Meritus team members use chance to refocus, supporting quality care

Oasis rooms allow front-line caregivers a place to take meaningful health breaks, reducing stress and improving patient care. 

HAGERSTOWN, Md. — An initiative started in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to give Meritus Medical Center staff a chance to recharge continues to have value.

Five “oasis rooms” were created in 2020 as patient volumes and challenges related to the nursing shortage peaked. The spaces, waiting rooms that weren’t being used because of the pandemic, offered a place where team members could take more meaningful mental health breaks.

Inside the rooms, flameless candles flicker, soft music plays and massage chairs and salt lamps provide a calming vibe.

Over the past five years, the oasis rooms have been visited an average of 15,000 times per year. Between January and the beginning of July, the rooms have seen an average of more than 1,000 uses per month.

“Giving our team members that chance to recharge allows them to continue to provide quality care to our community,” said Heather Markell, the hospital’s chief nursing officer. “Our number one goal is to put the patient at the center of what we do, and these oasis rooms have assisted our staff in focusing on what’s important.”

Caregiver-role strain and compassion fatigue are well-known and often associated with front-line staff, nurses in particular, as they work daily in difficult situations.

“Micro-breaks for staff offer a way to build resiliency and wellbeing,” said Anand Budi, M.D., Meritus chief medical officer. “They are a proven way to reduce stress and to reduce the chance of injury and errors. They contribute to the team member’s overall health and efficiency, thus contributing to Meritus’ goal of providing the best possible care to our patients.”

Meritus is hiring nurses, healthcare providers and staff. To learn more about Meritus Health, visit www.meritushealth.com/careers.