Since April, Baptist Health has offered its staff several mental health options in the midst of the pandemic.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Months into the pandemic, health care workers continue to fight COVID-19. As they fight the virus, though, who is taking care of them?
Baptist Health has continued to offer several mental health resources for its staff. The latest installment of the hospital’s Wellness and Resilience Offerings is what’s called Recharge and Refresh Rooms. The rooms have massage chairs, soft lighting and chaplains are available to talk to.
“I think it’s just a nice balance and desensitizing just the amount of stimulation that they get throughout the day, through noise and light and people,” Lisa Solwold, Staff Chaplain for Wolfson Children’s Hospital, said. “It’s just a nice retreat even if it’s just for a few moments.”
Since April, Baptist has offered its staff several mental health options, including a 24/7 crisis hotline, virtual support groups for its employees and resources for dealing with stress.
“As this transitioned for us, we realized that the staff really needs some support, and so our direction changed to supporting them,” Solwold said, regarding supporting the staff along with patients. “I think that one of the benefits that comes out of a crisis is that it really pushes us to be creative about how we respond to things. As the pandemic has evolved, so has the hospital’s resources.”
Solwold said the rooms will be in place at least through October.
If you or someone you know in the health field needs to talk to someone, there’s also a national physician support line that’s free and confidential. You can call 1-888-409-0141.
