Nurse Sonya Rider in the new playroom at Palmerston North Hospital's emergency separtment, with Awapuni Rotary Club members Rodney Wong (left), Fraser Bell and David Chapple. Photo / Judith Lacy
Nurse Sonya Rider in the new playroom at Palmerston North Hospital's emergency separtment, with Awapuni Rotary Club members Rodney Wong (left), Fraser Bell and David Chapple. Photo / Judith Lacy
What was an empty space in Palmerston North Hospital's emergency department is now a playroom.
It was designed, built and installed by Play'n'Learn, the same company that designed the playroom at Wellington's new children's hospital.
The Awapuni Rotary Club donated $16,000 to pay for the playroom.
President Fraser Bell saystime in ED is never good so if the club can take some of the stress away from tamariki and parents, it makes the project worthwhile.
Long-serving Awapuni Rotarian Rodney Wong says the club was wanting to help with the fight against Covid-19. With more people probably needing to visit ED, providing a usable playroom seemed a perfect project.
The playroom caters for a range of ages and the toys were donated by emergency department staff. Photo / Judith Lacy
Trauma nurse specialist Sonya Rider says the room had to be suitable for a range of ages, able to be cleaned to infection control standards, durable, calming for families to be in, and contain items to distract children.
The toys were donated by ED staff and a mural will be added.
Awapuni Rotary's next hospital project is supplying an interactive activity centre for the new whānau room in ED.
