CODE LAVENDERBob Hamilton - Director Spiritual Care and Wholeness

Cone Health - Greensboro

North Carolina Chaplain’s Association

October 2, 2014

Origins of Code Lavender

Code Lavender started by Earl Bakken, CEO at North Hawaii Community Hospital in Waimea in 2008.

His Commitments included:

A Robust Integrative Medicine approach

Wholistic Care across the continuum

Code Lavender was one aspect

Initial Focus was for Patients primarily

Later focused on Staff

Code lavender Origins

We all know our healthcare codes—Code Blue requires the most urgency in the restoration of a patient’s clinical condition. The Code Lavender™ system is an integrative healing equivalent of a Code Blue

Code Lavender™ services consist of a rapid response team of specialists, who are called upon when an individual—patient or her family or an employee—has reached her/his emotional limit

Experia is a consulting group connected with the Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland Clinic Code Lavender

Code Lavender adopted at Cleveland Clinic

Dr. Brenda Duffy a colleague of Earl Brakken brought the concept to the Cleveland Clinic.

She asks providers to center themselves on healthcare’s most fundamental mission: “Don’t lose the connection to the reason you entered health care in the first place. This is sacred work. We are here to heal.

Caring for Ourselves when the stress is too high or life delivers a devastating blow is being congruent with a being a healing community.

Code Lavender does Not –From Interview in the Huffington Post of Amy Greene, the Cleveland Clinic Director of Spiritual Care

Does not prevent Burnout

Does not assure employee retention

Does not prevent PTSD

It is - A curcuit breaker on stressful days ... it allows any

caregiver to trigger its holistic pressure relief valve for a particular staff.

Code Lavender Breakthroughs 

It sends three signals to the entire staff, loud and clear.

1) This work is stressful 

This acknowledgement alone makes an incredible difference for anyone in the Cleveland Clinic system to whom it is available. For the first time there is institutional admission that this is stressful work, that you can get overloaded and that it can impact the quality of care you provide.

2) You have needs that are important to us

The message is you matter to us and when you need it, you can have a break to regroup. Rather than the typical "never show weakness" programming we all absorbed in our medical education.

3) We can Systemize Support in cases of Bad Outcomes What we do at the time of a tragic or

traumatic for staff will make a difference System /Institutional

Recognition

Support

Opportunity for community

Code Lavender

Is a supportive response to a unit, department, or work group which experienced a particularly stressful event or series of events impacting them and their ability to cope.

At Cone Health this intervention is specifically aimed at Caring for the Caregivers (staff).

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Coordinated, integrated therapies and support delivered via a multidisciplinary team

Rapid response to employees’ needs when an event has impacted a department/staff.

Support by: Hospital leadership Departmental Leadership Chaplains Supportive Interventions

Emergency Department Please use main entrance!!!!

Examples of Events

Unexpected death of a coworker New nurse died OR PA sudden death

A series of difficult situations or death on the unit over time Children shot by parent Death of mother during a C-Section. Death of young mother after 5 months in

hospital Multiple deaths on unit in one day Co-worker in serious accident

A Code LavenderWhat Happens

• Code lavender is initiated via call to Administrative Coordinator or other leadership staff member.

• Spiritual Care Services is notified and will manage the logistics

Code lavender initiation

• A Team member brings Code Lavender cart which holds support information

• inspirational quotes, water, resources for support for personal use or resources available to them.

• Guided meditations, Tea for the Soul, EAP, Aromatherapy, Chaplain support, quiet music, information on grief, coping with stresses etc.

• Massage on site or gift certificates for a session

• Protocol Handout

Code lavender initiation

Nutritional Services are notified and bring snacks (chocolate, chips, drinks – Comfort Foods!!! )

Leadership presence and support

Rounding Continues for 24-48 hours

Overhead announcement that a Code Lavender has been initiated at….. Goal to foster a sense of community

Planning Implementation

Gain Leadership buy in – support connection to caring for staff

Gather a strong interdisciplinary planning group

Policy, Protocol, Roll out, Follow up/eval.

Consider the logistical issues for implementing

Develop a protocol and educate, educate, educate staff and leadership.

Have leadership attuned to what is happening with staff and who will recommend calling a Code Lavender

Challenges

Attention to when a Code Lavender could be called

Expanding Support Resources appropriate for context

Creating a Sacred Space

Awareness

Benefits

Restores and reinvigorates employees’ physical and emotional capacity for caring

Support to enable employee to continue their valuable work

Aligns with our Health System values, principles, and practices

Evaluation

• Code Lavender time frame- 24-72 hours (variable depending on event)

• 98% of staff said services met or exceeded their expectations

• 96% of staff said they would recommend to peers

• Use a follow up evaluation form to track.

QUESTIONS?

Bob Hamilton-832-7950 bob.hamilton@conehealth.com