Melanie Barone and Linda Kim, two of the authors of “Effective Holistic Approaches to Reducing Nurse Stress and Burnout During COVID-19”

·20 min·1 clip

A bedside nurse's 'selfish endeavor' sparked a serenity lounge that transformed nurse burnout at Cedars-Sinai.

This episode of The AJN Podcast features host Christine Maffa interviewing nurse authors Melanie Barone and Linda Kim from Cedars-Sinai about their article on holistic approaches to nurse burnout. They detail the creation and expansion of a "Serenity Lounge," a dedicated staff respite space. The project was initiated by bedside nurse Florita Pagador, who sought a quiet place to recharge during shifts. The team converted a former locker room into a dark, quiet space with rules like no food and cell phones off. The lounge, which fits two to three people, features a massage chair and recliner, with staff contributing personal art. The project took a couple months to launch, requiring staff buy-in and leadership support from figures like Chief Nurse Executive David Marshall. During COVID-19, the initiative expanded hospital-wide into a program called "Code Calm," which added ten more massage chairs, especially for COVID units. Research for the project used pre- and post-survey data collected via QR codes and the RedCap platform, incorporating questions from the Maslach Burnout Inventory. The authors clarify they did not formally study retention rates linked to the lounges but note strong anecdotal staff support. They emphasize that such wellness resources cannot be a standalone fix for systemic issues like understaffing. A key insight is that nurses, as natural caregivers, often neglect their own self-care, a point underscored by a reference to theorist Jean Watson. The hosts stress that staff must feel empowered to voice their need for a break, which remains an ongoing challenge. Leadership covering for staff to use the lounge was a critical enabling factor. The tone is conversational, educational, and supportive, focusing on practical implementation and shared experience. Listeners interested in nurse well-being, hospital administration, or practical workplace wellness initiatives would appreciate this episode. Those seeking data-driven outcomes on retention or a debate on systemic healthcare issues might find it less comprehensive.

As heard by us

A grounded look at turning nurse burnout relief into a working support space.

The episode follows a practical effort to ease nurse stress and burnout during COVID-19 at Cedars-Sinai, and the serenity lounge is the clearest example of that work.

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Why you'd press play

You want a practical burnout-relief idea built around a quiet room, not a slogan.

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