Local children learned the “bear necessities” of medical care at a recent Fuzzy Friends Clinic, held at Marlboro Free Library on Saturday, February 12.

Spearheaded by Linda Kelly, assistant professor of Nursing at Mount Saint Mary College, the clinic featured Mount nursing students demonstrating how doctors and nurses use stethoscopes, bandages, blood pressure cuffs, and more to keep patients happy and healthy.

The patients, in this case, were the children’s very own stuffed animals – ranging from traditional teddies to stuffed ducks and even superheroes.

“Sometimes children get scared at a doctor’s office when they see the stethoscope or other unfamiliar equipment, so this allows them to get comfortable with healthcare and nursing professionals,” noted Kelly.

It was the first Fuzzy Friends Clinic since the pandemic put the popular event on pause, explained Kelly. There was no better place to herald the return of the series than Marlboro Free Library, which hosted the Mount’s first Fuzzy Friends Clinic on September 10, 2019.

Since then, the Mount has hosted several Fuzzy Friends Clinics throughout Orange County and beyond, including on the college’s campus.

The Mount’s service-focused approach to education goes hand-in-hand with helping professions like Nursing, Kelly noted. Mount Nursing students enjoy state-of-the-art simulation labs and clinical relationships with dozens of area hospitals. The Mount’s passionate faculty are dedicated to the success of both their undergraduate and graduate students.