Jerome hosts Teddy Bear Clinic for local kids to learn about health care, hands-on! Around 40 kindergarten and pre-K students visited St. Luke’s Jerome in May for a special purpose — to take teddy bears through a series of stations for hands-on learning about hospital care! Going to the hospital can be stressful at any age, but for patients who are children, the unfamiliar sights and sounds in a building full of strangers can be overwhelming. One way to help calm children’s fears about going to the hospital or visiting a doctor is by using medical play. The goal of a Teddy Bear Clinic is to help calm potential hospital fears through medical play using age-appropriate language and hands-on activities. Each student received a brand-new bear and traveled from table to table learning from nurses and other St. Luke’s care team members about bandaging their bears, taking vital signs, healthy nutrition, medical imaging and more. Child Life Specialist Hallie Chancellor organized the event with the help of Jordan Arbaugh, assistant nurse manager at St. Luke’s Jerome. “We held a Teddy Bear Clinic in Twin Falls last August that was very well received by the kids and staff members who participated,” said Chancellor. “This was the first time hosting a Teddy Bear Clinic in Jerome and we hope to continue offering one a year in both locations.” (fb)

After 37 years of dedicated service, we bid a fond farewell to Julie Walker, who is retiring from St. Luke's Humphreys Diabetes Center on May 15. Throughout their career, Walker has been a pillar of professionalism, integrity and unwavering commitment. Her contributions have left a lasting impact on the team, our patients and the culture built together. From performing diabetes education to training patients on insulin pumps, Walker has consistently gone above and beyond. She has accumulated her experience as a certified diabetes educator and registered dietitian. Her deep knowledge, positive attitude and calm presence will be missed by everyone who had the pleasure of working alongside her. As Julie embarks on this exciting new chapter, we extend our deepest gratitude and warmest wishes for a joyful and fulfilling retirement. Congratulations, Julie — you’ve truly earned it! (fb)