Crouse Health welcomes kids to visit “Hospital Land”
Preparing children for a hospital visit can ease anxiety and uncertainty, improving their hospital experience. Crouse Health’s Visit to Hospital Land community service program gives local first- and second-grade students a hands-on educational experience of what a hospital stay is like.
Offered at no cost to city and county schools in the Syracuse area, the 90-minute course helps decrease children’s fears and anxiety associated with a hospital stay. The program also exposes young people to a wide range of healthcare professions at an early age, widening their professional scope and encouraging a future in the healthcare workforce.
First and second graders were chosen because they’re mature enough to understand the program, but most have not yet formed misconceptions about hospital experiences.
Crouse Health instructors lead students through a make-believe tonsillectomy, explain the role of doctors, nurses, X-ray and lab technicians, and emphasize the importance of non-clinical positions to hospital operations, such as environmental, nutritional and housekeeping.
Students role-play a nurse, patient or doctor and handle various equipment, such as stretchers and wheelchairs.
This program also gives kids a chance to express their feelings and concerns about being in a hospital, where they can be addressed directly by hospital staff.
To date, over 9,500 classes have been held and more than 200,000 children have participated in the program.
For more information, contact Bob Allen, vice president, communications, at boballen@crouse.org or 315.470.7582.
