Nurse Kim Calhoun stands in front of a giant coloring sheet in the Perioperative Care Unit.
In late January, as Omicron surged, Kim Calhoun, MSN, RN, CCRN, a nurse in the PPMC Perioperative Care Unit on PAC2, posted a giant coloring page and markers on the wall in her unit. It was an instant hit with coworkers, one of whom said it “adds color and flair to our unit, and brings us all much-needed peace and serenity.”
Calhoun was inspired to order the poster and markers after seeing a post on Instagram by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.
“I thought it would be a great way to help reduce stress,” Calhoun said. “A few years ago, when my teenage daughter was going through a stressful medical issue, we both used adult coloring books to help de-stress and found it really helped.”
All different people stopped by to color, including some who don’t always work on that unit and even a patient's family member.
“It looks really pretty and brightens up the unit,” Calhoun said. “I think we will definitely do it again once this one is completed.”