Abbotford – The birth of a baby is joyous occasion but for some parents it can be a complex process. Newborns babies with low birth weight or a health condition are placed in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to receive special care from hospital staff.
The NICU unit at Abbotsford Regional Hospital (ARH) has been transformed from a clinical environment into a calming dreamscape for visitors. The forest creatures, on the mural, are depicted as whispering a lullaby for babies to fall asleep; and encouraging visitors to sing along to the melody of a traditional lullaby.
The idea to revamp the room was brought to life by executive director, Elizabeth Harris, Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation. According to Harris, “I always aim to make the hospital not always feel like a clinical space, it is important for patients, parents, and staff to feel stimulated by an environment that is calming”.
Responding to her call was artist Dean Lauze who has a niche for transforming clinical spaces into colourful and less intimidating ones.
Long-time specialist in the field Lorraine Baker, manager clinical operations Pediatrics, NICU (Maternal, Infant, Child and Youth Program) provides further context in regard to transforming the clinicalspace. As Bakersays, “the hospital is “not a place you choose to be, so murals like this help ease some of the anxiety associated with entering such a space”.
