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Children Hannah Hickey , Siún Halpin , Callum Towsand , Kyron Clancy , Riiadh Walsh and Tuiren Murnane are all set for the Teddy Bear Hospital which take place at MTU, Tralee, on Saturday 2nd December 2023. Also pictured were Mairead Murnane Nurse from UHK , Fiona O’Flynn MTU , Dr Orlaith Brennan RCSI. Photo By : Domnick Walsh © Eye Focus LTD
MUNSTER Technological University will welcome hundreds of children and their families to the North Campus in Tralee for its Teddy Bear Hospital on Saturday, December 2.
The special event is being organised by students and staff from MTU and RCSI (Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland).
This year, MTU is partnering with University Hospital Kerry and funds raised on the day will be used to supply equipment for play therapy in the hospital’s paediatric ward.
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The aim of the Teddy Bear Hospital is to ease the stress and tension that a child feels when attending a hospital or when seeing a doctor, as well as finding out more about what doctors, nurses and healthcare specialists and professionals do as part of their jobs.
RCSI, MTU and Castel Education (Cambridge Education Group – CEG) deliver the International Medical/Pharmacy Commencement Programme (IMCP/IPCP) at the North Campus in Tralee, an academic pathway programme to further studies in medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, pharmacy, podiatry and speech and language therapy.
Students from other MTU programmes such as Nursing, Pharmacy Technician, Health, Sport & Exercise Sciences and Early Childhood Education and Care will also contribute to the event by managing some of the 14 stations.
The experience will start by admitting the sick teddy to hospital, then explaining stations such as triage, blood analysis, x-ray/MRI, bandaging, and surgery. There will also be a pharmacy station, story-telling corner, exercise area and nutrition stand.
Using the cuddly teddy bears, students will show children what happens in a hospital, who works there and how the ‘Teddy Doctor’ helps the sick teddy to feel better.
They will also explain the whole process of being in a hospital from start to finish using the teddy bears. Students will also offer advice on how to improve nutrition and the benefits of exercise.
Commenting on the upcoming event, Fiona O’Flynn, Head of Department, International Medical/Pharmacy Commencement Programmes at MTU said: “Once again, we are delighted to host this fun and interactive event. Our aim is to help children feel comfortable when interacting with healthcare professionals. It’s a particularly meaningful day for children who have regular hospital appointments. The event will also introduce children to what healthcare professionals do and may spark an interest as a future career.”
There will be two sessions. A morning session from 10am to 12 noon and an afternoon session from 2pm to 4pm.
The cost of entry to the event is €5 per child (parents and guardians are free). All funds collected will be used to purchase toys and equipment for play therapy at University Hospital Kerry’s paediatric ward.
For more information and to book your tickets for the Teddy Bear Hospital at MTU click here.
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