IU Health North nurse commemorates 100 years of Riley

By Emma Avila, epackard1@iuhealth.org, writer for IU Health’s Indianapolis Suburban Region

Shelley Peters, a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) nurse at Riley Children's Health at IU Health North, celebrated Riley Hospital for Children’s 100th anniversary by decorating a wall with 100 candles and facts.

The Riley Children’s Health at IU Health North Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) is celebrating a big milestone. Recently, Riley Hospital for Children celebrated 100 years of service and care.

To commemorate the milestone, Shelley Peters, a Pediatric/PICU nurse, decorated a wall on the unit with 100 candles and 100 facts about Riley.

“When I realized it was the 100th birthday for Riley, I knew I had to do something,” she says.

Peters worked at Riley Hospital for Children in 1990. She came to IU Health North over 18 years ago.

“It is especially important to me that families realize that Riley is in more than one location and can provide the same quality care as the main campus. We are one team,” she says.  

To find the 100 facts, Peters searched online through postings about Riley’s birthday as well as news stories. She also wanted to let patients, loved ones and team members get involved. The candles on the wall are hollow. Anyone on the unit can get a token from the unit secretary and place it inside a candle to highlight someone who made an impression on them that day.

This isn’t the only time Peters has decorated the wall. She usually changes it three to four times per year. She began during Christmastime 17 years ago. Now, she uses it as a way to recognize team members, celebrate holidays or even share health tips.

“I hope the staff and families get as much joy from seeing the wall and recognizing each other as I get in doing the wall.”