Bartlett Regional Hospital is now a Safe Sitter teaching site and recently announced the graduation of its first class. Registered nurses CeCe Brenner and Laura Stats teach the baby-sitting training program.

Safe Sitter is a medically accurate program that teaches 11- to 13-year-olds how to be safe, nurturing baby-sitters. Dr. Patricia Keener, an Indianapolis pediatrician, developed the program in 1980 after a colleague’s child choked to death while in the care of an adult sitter. The goal of the program is to reduce the number of avoidable and unintentional deaths among children being cared for by babysitters.

More than 400,000 adolescents across the country have been trained to handle life-threatening emergencies. Students get hands-on practice in basic lifesaving techniques so they are prepared to act in a crisis. They learn safety and security precautions, such as what to do if a stranger comes to the door. They learn basic child development as well as the business aspects of babysitting.

To successfully complete the program, students must pass a practical and written test to show that they have mastered the key concepts and have the skills necessary to handle and emergency.

For more information, contact Bartlett’s Education Department at 796-8422.

For more information on Safe Sitter, go to www.safesitter.org.