Thirty five kids recently got a chance to tour the NYU Winthrop Hospital and NYU Winthrop Research and Academic Center for “Take Our Sons and Daughters to Work Day.”
The children, aged seven to 11, donning protective lab coats, masks and caps, were allowed to enter the Central Sterile Service department – an area typically off limits to all but a few employees, according to a Winthrop release.
“We wanted the children to understand the role we have and its impact on patient safety and infection prevention,” said Richard Kraft, director of center sterile service.
The children participated in a simulated activity to learn how to prep and pack tools, to make them ready for sterilization for later use in operating rooms, according to the release.
Alicea Rekha, an 8-year-old from Huntington, said the lesson about the instruments was her favorite part of the visit.
“We put them in a bag so no one gets hurt because they’re really sharp,” Rekha said in the release.
Following the visit to the Central Sterile Service department, the kids got a hands-on lesson from a pediatric nutritionist.
The kids learned about diabetes, and how people get the disease, as well as healthy snack alternatives, according to the release.
Christopher Napoli, a Winthrop athletic trainer, followed the lesson by leading the kids in exercise.
Napoli taught the kids about the importance of exercising and stretching, as well as what an athletic trainer does.
The kids also partnered up to do a core conditioning exercise called the “patty-cake plank,” according to the release.
In a plank position, facing one another, the kids tried to lift one hand to do a “patty cake” with their partner. The rest of the group sang the “patty cake” chant as the pairs did the activity.
At the end of the day, the kids tested their knowledge with a healthcare test game.
Christian Parlog, an 11-year-old form Hicksville, said the visit was fun.
Parlog said he got to see new things – and explore the building his mom works in.
“It was very exciting … and I made new friends,” Parlog said.
