The health care field can be extremely rewarding but conversely just as taxing. Patient-facing positions can result in large amounts of emotional and mental strain due to the demands of the job. These workers can experience hardships such as difficult patient cases and high-stress situations, which can strain mental health and lead to burnout and compassion fatigue.
Established in 2023 by the Woodruff Health Sciences Center’s Office of Well-Being (EmWELL), the microgrants program aims to address these workforce stressors by empowering employees to establish peer-led solutions that could be scaled across the system. The projects funded by this program are innovative, evidence-based, and team-focused pilots that positively impact the well-being of health care workers.
In the fall of 2024, a total of $15,000 was awarded as a microgrant among five projects with topic areas ranging from stress resilience to ergonomic workstations. Halfway through their second microgrant cycle, one project in particular, Code Lavender, is already accumulating positive feedback and impacting the well-being of its participants.
Chen began this initiative as someone who has personally experienced health care burnout. As a former ICU nurse in another major hospital system, she benefited from a similar program.
Chen says, “Code Lavender’s intent is to address in real time moments when a staff member may experience feelings of burnout such as a workplace violence incident or a patient death. Feedback on the pilot program has been overwhelmingly positive, and we are so happy to see staff benefiting from it.”
The recipients of these care packages include patient-facing staff primarily working in the Brain Health service line at Emory University Hospital, specifically the Neuro ICU, 3G, and 9E nursing units. This initiative is being carried out by unit directors, education coordinators, and charge nurses who, so far, have delivered 100 out of 250 boxes.
“The Code Lavender box that Pauline has introduced has really given us a tactile way to recognize our staff when they are experiencing moral distress,” says Annelies Carl, assistant nurse manager of Neuro ICU. “As a Nurse Manager, I can bring the box, and having something to hold and open creates that special moment of recognition.”
Another microgrant creating positive change in the workplace is ergonomic workstations. Led by Zachary Grunewald and his team in the Department of Radiology, this project aims to alleviate repetitive strain injuries (RSIs) in health care workers such as tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and tennis elbow. Grunewald and his team are working to create four state-of-the-art ergonomic workstations that feature rounded desks or computer stations, ergonomic chairs, sit-to-stand desks, optional walking platforms, and padded floor mats. In its first six months, Grunewald says,“we have completed aim one by conducting a comprehensive assessment of 200 radiology team members across Emory Healthcare to assess workstation strain, fatigue, and gather insights into areas of opportunity”.
The 2025 EmWELL Microgrants application is now open and will close June 30th. The application is available to all employees within Woodruff Health Sciences Center. For more information about the application format and criteria, please visit the EmWELL website.