After opening the first "serenity lounge" in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center has unveiled 13 more break rooms with massage chairs and aromatherapy for nurses and other patient care employees.
Florida Pagador, MSN, RN, an assistant nurse manager at Cedars-Sinai, came up with the idea, according to a Sept. 5 news release from the Los Angeles-based system. With the help of Melanie Barone, MSN, RN, associate nursing director, the two created the first serenity lounge.
Ms. Pagador and Ms. Barone conducted a study into the benefits of serenity lounges, and they discovered that nurses who used a massage chair for 10 minutes in a quiet room felt mental and emotional relief, according to the release.
"If we see a colleague who's having a bad day, we ask them if they need to go for a walk, or if they need to take 10 minutes in the lounge," Ms. Barone said in the release. "Our culture is to support each other and recharge, no matter what kind of day you're having."