they could have opportunities to take care of themselves," Richey said. "We have a wellness program in place at the hospital, but we thought nurses needed something a little more unique that brings these opportunities right to their work area, whether it is a massage therapist, acupuncture or a fitness coach."

The leaders noticed when nurses are fatigued and under stress from around the unit, the strain is evident and tempers flair, creating more tension. Richey said simply recognizing these moments can go a long way toward helping nurses deal with the daily stresses on the unit.

"It was a message to us that we needed to do something," Richey said.

The pair began by taking into consideration the diversity of the nurses on the floors and striving to meet the needs of all. While there is the shared need to take care of themselves, meeting those needs for a variety of individuals could be tricky. Some nurses may find a beading class therapeutic, while others can benefit from a 15-minute yoga session. Richey said the important thing is to offer nurses some time to decompress and get away from reality for a while.

"So many times, a lot of them only take 15 minutes for lunch or run out to McDonald's rather than relaxing," she said.

Focusing on the Positive

Of course, the environment doesn't lend itself to a spa-like feel. Nurses on the floor at Children's Memorial have a leading role in some of the most difficult healthcare situations. Every day, they may have to put on a brave face for a child who is fighting for her life, while explaining a complicated medical condition to family members. The effects of stress in their daily lives are evident; so, through little opportunities, nurses have the chance to focus on themselves for once and make positive changes that have long-term effects.

"We have general life consulting sessions and classes on relaxation techniques that are 45 minutes to an hour in length," Hill said. "Many of the nurses have gravitated to the 15-minute massages. It is so popular we have even allowed some physicians to participate in them."

Richey said she participated in acupuncture sessions and reported she has not had a migraine since beginning them.

"I have had a few small headaches, but nothing big; it was really amazing," she said.

Another acquisition for the nurses on the 3W and 9W staff will be a massage chair purchased with grant money awarded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. They plan to install the chair in the locker room to give the nurses a relaxation corner that enables them to step away and have some quiet time. The goal is to ultimately offer a tranquility room for nurses to enjoy during lunches and breaks.

"The nurses are very excited about that," Richey said.

She noted the purpose for offering this initiative to the nurses on the units has been to create awareness that nurses have to look out for themselves in the same way they look out for their patients. She said the program complements what the hospital already offers through employee services, including discounts to local gyms. But by offering small classes right on the unit or at least in close proximity, nurses who face extremely long days are more likely to take advantage of them. In fact, having life coaches available enables nurses to set goals and know someone close by is going to help them stay committed and accountable to those goals.

"I have one nurse who has really taken part in the whole scope of offerings, taking advantage of the wellness coaching as well as the fitness coaching and information sessions," Richey said.

Firsthand Experiences

Maria Chiappetta, BSN, RN, has participated in the program since its inception and said the sessions with the wellness coach have helped quite a bit. Not only did she like the idea of someone holding her accountable for her goals, but the coach also helped her develop some strategies for managing specific stressors in her life.

"I worked hard to accomplish my goals and looked forward to the meetings," she said.

Chiappetta said she also has participated in the weekly yoga and Pilates class and, while she was initially shy about working out in front of others, she said the afternoon class renews her spirit.

"It is relaxing and time I set aside for myself," she said. "I have spoken to several colleagues who have made some changes to their lives and really noticed a difference. I believe the program has been very successful in promoting and encouraging healthy behaviors."

Challenges to the Initiative

Hill and Richey said that, despite their idea to bring various programming to the nurses, one of the biggest challenges to getting the initiative off the ground was letting staff know it was available. While information sessions initially helped get the word out, Richey said a binder was used to allow nurses to sign up for different events. However, when two units were involved; it was hard to know where the binder was.

"Now we are putting together an online calendar and sending nurses an e-mail each week letting them know what kind of services are available. Through this, we learn who is interested in what kinds of classes and what seems to be working better than others," Richey said.

Another challenge has been for the nurses on the floor who have trouble taking advantage of these classes while on the job. Hectic days do not always lend themselves to yoga classes, and Richey said it is hard to convince a nurse who works a 12-hour shift to come in early or stay late.

"It isn't always easy for them to take advantage of it, but we are continuing to promote it. The nurses who have spoken about their experiences have really helped get the word of mouth going," Richey said.

Hill said they do want to start spreading the offerings to other units in the hospital to help create a buzz for this type of programming. She said the more they know about what classes nurses are interested in, the better they can help make those offerings available. One of those classes may be a knitting or beading class that will be therapeutic and peaceful during quiet time on the unit, usually between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. when soft music is played and nurses are encouraged to unwind if possible.

"I think we really wanted the nurses to know they have to take care of themselves to be able to care for others," Richey said. "We just wanted to offer something one step beyond what the hospital was already doing."

Julie Young is a frequent contributor to ADVANCE.