Within the ICU, a project to solicit staff to see the importance of creating a healing environment by the addition of their photographic art onto the walls of patient rooms.

1. Kaiser Permanente, Northern California
Caritas Consortium 2013
Bringing Beauty to the Bedside
Caritas in Action
How Caring Science informs and inspires KP caregivers and affirms our commitment to provide our
patients and their families exceptional care

2. Bringing Beauty to the Bedside
Intent to Contribute Statement:
In the Sacramento ICU, the patient rooms are sterile white with bleeping equipment adorning their walls.
Approximately half of the room’s views out the window is of the air ducts and other rooftop accoutrements. If you
are dwelling in one of the larger corner rooms, the window is there but tiny and difficult to see out of, lending one
to feel suspended in a closet. In order to bring art into the rooms the following challenges were perceived: lack of
funds, a busy engineering staff that results in months long waiting lists, helping the staff to see the importance of
creating a healing environment by the addition of art to the rooms. I choose photographic art because I hoped the
staff would contribute. I enlarged and framed two of my photos, a passion flower that was hot pink with lime green
and purple centers and stamens, as well as a beach scene with crashing waves on white sand. I posted one on each
side of the unit with a bulletin attached that briefly shared the importance and benefits of beauty in the healing
environment. I asked the ICU team for photos (with enough pixels to maintain the content when enlarged) that they
perceived as relaxing, beautiful, serene, and easily recognizable. No people or pets please. We have neurological
patients and it would not help their confusion if they mistook a photo of a metal structure for a spider and its
siblings. In addition, I requested that each person fund their own submission, which was a total cost of seventeen
dollars. Yes, really! Me and my 25% off Joann’s coupon went shopping on a day when the frames were already half
off. I purchased 34 of them, a portion of which had to be shipped. Did you know that it is only nine dollars to
enlarge a photo to a 20X30 poster size? It is amazing how lovely an enlarged photo of a flower can be. The bulletin
also mentioned that it was acceptable to contribute more than one and that those who did not have a submission
could still be a part of the beautification project by funding others’ work of art.
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3. Bringing Beauty to the Bedside
… Continued
Finally, I stated that each submission would have the participants name on one of the corners. I chose Sam’s Club
to print the 20X30inch posters because the quality was very good and the price could not be touched by others.
Plus, it was ready in one hour, which decreased this gal’s work away from work time. The poster frames from
Joann’s solved a number of challenges. First was price, SCORE! Second was that they were light weight. This meant
that I did not have to involve engineering with the actual hanging of the posters although I did plead with the
Manager to permit me to hang things on the wall. It only cost me a homemade cheesecake or rather the memory of
the one I sent after they assisted me with the last Caritas Fair. I was able to mount the posters on the wall with two
sided adhesive Velcro. I am hoping to be able to move around the photos from side to side of the unit since our staff
generally works in one area, hence Velcro versus another adhesive. Granted, these frames are not museum quality
but they are light, affordable, pleasing, and clean easily. Initially, the staff was hesitant to offer their photos
because they were “not sure if it is good enough.” But they soon over came that after a couple of the submissions
were presented. I received the submissions via email or on a disc. A number of the ICU team submitted several and
suggested I choose which one/ones to enlarge. Tricky they are, because I wanted them all but hoped that there
would be a variety of entrants. And goodness gracious, how they flowed in to my email from RNs to MDs and CPED
to Radiology techs. There were also some donations of cash to fund others work. Each time I carried in a batch of
new posters at the beginning of my shift, the staff would gather around me to peek at the latest submissions. The
staff would comment on their favorite and compliment all entries for they were all truly stunning.
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4. Bringing Beauty to the Bedside
… Continued
As the process of hanging the posters continued, I received a veritable plethora of positive feedback from staff,
patients, and family members. The submitters would puff up with pride when complimented, “Aw shucks, that little
ole thing!” The patients and their family members commented that it was so thoughtful of the staff to contribute
something personal to lighten their day. My favorite patient response was from a previously vented patient after
they were extubated, “ I always loved it when you turned me to my left side because I knew I would be able to get
lost in the sunset again.” The nurses, doctors, lab techs, MSWs, therapists of all flavors say they love the photos in
the rooms; that it is pleasant when they work in a room with art full of cheerful colors and interesting content.
When the last poster was hung, I sent out a letter of gratitude to all the staff, management, and some
administrators to acknowledge the contributors. I included that I hoped the art would assist the staff in finding an
opening for conversation with the patient/families, would brighten their day, and would increase their
understanding of how we all contribute in creating an environment for healing. I have not had the opportunity, but
wish to bring this project idea to the other units in our facility. I believe everyone can benefit from beauty in their
day.
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5. Bringing Beauty to the Bedside
Inspired Contributor(s) 1 :
Deborah Bassett – Caritas Coach

-----Service Area: North Valley
Medical Center: SAC
Affiliation: PCS
-----Year Shared: 2013
Venue: Caritas Consortium
Format: Poster
ID #: H01
1
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Names as listed in Lotus Notes, otherwise personal e-mails indicated
Keyword TAGs:
Identifier
 Consortium2013-July, North
Valley, Sacramento, Poster, Patie
nt Care Services, Adult Services
 Healing
Environments, Patients/Families
Descriptor
 Healing Arts

6. Bringing Beauty to the Bedside
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7. Bringing Beauty to the Bedside
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