HEARTBRUSH PROGRAM
Care team wellness.
A restorative moment of creativity for the people caring for everyone else.
What
Alongside patient care, we also want to prioritize the healthcare providers that are working behind the scenes to save lives. Our goal is to give them a break from the constant stress of the hospital.
Why
Healthcare workers spend hours upon hours in a high-stress environment, and it takes its toll on them. They often suffer from exhaustion, due to their long shifts, compassion fatigue from constantly caring for others, and eventually burnout. Depending on their field, some practitioners may spend their days surrounded by loss, and lack a place to express their grief, needing to have a brave face at all times. Their environment can lead to damage for their mental, physical, and emotional health. It can cause heightened depression and anxiety. It can also result in a disturbed sleep schedule and mood swings, as well as body pain, metabolic changes, and a constant state of fatigue. Eventually, they may suffer from emotional tension, and may remain in states of anger, irritation, or frustration. We hope to prevent this, if possible. We want to give those who spend their lives caring for others, a chance to care for themselves. We offer them a peaceful moment to express their emotions artistically, a moment to decompress away from the hospital environment.
Evidence
A study tested the effects of art therapy conducted by licensed art therapy professionals on various doctors of different backgrounds and roles and found that, “participants in the intervention group had significantly lower scores of emotional exhaustion as the primary outcome as well as of depersonalisation, perceived stress, depression and anxiety.” This demonstrates the uses of art on caregivers alongside patients. Art is an instrument that should not solely be used to help patients, when it can have positive effects and prevent burnout for staff as well.
How
We will give them these opportunities from their break rooms. We plan to provide art projects such as watercolor painting, mandala art, and free sketching. These simple projects will allow them to process their emotions without limits, and express their creativity as they see fit.
Works Cited
Tjasink, Megan, et al. “Art Therapy to Reduce Burnout and Mental Distress in Healthcare Professionals in Acute Hospitals: A Randomised Controlled Trial.” BMJ Public Health, vol. 3, no. 2, 3 Aug. 2025, e002251. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjph-2024-002251.