Kindergarten students heal their furry friends during field trip to CRMC

a student wearing a surgical cap and gown holds a stuffed bear in the hallwayOn Friday, May 3, the staff of Catskill Regional Medical Center (CRMC) treated a slew of interesting patients. One managed to break his back and foot, and also suffered a large laceration to his arm after a mishap while making breakfast. Yet another sprained his arm and leg while hopping from one lily pad to another. Fortunately, the prognoses were all favorable — likely because the patients were all stuffed, and because the injuries only existed in the imagination of some young Kenneth L. Rutherford Elementary School (KLR) students.

a group of students look on as a nurse helps bandage a stuffed bear At CRMC, KLR kindergarten students donned surgical masks, caps and gloves and filed past the operating room, clutching their favorite stuffed animal. After a tour of the hospital’s facilities, they assembled in a treatment room where they were able to describe their furry friends’ ailments to a member of the CRMC nursing staff. The nurses then helped the kindergarten students take vital signs and triage their stuffed animals. Afterwards, the students toured an ambulance and settled in for a post-op snack, before heading back to school with their stuffed animals properly bandaged and treated. 

a nurse bends down to talk to students in a hospital room KLR’s kindergarten classes are in the middle of a series of field trips to visit places and learn about the people who comprise their community. Before the trip to CRMC, they had visited the Monticello Fire Department, and in the upcoming weeks, they will visit the Ethelbert B. Crawford Library. 

“Experiences like these help our students learn that they are part of a larger community,” Superintendent of Schools Tammy Mangus said. “When students feel connected to something bigger than themselves, they begin to build the sense of confidence and purpose that they need to do great things. We are so fortunate to be surrounded by so many local organizations who help us provide these opportunities for our little ones to grow emotionally and socially.” 

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