The Coloring Story: A story that unfolds patients’ & families’ lives. Emma & John pioneered the initiative during a particularly challenging time in the unit. One evening, a patient with cognitive impairment was becoming increasingly agitated. Despite various interventions, nothing seemed to calm the patient. Observing the situation, Emma remembered how much the nurses had enjoyed a coloring competition during Hospital Week and wondered if it might help the patient refocus. She quickly retrieved a coloring page and some coloring pencils, gently offering them to the patient. To everyone’s surprise, the patient began to color. Slowly, the agitation dissipated, replaced by quiet concentration. Seeing how well this worked, Emma & John shared the experience with fellow nurses/ PCAs, who agreed it could be beneficial not just for staff but for patients and families as well. Both Emma & John took it upon themselves to expand the project, purchasing more coloring supplies and involving patients and their families, and staff. What started as a small act of compassion quickly turned into an ongoing therapeutic tool, bringing comfort and calm to many others.

This initiative blossomed from a simple stress-relief exercise for staff into an inclusive and therapeutic tool that engaged patients in a new, meaningful way. By involving patients and families in these creative activities, they managed to turn moments of anxiety into opportunities for healing, allowing everyone to participate in something that felt both empowering and calming. The coloring activities brought joy not only to the patients but also to their families, who saw this as a moment of reprieve and emotional bonding. 

Emma & John collaborated seamlessly with the healthcare team to meet the needs of both patients and their families. It recognized the impact of stress on a patient’s recovery; and thus shared the benefits of their coloring project with fellow nurses and PCAs. They coordinated with supervisors to secure resources, including donations for supplies, and ensured that other units were also involved in the project. By working closely with the healthcare team, these nurses fostered a supportive environment where patients, families, and staff all benefited from this stress-relief initiative.  Again, such professionalism ensured that patient care remained our top priority and will always uphold the highest standards of care.

The thoughtful and personal approach to patients, their families, and the staff's well-being by these nurses (Emma & John) is a remarkable display of empathy and a caring attitude. The initiation of a coloring project, with the goal of providing a creative and relaxing outlet for patients, was an explicit reflection of their deep care for their patients' wellbeing.

Their unwavering dedication to the project’s success, notable through organizing monthly coloring contests and engaging managers/supervisors for support, underscores their true commitment to fostering emotional well-being.
 
Significantly, this initiative is a true reflection of the profound compassion and caring nature inherent in these nurses (Emma & John), and this is undoubtedly an inevitable revelation of how they consistently go above and beyond to support everyone they encounter.