Tranquility rooms for team member well-being: Implementation during COVID-19 pandemic

In 2020, the COVID-19 global pandemic changed the landscape of healthcare delivery and with it the need to better address team member well-being. Aside from patients and their families, healthcare professionals were among the most affected and at high risk for suffering psychological distress, including increased stress, depression, anxiety, substance use, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Prior to COVID-19, healthcare workers were already experiencing a high rate of job burnout, depression, and suicide. The pandemic brought in sharp focus the essential and urgent need for healthcare facilities to acknowledge the importance of team member well-being and the provision of spaces such as tranquility rooms for use while at work. This case study shares one health system’s evidence-based implementation plan for tranquility rooms, what was learned, and how team members responded. More research is needed to better understand team member well-being and the impact of tranquility rooms.