August 24, 2018
The 3 North Patient Care Unit at Mather Hospital has a new, more colorful look thanks to the contributions of several local artists whose work now adorns its walls. Paintings by a dozen artists were donated to the intermediate care unit, each with a nautical or water theme in keeping with Mather’s namesake, John T. Mather, the last of a family of Port Jefferson shipbuilders.
The idea for the paintings came from Mather cardiologist Shug-Hong Young, MD, who attended an exhibit by the Setauket Artists group. “He approached the hospital’s administration with the idea of having local original artwork on the hospital’s new 3 North patient care,” said Irene Ruddock, president of the artists’ group.
Emily Emma, RN, Nurse Manager for 3 North, said the timing was perfect since her staff also had suggested art for the unit. The paintings were hung according to color, size and theme. “There was a lot of thought and planning and a lot of staff buy-in to see exactly where we wanted everything to go,” Emma said.
Studies have shown that displaying art in hospitals can have a positive impact on patients, staff and visitors. “The patients truly enjoy it when they walk around,” Emma said. “It takes you to a nice, calming state and it makes you forget about being here for a little bit.”
British art historian Richard Cork, author of “The Healing Presence of Art: A History of Western Art in Hospitals,” wrote that “Art is able to provide solace, exhilaration, and satisfaction in a huge variety of different forms. Above all it is able to humanise a building, infusing an often soulless and impersonal environment with affirmation…”
Mather hosted a reception for the artists on Wednesday, Aug. 29 from 4:30-6 pm on 3N.
Pictured: Artists who donated paintings and Mather Administration; Shug-Hong Young, MD and Irene Ruddock with her painting that he purchased and donated to 3 North.
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About Mather Hospital
Mather Hospital is an accredited 248-bed, non-profit community teaching hospital dedicated to providing a wide spectrum of high quality healthcare services to Suffolk County residents, showing compassion and respect and treating each patient in the manner we would wish for our loved ones. Mather has earned the prestigious Magnet® recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), which recognizes healthcare organizations for quality patient care, nursing excellence and innovations in professional nursing practice. Mather is the only Hospital on Long Island to receive the top “A” rating for patient safety from The Leapfrog Group in the latest rating period. Mather also was ranked 21st out of almost 250 hospitals in New York State in U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Hospitals rankings. For further information about Mather Hospital, visit www.matherhospital.org or “Like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/matherhospital.
About Northwell Health
Northwell Health is New York State’s largest health care provider and private employer, with 23 hospitals, more than 600 outpatient facilities and nearly 15,000 affiliated physicians. We care for over two million people annually in the New York metro area and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Our 66,000 employees – 15,000-plus nurses and 4,000 employed doctors, including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners – are working to change health care for the better. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. We’re training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Graduate Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu