Meet the Nurse Turning Songs & Storytelling Into YouTube Health Lessons for Kids
- A Georgia nurse created the YouTube character Nurse Dolly to teach kids about health, hygiene, and doctor visits.
- The Mini Med School series uses songs, stuffed animals, toy cars/medical tools, and storytelling to make healthcare less scary for children.
- Parents and nurses say the show offers trusted, educational content while helping kids see themselves represented in healthcare.
Move over, Ms. Rachel, there’s a new friendly face teaching kids about checkups, X-rays, and handwashing. Meet Nurse Dolly, the brainchild of Georgia nurse and mom of two, Emari Etta-Tawo, who’s making healthcare approachable (and fun) for families online.
Etta-Tawo, who works as a nurse for Emory Healthcare in Atlanta, created the character Nurse Dolly for her growing YouTube series, Mini Med School. The channel has already earned nearly 300,000 views since launching in 2025.
From The Bedside To The Camera
When she’s not caring for patients, Etta-Tawo transforms into a singing, storytelling nurse who helps kids feel calm and confident about visiting the doctor. Her videos feature plush animals and toy medical tools to explain common procedures like X-rays and checkups, complete with catchy songs that parents may end up humming all day.
Being both a nurse and a relatively new mom got Etta-Tawo thinking about how she could expand her impact beyond caring for patients at the bedside.
“I love nursing, but I also knew that I wanted to reach people in a different way, especially families and children,” she explained.
The idea for the project took shape while she was watching YouTube videos with her sons. After noticing a lack of safe, trustworthy content focused on kids’ health, she decided to create her own.
Representation That Matters
Parents are taking notice, including fellow nurse and Florida mom Alexina Santos, who says the series has become a hit in her home.
“Whatever she’s teaching, whatever she’s putting out, are things that I want my kids to learn and to hone in on,” Santos said.
Santos added that the representation resonates with her family, noting that seeing a woman of color in the role feels especially meaningful for their biracial children. Her 4-year-old daughter has become especially inspired by Nurse Dolly.
Santos explained that the show strikes a balance between fun and professionalism, combining music and playful elements with a tone that makes her feel confident her kids are learning from a trustworthy source.
Inspiring The Next Generation
Etta-Tawo’s initial goal wasn’t about representation. Instead, she said she wanted to fill a gap she noticed in children’s programming, since few shows focus specifically on health, anatomy, hygiene, and wellness in ways young kids can easily understand.
Still, she knows that identity matters.
“When children see someone who looks like them teaching confidently, professionally and positively about health and wellness, it expands what they believe is possible for themselves,” she said. “That is powerful, especially when we consider that women of color remain underrepresented in many areas of health care.”
Already, she’s seeing her influence ripple outward. Santos said her daughter now proudly tells her, “Mommy, I’m gonna be a smart doctor.”
For Etta-Tawo, that’s exactly the point. “Nurse Dolly” might just be sparking a whole new generation of caregivers, one singalong at a time.
Follow Nurse Dolly Online
Families can find Nurse Dolly’s educational videos and updates across several platforms:
- ▶️ YouTube: @nursedolly
- 👍 Facebook: Nurse Dolly
- 📸 Instagram: @nursedollyminimed
- 🎵 TikTok: @nursedollyminimed
- 🌐 Website: nursedolly.com
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