Career day

[emtek]

I was asked to speak at my daughters preschool class for Career Day, I am pretty excited. My question is what should I bring them, of course some kiddie bandaids, maybe some masks but what else? Anybody have any ideas....remember these are 4 and 5 year olds

[akflightmedic]

Bring the simple things that seem scary to them until they are able to touch and play with them for theirselves.

1.Stethoscope

2.BP cuff

3.Gloves

4.Masks

5.Gauze

6.Kling

7. 911 stickers

1. Use this to show them how they can hear their own heart and maybe a classmates as well.

2. With the cuff, I dont recommend putting it on them, but allow them to be fmailiar with it, hold it and see how it inflates...and take this time to explain how it "hugs" the arm real tight but it goes down pretty fast if they sit still.

3. These are always fun. Just make sure there are no latex allergies. Even blow them up if you want.

4. Masks are fun as well. Tell them we sometimes wear them when people are really sick to protect them.

5 and 6. Show them how to do a simple wrap around the arm and then step back and let them play. Of course it wont be right but it will be lots of fun!

7. These are great if you have them. If not, take the time to reinforce who to call for emergencies and remind them to practice their phone numbers, addresses and parents names at home.

Hopefully doing these things will make them less scared should they ever have to encounter any of these in a real situation.

You wont need many more items than this as it offers enough learning material and play time to fill a half hour.

[altamedic]

Aww thats so cute. I was asked once and I was ignorant to their learning level, I started off with hey boys and girls who do you call if you are in trouble? Sure enough one eager girl put her hand up and said, "My daddy is a business man" and then another boy put up his had and said "Do you like hide and go seek?" So that point on it was heres some stickers. I found that letting them listen to their own heart really facinated them, also if you can borrow a heart monitor they seem to like that. Contact your local Red Cross and see if they have some stickers that you can have, it worked for me.

[emtek]

Thanks for the ideas!! I was planing to bring my BP cuff and stethoscope. I'm trying to put "goodie" bags together for them and the 911 stickers are a great idea, along with some bandaids and masks, I think that will be great. The gauze is a great idea I think that will be alot of fun, I also like the heart monitor idea. Unfortunately I don't work for an ambulance company, I work in the ED as a tech so I'm not sure that the hospital will be willing to lend one out.

[altamedic]

I also like the heart monitor idea. Unfortunately I don't work for an ambulance company, I work in the ED as a tech so I'm not sure that the hospital will be willing to lend one out.

You dont need to ask there is usually 5 or so laying around that rarly get used, I believe that they are on things called "Crash Carts" They wont miss one for an hour or so.

[Dustdevil]

I started off with hey boys and girls who do you call if you are in trouble? Sure enough one eager girl put her hand up and said, "My daddy is a business man" and then another boy put up his had and said "Do you like hide and go seek?" So that point on it was heres some stickers.

LMAO!! That's hilarious!!

That sounds like something straight out of a movie. Like "Kindergarten Paramedic" starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Just NEVER tell them if you have a headache!

[Richard B the EMT]

Start that Google search, now, for commercially prepared goodie bags as you've described. They have a couple of bandaids (brand name!) inside, in some models they have aspirin (Best decide if you want that one for the kiddies). All can be imprinted with your service or hospital's name and emergency phone number.

[wakkoemt807]

LMAO!! That's hilarious!!

That sounds like something straight out of a movie. Like "Kindergarten Paramedic" starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Just NEVER tell them if you have a headache!

"IT'S NOT A TOOOOOMAH!!!!!!"

[wakkoemt807]

Aww thats so cute. I was asked once and I was ignorant to their learning level, I started off with hey boys and girls who do you call if you are in trouble? Sure enough one eager girl put her hand up and said, "My daddy is a business man" and then another boy put up his had and said "Do you like hide and go seek?"

I'll never forget the one time I did this for a class of 7 year olds. I asked the group what it said on the front of the ambulance (pointing to the big red AMBULANCE letters on the front). This is what a bunch of the kids shouted out:

"AMBUFORDLANCE!!!!!!"

The answer I got made me think about for a second, but once I realized why they said it I had to laugh. The units I worked on in California were built by Ford...and the front of the hoods looked like this from the front:

AMBU (Ford) LANCE

They were reading everything straight across...including the Ford manufacturer's logo. Gotta love kids!

[Richard B the EMT]

Just remembering some things from having done that myself...

"How fast does the truck go?"

"What have you seen that made you throw up?"

"What is a 'EE-YEM-TEE?"

"You're NOT a Paramedic?"

"Can I blow the siren?"

"What is the worst call you have ever been on?"

"I WANNA BLOW THE SIREN!"

"Why do they have 'Ambulance' written backwards on the hood?"

"Leggo my arm and put me down! All I did was blow the siren."