'Under the Sea'
CRANBERRY TWP — UPMC Passavant Cranberry Hospital has made its emergency department more comfortable for younger patients.
High school students from several school districts, including Seneca Valley, completed murals to the theme of “Under the Sea” to help make the Emergency Department more friendly to pediatric patients.
Those murals feature popular television and film cartoon characters.
Kathy Smith, a hospital registered nurse and unit director, received the $12,700 grant from the Passavant Hospital Foundation for the project.
The murals are a part of the students' senior projects that are a graduation requirement.
The emergency department also was able to buy other items for the emergency department that add to the “Under the Sea” theme.
Class instructor Candra Anderson, Karen Veltman, a Deer Lakes High School senior, and Matt Galup, Fox Chapel senior, took the lead on the project.
Seneca Valley senior Brittany Bertolini painted an underwater cartoon character mural in an exam room.
Seneca Valley senior Jack Moran collected 170 child and adult DVD movies.
Seneca Valley senior Christopher McDermott translated welcome brochure/signs into Spanish.
Students in the design class at A.W. Beattie Career Center in Allison Park, Allegheny County painted one of the hallways with an underwater theme.
The emergency department nurses painted an exam room.
Other equipment to decrease pediatric patient's anxiety was also bought, including: BUZZY the Bee distracter for injections; an aquarium; rocking chair crib; and toys that are given to children when they leave.
The emergency staff also has been training on distraction and comforting techniques.
The UPMC Passavant Cranberry's Emergency Department has 21 exam rooms and treats about 25,000 patients annually. About 20 percent of people seen are children.
After undergoing a major renovation two years ago, the emergency department contains some new equipment. One new tool for young patients is the use of Telemedicine.
This allows physicians at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC to see a sick child in the UPMC Passavant Cranberry Emergency Department, and have a consultation with health care professionals in Cranberry.
