“What do you want to be when you grow up?” You probably heard that question all the time as a child, and you may have asked it yourself a few times. With so many career options out there and so few chances to be exposed to the behind-the-scenes reality, though, it can be tough for young people to develop a vision for the future.
To inspire the next generation of nurses, surgeons, social workers, and other healthcare leaders to “dream big” — and to answer the question of what exactly mom or dad does all day — Penn Presbyterian Medical Center’s Human Resources and Nursing teams joined forces to host the annual Take Your Kids to Work Day festivities.
This year, a whopping 189 children between the ages of eight and fifteen years old participated in this longstanding PPMC tradition by joining their parents and guardians at work and getting a glimpse of a typical day at the hospital. After an energizing breakfast in the cafeteria, the kids were broken into groups and around the hospital by volunteer chaperones to check out the diverse roles our staff members play in ensuring that all of PPMC’s operations run smoothly and that each patient has a positive and comfortable experience.
This year’s Patient Safety Fair was a clear indicator of how clever Presby staff can be, and that same creativity was funneled into the 13 interactive and educational experiences prepared by departments and units throughout the hospital, such as the Emergency Department, Endoscopy, Radiology, and the Gift of Life team. Kids had the chance to participate in hands-on activities like performing a mock surgery in the OR, listening to heartbeats, finding veins with a scanner and ultrasound, wrapping each other’s arms in casts, and getting a sense of what drunk driving feels like, and to ask questions about what a stroke looks like, why organ donation is important, and how to “eat the rainbow” with balanced, nutritious meals.
After successfully completing their PPMC tour and trying some healthcare jobs on for size, the kids were invited to express their creativity in a drawing contest by depicting their favorite parts of the day. One child’s drawing included the note, “We learned how to do a splint and use various tools for different types of therapy. It’s definitely worth skipping school!” while another declared, “The staff here are great!” A lunch of hot dogs and hamburgers brought them back together with their parents to talk about their experiences — and perhaps about their new career aspirations!
“This year’s group was our largest yet, and the kids seemed to enjoy all that they saw. One child said that it was ‘the best day ever!’” said Kim Elam, PHR, SHRMCP, employee relations and retention specialist in Human Resources and organizer of Take Your Kids to Work Day. “The program could not have been a success without all the volunteers who helped chaperone, direct the flow of traffic, and serve lunch.”
Thank you to everyone who participated for making this such a special day!