UPEI Nursing Student Society holds teddy bear clinic for children in Campus Kids Daycare
Children in the Campus Kids Daycare Centre’s kindergarten class took their beloved stuffed toys to a teddy bear clinic hosted by the UPEI Nursing Student Society on March 17 in the W.A. Murphy Student Centre.
Much to the children’s delight, the students showed them how to check their teddies’ hearts, blood pressure, and oxygen levels. The students also x-rayed and treated “broken” and “sprained” limbs and tails, treated sore tummies, and made all the toys—and their young owners—feel better.
The students held the clinic to help the children become familiar with medical equipment and procedures, and to introduce them to basic health promotion topics such as proper handwashing and the importance of vaccinations.
In addition to being fun, teddy bear clinics play a very important role in reducing anxiety and stress related to the health-care setting,” said student Emily Thistle, the lead organizer for the clinic. “By using learning through play, teddy bear clinics allow children to familiarize themselves with medical equipment and procedures, which can help them understand what to expect during a real doctor visit.”
The nursing students who participated in the clinic included Clare Bowie, Hannah MacDonald, Destiny Arsenault, Sarah Gard, and Andrew Clow as well as Thistle.
