Most children look forward to summer break, of course for the freedom and fun. Regina Beard, CEO of Victory 4Kidz, wanted to help break the monotony of children being stuck behind electronics all summer and introduce them to a world that has especially been restricted since the COVID pandemic. Access has now been granted and thanks to Beard, children a part of the camp can learn about the different healthcare careers firsthand. “I really just wanted to give back” Beard states, “I believe that by exposing the children at a young age, it might inspire them to pursue a career in healthcare one day.”
The camp will be broken into (3) one-week sessions throughout the summer. The first session has already exposed the children to simulation experiences at Valparaiso University and St. Mary’s Hospital in Hobart, IN. The simulations consist of realistic environments and situations.
While touring the College of Nursing and the Engineering Department at Valparaiso University, the children were able to physically and emotionally engage by taking care of babies, giving medicine through an IV, listening to lungs and heartbeats, and lastly communicating a code blue. “This program is actually excellent” stated Gail Kost, M.S.N., RN, Associate Professor of Nursing at Valparaiso University. She believed that even though the kids were between grades 4th-8th, they were really connected and energetic about learning.
The high-fidelity mannequins over at St. Mary’s hospital were surely a showstopper for the group as they were impressed by its life-like features such as feeling a pulse, breathing, and crying. Clinical educator, Lindsey Palmer helped make the experience more fun and educational by playing a first-aid game and introducing the group to Dr. Gozo, a cardiovascular surgeon who was able to answer all their curious questions.
The next fun-filled summer session is July 11-15 and there’s still room for more children to learn. To register, visit www.victorytraining.net/registrationv4kidz.
