New artwork at the Cairns Hospital Emergency Department waiting area is helping provide a colourful distraction for children waiting to be seen.

Produced by local artist Melanie Hava in conjunction with the Department’s Cultural Safety Reference Group, the artwork features a huge array of marine life including fish, turtles and coral – that all could be seen in the Great Barrier Reef.

ED Clinical Nurse Consultant Emma Warburton, co-chair of the ED Paediatric Working Group, said many had commented that the fish were very calming, and the artwork took their minds off the reason for their hospital visit.

“We’ve had some great feedback from children and their families that it really helps take their mind off whatever might be happening with their health at that time. There’s lots to look at and we believe it helps calm the patient for when the clinician sees them,” Ms Warburton said.

Ms Warburton paid tribute to the collaboration Cairns Hospital Emergency Department has with the ED Cultural Safety Reference Group (CSRG).

“The CSRG is dedicated to having a more culturally welcoming ED. since its inception. A key focus of their efforts has been incorporating Indigenous artwork into the ED to create a sense of welcome and belonging.

“Literature highlights the importance of cultural reflection in health spaces, a principle reinforced by position statements from the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine. As recognised in the Collective document, seeing one’s culture represented fosters a deeper connection to the health service.

“By prioritising local artwork, we are furthering our commitment to community identity and inclusivity within the ED,” Ms Warburton said.

Ms Hava said her inspiration came from the Great Barrier Reef itself. “I wanted the room to feel like an aquarium of our beautiful reefs, it is very relaxing watching fishes swim in an aquarium, and I wanted the room to feel relaxing for the kids that use it and the bright colours to help cheer them up,” Ms Hava said.

“I was invited to be a part of this project and said yes because I had children - one with special needs and another who had frequent childhood asthma attacks, so we were at the emergency room more times than I like to remember. In a way, this is like giving back to the department that helped us out so many times,” she said.