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PITTSBURG —
Pittsburg State University nursing students are doing their part to help area elementary school students learn about safety.
The university’s 70 senior nursing students have produced short lectures on safety topics that are interesting to first through third graders. The compact presentations are the main feature of what are called “Teddy bear guest clinics,” and the nursing students go to each of the county’s elementary schools throughout the spring semester teaching them about safety and health issues.
The program started years ago at Girard Medical Center, and the children were encouraged to bring their teddy bears to the event. As the clinics grew in popularity, GMC asked the nursing program for volunteers and eventually handed control over to the university, said instructor Kristi Frisbee.
There were six stations Wednesday afternoon in the George Nettels Elementary School gymnasium. The kids learned about the benefits of washing their hands, brushing their teeth, eating right, not being afraid of firemen if their house is on fire, and the importance of wearing a helmet while riding a bicycle.
The seniors developed the presentations on their own, and they are presenting them as part of the 96 hours of community clinic practice they must complete, Frisbee said.
“This is a lab,” Frisbee said. “The teachers have been very appreciative, too.”
Senior Wichita native Hannah Hunsinger taught the students about bike safety. That included learning how to fit the bike to their body size and type, and how to be safe while riding it. Hunsinger and her friends also dropped eggs to show the students what can happen to their heads if they don’t wear helmets.
“The kids are really interactive,” Hunsinger said. “They say funny things and they make me laugh. It’s easy to get excited about teaching.”
Hunsinger’s fellow teacher and Wichita native, Amanda Walker, said the events transported her.
“It’s like being a kid again,” Walker said. “We don’t really play with arts and crafts in nursing school. Teaching the kids and working with them has made this a lot of fun.”
Pittsburg State University nursing students are doing their part to help area elementary school students learn about safety.
The university’s 70 senior nursing students have produced short lectures on safety topics that are interesting to first through third graders. The compact presentations are the main feature of what are called “Teddy bear guest clinics,” and the nursing students go to each of the county’s elementary schools throughout the spring semester teaching them about safety and health issues.
The program started years ago at Girard Medical Center, and the children were encouraged to bring their teddy bears to the event. As the clinics grew in popularity, GMC asked the nursing program for volunteers and eventually handed control over to the university, said instructor Kristi Frisbee.
There were six stations Wednesday afternoon in the George Nettels Elementary School gymnasium. The kids learned about the benefits of washing their hands, brushing their teeth, eating right, not being afraid of firemen if their house is on fire, and the importance of wearing a helmet while riding a bicycle.
The seniors developed the presentations on their own, and they are presenting them as part of the 96 hours of community clinic practice they must complete, Frisbee said.
“This is a lab,” Frisbee said. “The teachers have been very appreciative, too.”
Senior Wichita native Hannah Hunsinger taught the students about bike safety. That included learning how to fit the bike to their body size and type, and how to be safe while riding it. Hunsinger and her friends also dropped eggs to show the students what can happen to their heads if they don’t wear helmets.
“The kids are really interactive,” Hunsinger said. “They say funny things and they make me laugh. It’s easy to get excited about teaching.”
Hunsinger’s fellow teacher and Wichita native, Amanda Walker, said the events transported her.
“It’s like being a kid again,” Walker said. “We don’t really play with arts and crafts in nursing school. Teaching the kids and working with them has made this a lot of fun.”
