Spiritual Health Research Initiative Wesley Woods

Spiritual Health Research Explores preventative, predictive and relational elements associated with:  Spiritual Wellness  Coping  Resilience In application with…

…relational, ethical and culturally responsive qualities of delivery in the healthcare continuum… …at Emory and through the Emory Center for Pastoral Services, spiritual health research is a direct response to the system-wide mission of transforming care to patient-family centeredness…

Wesley Woods Research Team …Chaplain Residents and Permanent Staff formed a team to discover how spiritual health is engaged in care transformation at the Wesley Woods campus… …from within the team there was great interest in the stress of staff having to cope with death… …discussions about grief and loss ensued…

…it grew to seem naturally fitting to explore the influence and impact of losses associated with work and those in personal lives compounded together… …this led to an extensive literature review and the development of a methodology to engage the topic in a descriptive and exploratory way… …today’s presentation is a first step in our project…

The Wesley Woods Environment As a geriatric hospital, our patients-face extensive and often compounded loss daily… Such as: Loss of autonomy, mobility, family members, ability to live at home, and other major life transitions associated with older age…. Thus, hospital staff are constantly surrounded by loss through their interactions with patients and family members

Workplace Loss and Transitions Throughout the year, we noticed: Many transitions in the Wesley Woods and Budd Terrace workplace-new administrators and new staff, as well as the loss of old admin and staff, Units changing (6 th Floor at Budd, Medical Floor at WWGH), death of staff members Many changes at home-loss of family members, health issues, family changes, taking on caregiver role for parents, etc.

Literature Review Articles Collected from: PUBMED database WorldCata database EBSCO database *Articles are available through Emory Library

Themes in Literature There is a correlation between well-being in the professional and personal spheres of life High rate of burnout/compassion fatigue in healthcare profession “Social workers and other human service professionals bring with them their own history of loss and personal way of grieving that can either enhance the therapeutic process or impede it.” -Living Through Loss: Interventions Throughout the Life Span

Grief Process Varied opinions regarding grief experienced by general hospital and geriatric facility staff -Anticipatory grief -Unexpected Losses -Nature of Relationships “Professional caregivers in the geriatric domain are at risk for burnout because working with the elderly forces confrontation with serious illness and death.” –Ennio Cocco

Self-Care Strategies The literature points to the need for health care professionals to be aware of their emotions surrounding loss, and employ self-care strategies both personally and at work Schwartz Center Rounds “The Center’s mission is to support and advance compassionate healthcare….”

Methodology Original plan: three focus groups – Presentation of topic – Self care assessments survey – Follow up discussion groups – Strategy planning for self care – Obstacles: – Time restraints – Patient care restraints (not being able to leave unit) – Environment not conducive to extra meetings – Added work for already overworked staff

Evolution of the Process Modified Surveys to include self care strategies specifically employed during loss, as opposed to general self care practices Collaborated with already existing meetings, such as UPC meetings at WWGH Units and Stand Up/Huddles at Budd Terrace Individual interviews with staff members

Self-Care Assessment

Self-Care Assessment During Loss average : 50

Themes and Assessment In general, people took care of themselves physically, spiritually, and emotionally People believed they were striving for balance in their lives The level of self care during loss decreased in all areas except spiritual and emotional

Assessment Of Personal Interviews Most Common Type of Losses Loss of relationships Occupational Loss How Loss Has Impacted Service Burnout/Compassion Fatigue Physical Health Masking of emotions in the workplace

Self-Care Strategies Professional Personal Lunch breaks away from work Support from colleagues Maintaining a routine Finding meaning in work Devotion/Prayer Exercise Music Pampering Oneself Faith Community Vacationing Counseling

Future Considerations What additional factors encourage or discourage self- care? Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms Emory’s Encouragement of Self- Care in Work Environment Feeling of being overworked Is Self-Care a Luxury?

A. Economic Factors A. Material vs. Non- Material B. Survival Factors A. Is Self-Care impossible when just trying to survive?

Conclusion Emory/Wesley Woods-There is a message of self-care but the connection between the message and the practice is not always evident on a day to day basis. Staff-Though the staff tend to take care of themselves regularly in times of loss self-care is not practiced in the workplace. Pastoral Services-We want to remind staff that we are not here just for the patients but staff as well.