On Thursday, April 24, Trinity Health Of New England hospitals across the region opened their doors to the next generation of aspiring health care professionals in celebration of “Bring Your Child to Work Day.” This year’s theme, “For a New Generation,” emphasized the importance of connecting children with role models and offering hands-on experiences that make future goals feel tangible and within reach.
Saint Mary's Perinatal Nursing Professional Development Specialist in the Women and Infant's Center, Karen Beebe, provides hands on lessons on Bring Your Child to Work Day.
At Mercy Medical Center, the day kicked off with cuddly visits from therapy dogs thanks to the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office, and a hands-only CPR presentation by Nursing Education. Children then joined a workplace safety scavenger hunt and took time during lunch to create heartfelt get-well cards. A visit from Boomer, the Springfield Thunderbirds’ mascot, brought smiles to everyone’s faces. The afternoon featured engaging activities from Mercy’s Family Life Center team, a discharge planning crossword puzzle, and a sweet conclusion with a baking demonstration by the Food & Nutrition team.
At Johnson Memorial Hospital, participants proudly wore special hospital badges as they explored careers in health care. They toured an ambulance and the hospital’s helicopter landing pad during an EMS session, practiced CPR and tourniquet application, and learned the importance of hygiene in the operating room. Additional hands-on experiences included lessons in pharmacy operations, occupational health, and workplace safety. The children also crafted thoughtful cards for patients at Johnson.
Saint Mary's Hospital welcomed 19 children ages 6 to 14 and engaged them in immersive, hands-on learning. They toured the emergency department and rotated through interactive stations such as Surgery, Stop the Bleed, Newborn Care, ABCs of Resuscitation, Ultrasound, and Patient Experience. “The event gave children an opportunity to experience different areas in the health care field that they may not have thought about,” said Ann Ferraro, Saint Mary’s event organizer. “Hopefully, we inspired the next generation to consider a career in the health care field.”
At Saint Francis Hospital, children between the ages of 8 and 14 enjoyed an educational and eye-opening experience that highlighted the many facets of hospital life. Following a warm welcome from Valerie Powell-Stafford, MHSE, FACHE, President of Saint Francis, the children took guided tours through departments such as Cardiology, Radiology, the Lab, and even a Trinity Health Of New England Mobile Health Care ambulance. They also participated in hands-on demonstrations that included CPR basics, echocardiogram education, and a safety session titled “Let’s Not Meet By Accident,” presented by the Trauma team to raise awareness about the dangers of impaired driving. “We designed the day not only to educate and inspire, but also to give kids the chance to explore the diverse world of health care,” said Powell-Stafford.
Across all sites, the spirit of the day was unified by a shared goal: to ignite curiosity, promote safety and wellness, and showcase the incredible dedication of Trinity Health Of New England’s caregivers. Through dynamic activities and authentic interactions, this year’s “Bring Your Child to Work Day” was a meaningful step toward inspiring the health care leaders of tomorrow.