This Hospital Really Rocks!
Rocking chairs are
more than a place to sit at the Pitt County Memorial Hospital in Greenville,
North Carolina. The hospital staff uses the chairs as a way to relieve stress
and provide comfort to patients and families.
 "Our rocking chairs are a real hit with patients,
families/visitors and staff, Barbara Levijoki, nurse manager of the Pediatric
Intensive Care Unit commented. "Children and their families can't help but
smile when they see our brightly colored chairs. The chairs invite you to
sit and tell your story or rock away pain, stress and worry."
Levijoki ordered six
(6) rocking chairs from artist Diana Brown and her Chairitable Works studio.
"I warned Barbara these rockers would be different; bright, bold and each
would have a story to tell," Brown recalled.
The original six chairs
were delivered and later the hospital ordered sixteen (16) more of the
unique
rocking chairs. "We had ordered other rockers in the past but Diana’s
chairs were more artistic, were stronger and she finishes the chairs so they
can be cleaned without damage by hospital disinfection methods," Levijoki
said.
The second order included
two chairs that were requested by a family to celebrate the life of their
child. One chair was decorated with the child’s favorite stuffed animal
and the other included an image requested by the parents.
"Rocking chairs are
more than just a seat," Brown pointed out, "research has shown that rocking
chairs can calm patients of all ages, lower blood pressure, reduce the amount
of medication required and encourage physical movement."
Pitt County Memorial
is part of the University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina. The hospital
is a tertiary care referral center and provides acute, intermediate,
rehabilitation and outpatient health services to more than 1.2 million people
in 29 counties. Levijoki is a 20 year veteran of the hospital.
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