MEDFORD, Ore. — A local pediatrician was worried how her young patients would respond to her protective equipment, so she got a little creative. She reached out to a local company to spruce up her face shield and bring smiles to her little patients.
“We’re making scary PPE look fun and exciting for toddlers,” Brian Hall, president of NIC Industries, said.
With healthcare workers required to wear full protective equipment, Dr. Sarah Christensen, from the Children and Adolescents Clinic in Medford, was having trouble finding PPE, until she came across some forestry helmets, which fit all the requirements. But with such young patients she was worried how they would react to what some kids might consider a scary looking face shield.
“The doctors and nurses, they’re the ones doing it all, so when you get contacted by a local pediatrician asking for help, it actually felt really good for everyone to participate in this, so it was absolutely a no brainer,” Hall said,
NIC Industries, a local manufacturing company in White City, specializes in industrial painting and coating. Within a day, the company transformed a helmet ready to take on forest fires to R2D2 ready to battle sickness.
“Our portion in this is so tiny and she really did all the work,” Hall said.
Once Dr. Christensen began wearing the helmet it was a hit. It didn’t take long for more to be requested. But the designs aren’t just limited to Star Wars characters.
“We’re going to do some princess designs. I think there might be some crowns. There might be a tiara in there,” Hall said.
NIC Industries says they’re just happy to have a part in supporting local healthcare workers and making PPE look a little less intimidating.
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