By Maria Grewal, Dayhome Educator in Edmonton
This week the “Ambulance Tour” was a remarkable life experience and learning opportunity for all the children at “The Children’s Studio”! The children’s curiosity and anticipation was built up as they were all waiting for Monday to arrive and have the “Ambulance Tour”! The clock was ticking and the ambulance was parked right outside the dayhome at 11:30 am! The children all gathered together asking for me to open the gate as the ambulance had arrived! The paramedics were all dressed in their uniforms ready to teach the children the valuable role that they have in their profession and the role that the ambulance plays!
The paramedics opened the doors of the ambulance and let the children in to explore! One of the paramedics asked the children if they knew what the “bed” in the ambulance was called.
“Stretcher!” Harrison exclaimed! It was indeed called stretcher!
The children started taking turns on the stretcher pretending to be the patients! Aiden was the first one to use the stretcher as he was the most familiar with it as his dad was one of the paramedics of the ambulance! Aiden and his dad also demonstrated for all the children how the oxygen mask works, how it’s used and what it’s for! Later on, the children used the pulse oximeter to monitor their heart rate and their oxygen level! The children started reading their percentage on the monitor!
“87%” Jet exclaimed!
“100%!” Wesley also announced!
The children also got to experience the sound that the oxygen makes as it comes out of the tube! Some of them gently placed their hand closely to feel the oxygen on their hand! Some of the children also demonstrated how the nasal cannula can be placed on their nose for the patients that need extra oxygen! One of the paramedics also introduced a splint to the children! The paramedics explained that the splint is for keeping the joints and bones together after an injury! The children all practiced putting on a splint!
Bringing out of the ambulance the stretcher and putting it back in was also really fun to watch! The children practiced being the patients some more! Driving the ambulance made the children transition from being the patients to being the paramedics!
We thanked the paramedics with a big Thank You and some high fives and we said goodbye to the ambulance! Back inside the dayhome, Aiden’s parents had another surprise for the children! They all got to take home A Medic Moose, a colouring book, stickers, magnets and tattoos which brought additional happiness and excitement!
