Piano adds high note to Fairview

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Chaplain Karen Hanson knows the power music can have over patients, nurses and doctors at the Fairview Red Wing Medical Center.

In a place where deaths and births can both happen within a minute of each other and where staff are charged with healing nearly any sickness or ailment, anything that gives caregivers and patients a boost or calms their nerves is helpful.

Music, she said, can certainly accomplish that. For caregivers, Hanson said, the tunes help ease their workload and for patients it helps them fight their illness from a place of calm.

When the hospital recently added a piano to its cafeteria in December, Hanson said, it had a noticeable effect.

“I could just see as (the hospital staff and patients) walked by their steps lightened a bit,”

Hospital administrator Joan Halbach agreed the music adds a good feeling to the hospital.

“It really is soothing when you walk in, in the morning, and this quiet music is playing,” she said.

The hospital had set up a fund for creating a healing environment in the hospital, Hanson said. With that cash they bought the Cristofori player piano, which doubles as a CD player.

Hanson said staff, patients and visitors are all welcome to tickle the ivories. As well, volunteer players are welcome to come in and play, be they music teachers, students or anyone from the community.

To schedule time to play the Christofori grand piano in the cafeteria at Fairview Red Wing Medical Center, call hospital administrator Joan Halbach at (651) 267-5054.