Abstract
We are currently facing global healthcare crisis that has placed unprecedented stress on healthcare workers as a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It is imperative that we develop novel tools to assist healthcare workers in dealing with the significant additional stress and trauma that has arisen as a result of the pandemic. Based in research on the effects of immersive environments on mood, a neuroscience research laboratory was rapidly repurposed using commercially available technologies and materials to create a nature-inspired relaxation space. Frontline healthcare workers were invited to book 15-min experiences in the Recharge Room before, during or after their shifts, where they were exposed to the immersive, multisensory experience 496 Recharge Room users (out of a total of 562) completed a short survey about their experience during an unselected, consecutive 14-day period. Average self-reported stress levels prior to entering the Recharge Room were 4.58/6 (±1.1). After a single 15-min experience in the Recharge Room, the average user-reported stress level was significantly reduced 1.85/6 (±1.2; p < 0.001; paired t-test). Net Promoter Score for the experience was 99.3%. Recharge Rooms such as those described here produce significant short-term reductions in perceived stress, and users find them highly enjoyable. These rooms may be of general utility in high-stress healthcare environments.
Highlights
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in New York City led to surges of critically ill patients into hospitals that were already operating at or above capacity
The surge continued throughout the data collection period, with hospital staff admitting more than 600 COVID-positive cases daily, and ventilator utilization was at nearly 70% of the hospital’s capacity
What was your stress level like when you walked in? (1–6) What is your stress level like after your experience? (1–6) How likely are you to recommend this experience to a friend or colleague? (0–10) Any additional comments? (N/A)
Summary
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in New York City led to surges of critically ill patients into hospitals that were already operating at or above capacity. Anxiety, and fear ranged from tangible to abstract: closure of schools, loss of childcare, economic hardship, fear of contracting the virus, fear of spreading the virus to loved ones, loss of patients, family members and coworkers to COVID-19, concern regarding one’s ability to perform new duties with minimal training, existential concerns about moral duties and responsibilities, and uncertainty regarding the future (Albott et al, 2020; Blake et al, 2020) The confluence of these factors can impose moral suffering, fear, outrage, disgust, and depletion among health care workers (Patel et al, 2018) who may feel unprepared, unprotected, and unheard (Shanafelt et al, 2020). A recent survey found that healthcare workers at a large medical center in Baltimore, Maryland reported moral injury severity similar to that of military service members who served 7-month deployments in war zones, with notable similarities in feelings of betrayal by others (Hines et al, 2020)
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