ARLINGTON, Texas — You won’t find any patients or beeping machines in these hospital rooms. The specifically designed rooms offer caregivers at Texas Health hospitals a peaceful break during the pandemic.
The Tranquility Room at Texas Health Plano
“It’s a safe space to relax, calm your nerves or have a small debriefing with a friend or co-worker during your shift,” said Sheila Haynie, B.S.N., R.N., nurse manager in the Emergency Department at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth.
The Zen Room, which opened in July, is in an ED consult room at Texas Health Fort Worth that was not being used during the pandemic.
The dim lighting and ambiance offer a sense of calmness from the moment you open the door — a very different feeling from the often-chaotic ED.
Naomi Paget, B.S.N., R.N., CEN, pitched a similar idea of a quiet space to her manager at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano.
“The ED is a stressful, fast-paced environment and can be chaotic, especially during surge times,” said Paget, nursing supervisor in the Emergency Department at Texas Health Plano. “COVID-19 has added additional pressure on our staff, and I loved the idea of creating a relaxing space for our ED.”
The Tranquility Suite, located outside the Emergency Department at Texas Health Plano, opened its doors to all hospital employees in December.
“Our hope is that the employee will come away with reduced stress in one’s life and work by taking a brief moment to relax in quiet and stillness,” said Scott Flockhart, B.S.N., R.N., CEN, clinical manager in the Emergency Department at Texas Health Plano.
The suite, furnished with a massage chair, lighting and décor, was purchased with a grant from the Texas Health Resources Foundation. Healthcare workers can even enjoy a beverage or snack during their breaktime.
Caregivers at Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital have two options to recharge in the Relaxation Room — one in the ED and the other on the third floor of the hospital that’s for all staff members. The room is part of the hospital's Kindness Matters initiative that includes an emphasis on self care.
“It’s nice to have a place to regroup, refresh and reflect amid all the chaos and loss,” Flockhart said.
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About Texas Health Resources
Texas Health Resources is a faith-based, nonprofit health system that cares for more patients in North Texas than any other provider. With a service area that consists of 16 counties and more than 7 million people, the system is committed to providing quality, coordinated care through its Texas Health Physicians Group and 29 hospital locations under the banners of Texas Health Presbyterian, Texas Health Arlington Memorial, Texas Health Harris Methodist and Texas Health Huguley. Texas Health access points and services, ranging from acute-care hospitals and trauma centers to outpatient facilities and home health and preventive services, provide the full continuum of care for all stages of life. The system has more than 4,100 licensed hospital beds, 6,400 physicians with active staff privileges and more than 26,000 employees. For more information about Texas Health, call 1-877-THR-WELL, or visit www.TexasHealth.org.