Working in intensive care can be hard, especially when our teams are caring for patients in a life-threatening condition. It’s a challenging role that for most, can be emotionally demanding.
Creativity can help release or express feelings that may build up inside.
In 2022, while construction works to expand our Intensive Care Unit (ICU) capabilities with the addition of two negative pressure rooms were underway, our team had the perfect opportunity to get creative.
Our team transformed the hoarding, typically a bland white surface that acts as a barrier between a building site and anywhere else, into a colourful masterpiece.
They were given textas and went to work, turning their plain white wall into a masterpiece of positive messaging and creative works.
“To come into work each day and see what was new on the wall was inspirational,” says ICU Ward Clerk, Ruth Parkinson. “It was a morale booster for the whole ICU team. Even the patient’s relatives joined in by putting thank you messages to staff on the wall, it was so rewarding for everyone.”
“When the wall had to come down it was exciting to see the new pressure rooms, but, it was also disappointing to see everyone’s artwork and quotes go.”
It wasn’t long before the artworks were back, thanks to a special surprise from Built, the construction company behind the project, who later returned with the artwork printed on acrylic, to allow it to be displayed in the ICU.
“You have no idea what it meant to me to receive the artwork for my office,” adds Ruth. “I was over whelmed and bought to tears and was absolutely honoured to think that they would do that for me and the ICU team.”
The artwork is now displayed around the ICU, leaving a special memory for many of our people working in our ICU.
