Kids sit in the makeshift waiting room at the Yorkton Nursery School Co-operative (YNSC), reading editions of Chickadee magazine and clutching onto their furry friends. The kids brought their stuffed bears, dogs, elephants, and other animals to the school today.
Tracy Gabriel asks one of the kids to come forward. The child tells her that their plushy pal is under the weather. Gabriel thanks the kid for talking with her and sends them to the nursing station.
The pair of nursing students greet the child and ask to see the stuffed animal. They take its pulse, check its temperature, and wrap bandages around it. They talk to the child and explain the IV machine and the nebulizer they’ve set up in the room. Before long, the stuffed animal is good to go and the child is on their way. The nurses are ready for their next patient.
That was the scene at the YNSC on Mar. 23. It was the second Teddy Bear Bash of the year. Third-year Bachelor of Science and Nursing students interacted with children as part of their pediatric clinical experience.
“The children really benefit [from] interacting with healthcare providers,” said Gabriel, who organized the event. “Next time they go to the hospital, maybe it won’t be so frightening or scary.
“It’s a win-win for both [students and kids].”
The children got a first-hand look at some hospital equipment, which, hopefully, will remove some of the fear of visiting the emergency room.
Lana Haider, the senior teacher at YNSC, thinks the event was a big success.
“They want to take the scare out of care, which I think is pretty awesome,” she said. “I think this is a wonderful partnership.”
This is the third year the Teddy Bear Bash has been held at the YNSC. Haider hopes more students will visit next year.
“We absolutely love it and the kids love it,” she said. “It’s really good for them.
“We plan on continuing this partnership, definitely.”
