I cannot express how therapeutic this was for our staff

I wanted to share my positive experience with the Bronson Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Team. As a unit coordinator with the Extended Medical Care Unit (EMCU), we sometimes have to deal with the loss of our patients. In this particular case, we had a patient whose health was actively declining. This was very emotionally challenging for our staff as the patient had been here for quite some time and built relationships with the staff. We had Amy from the CISM Team come to the unit and offer resources. Although our staff did not want a full debriefing, Amy talked to me about having a Code Lavender. I cannot express how therapeutic this was for our staff. There were snacks, lavender lotions, fidget spinners and a book. These were just a few of the comfort items on the cart. This allowed the staff to sit down for a minute, have a snack, and really bond as a team and talk about what just happened.  They could express with one another how they were feeling about the tragedy that occurred. This simple offer of encouragement by the CISM Team let us know that someone noticed our grief and acknowledged the importance of our feelings. It showed that someone cared. This was extremely helpful to the staff and myself, as well.

What is CISM? Bronson is committed to helping employees be well and live a balanced lifestyle. Following a critical or traumatic event, it can be difficult to function normally at work or home. The Bronson Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) team is available to help employees through these difficult situations by providing healthy and effective coping techniques.