CODE LAVENDER
Bob 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

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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 Lavender
What 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