News and Notices

Children's artwork helps reduce fear of Emergency Department


It’s hoped artwork by children from Auckland Point School will help reduce the fear of a visit to the Emergency Department (ED) at Nelson Hospital. 

Anne Geange, a Registered Nurse in ED responsible for the paediatric portfolio, invited local primary schools to help refurbish the paediatric room within ED at Nelson Hospital. 

She asked for children to paint some large sheets of plywood with different themes which could be mounted on the walls and be changed around seasonally.

Anne says she hopes the artwork will help make a visit to ED more positive than negative and demystify their ED experience.   

Cheryl Betman (also known as Whaea Betti) an art teacher at Auckland Point School, took up Anne’s invitation and asked her pupils to paint some of their favourite things.  

"Anne's enthusiasm was catchy, and the end result of giving some joy to kids visiting ED is rewarding, " says Whaea Betti.

The resulting three panels depict themes of Christmas and summer activities on one side, with winter on the reverse.  

The panels include images of waka ama, happy sheep, paddle boarding, helicopters, Mako players and scenes from Nelson.
Anne says the paintings can be used as a distraction during procedures in the paediatric room by asking children to look for certain objects in the panels similar to a ‘Where’s Wally’ activity. 

The plywood panels were supplied by Mitre 10 and Resene donated the paint.

The students are: Harley McLeod, TeHoiere Hemi, Amelia Suttie and Vivian Tran.

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