Tea for the Soul: A Creative Program for Increasing Staff Resilience

Amanda J. Conley | Chaplain, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Cathy L. Disher | Chaplain, Critical Care, OSUCCC James, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

This webinar describes a creative, cost-effective and benchmarked chaplaincy-led support program for clinical staff called Tea for the Soul. Clinical providers and hospital staff experience daily emotional and physical stress as they care for very sick patients and their families in high-pressure situations. This cumulative and unrelieved stress can leave staff feeling depleted, fatigued, and at risk for burnout. These factors negatively impact staff engagement and the ability of staff to deliver compassionate care to patients. Two Chaplains from Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center will share Tea for the Soul program details and outcomes, as well as positive feedback from participating staff, providers, nursing and other medical center leaders who are ongoing champions of this program. In less than two years, this initiative has had remarkable impact in mitigating the stress of clinical staff, developing connected interdisciplinary relationships, and increasing staff’s perception that the organization values them.