Kids Celebrate Child Life Month By Painting Their Doctors

Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital hosted its 5th annual Paint the Doctors event on Tuesday, March 12. This therapeutic event allows our patients and their care team the opportunity to play together. Our doctors and nurse practitioners held paint canvases while the kids squirted paint from syringes.

“The kids love it because it reverses the roles in the hospital,” says Margaret Chastain, manager of pediatric health related services. “It gives control to the kids who can grab a syringe and spray their doctors and nurses. Part of our duty is to provide distractions and make lengthy hospital stays more fun. That’s why we host this event in March, National Child Life Month.”

Ranken Jordan provides art and music therapy, horticulture, cooking sessions and more to their patients through their pediatric health related services department, which includes child life specialists and recreational therapists.

“This is a great tradition we started five years ago,” says Nick Holekamp, MD, chief medical officer. “Painting, especially like this, is playful and promotes positive coping skills. I look forward to this event every year.”