Donors came together to help healthcare workers after a very stressful year in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The University of Michigan says two couples donated $100,000 to U-M Nursing to fund Recharge Rooms in the Frankel Cardiovascular Center, Med Inn and C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.
The rooms are intended to induce short-term decreases in blood pressure, stress hormones and heart rate through elements like dimmed lighting, relaxing music, abundant greenery, socially-distanced, cozy seating and tranquil imagery projected on a video wall, according to a press release. Future plans include featuring aromatherapy in the rooms.
The rooms will be open to faculty, staff and learners 24/7.
“Michigan Medicine has made remarkable progress in the last decade to become a leader in their field, and this is evidenced in better clinical outcomes for patients. The key to this success is dedicated and motivated staff,” said Ken and Kimberly Whipple, who helped fund the rooms. “Being responsible for the lives of others is a big deal, so having a safe, restful place to spend even just a few minutes to revitalize is important. We hope these rooms help improve mood and job satisfaction for health care workers here, which in turn, helps create the best health outcomes for patients, too.”
“On any given day, countless clinicians look for an oasis to pause, reflect and ready themselves for the next challenge. Too many of us have done this outside patient care areas, call or work rooms, or in hallways without the privacy or intimacy needed for these critical moments,” said Vineet Chopra, M.D., M.Sc., division chief of hospital medicine at Michigan Medicine, in a press release. “Having these rooms provides a much needed sanctuary for front line staff to decompress and regroup, and we’re so grateful to the donors and Studio Elsewhere for this opportunity.”
The university says Michigan Medicine is the first hospital outside of the east coast to implement Recharge Rooms for faculty and staff.
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