Hospital District #1 of Crawford County - Teddy Bear Wellness/Emergency Preparedness Clinic

What is it?

A medical professional dressed as a life-size "teddy bear" facilitates the students in the gym that has six stations:

• 1st Station “911”- manned by actual 911 dispatchers. Each child has the opportunity to dial 911and to answer dispatcher's questions.
• 2nd Station “Ambulance” - EMS and paramedics demonstrate placing a child mannequin on a backboard with all the monitors that may be attached with transporting.
• 3rd Station “ER” - RNs listen to each child report the accident that occurred to their teddy bear while bandages are applied.
• 4th Station "Choking Charlie" - each child gets to participate treating a choking victim.
• 5th Station "Hand washing" - each child is shown how germs transmit diseases and they practice hand washing using an ultraviolet light showing how well they washed.
• 6th Station “Nutrition” - using beanie fruits and vegetables, children learn the importance of good nutrition in building a strong body.

After all stations are completed, the life-size "Teddy" has all children gathered in a circle to show importance of exercise for a healthy body, concluding with everyone doing the Hokey Pokey!

Who is it for?

1st- and 2nd-grade elementary students in seven schools across a three-county area.

Why do they do it?

When children were brought into our emergency department or surgery ward for treatment, we saw a high level of anxiety with treatments. We also identified an increase of weight and sedentary life style in our elementary students.

Impact

This program has been in progress for 18 years; we have witnessed accounts that children having surgery or a trauma are less anxious by recognizing the heart monitor or blood pressure cuff from the "teddy bear clinic". Children have utilized the 911 process successfully in our area, and our professionals are approached by our children more readily. The nutritional education has opened up several opportunities with educating the parents as well as the child in our schools.

Contact: Donna Shireman
Telephone: 620-724-5132
E-mail: rshireman@hd1cc.com