At Sprott Shaw College, one of our core values as an educational institution is community. As members of our community, we desire to be active and collaborative partners where our college embraces a learner-centred philosophy that promotes inclusion, mutual respect, and accessibility.
In challenging times, it’s important for us to step up to the plate and commit to our promise of supporting our local communities – which is why we have joined the fight against COVID-19 by donating medical supplies and supporting qualified staff and students in fighting the front-line battles at hospitals, senior centres, medical centres, and other community centres.
Given the desperate need for medical supplies provincially and nationally, we did not hesitate to donate a variety of much-needed supplies to hospitals across BC.
As said by our President, Victor Tesan, “it is humbling to realize the role we play and the gift our vocation has given us; it is even more humbling and important to understand the responsibility that comes with it. We will do our part to support our staff, students and communities now more than ever.”
To date, we have collectively donated approximately 5,000 pieces of medical supplies including gloves, face and surgical masks, alcohol swabs, N95 masks, face shields, and other protective medical supplies to hospitals in need including Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) and Royal Inland Hospital (RIH).
In addition to the donation of medical supplies, we are proud to support a number of Sprott Shaw staff and students who have made the selfless decision to fight in the frontlines of this pandemic.
In the Greater Vancouver area, we have several Health Care Assistant students and instructors who are completing and leading clinical experiences in long-term care settings, hospitals, and senior homes. We also have several staff members who have returned to work at their respective sites at Vancouver General Hospital, Richmond Hospital, St. Michael’s Hospital, and St. Paul’s Hospital. Moreover, we have an entire Level 4 Practical Nursing Access cohort who have decided to take a leave from their program to work at their respective sites in the community.
In Penticton, our campus director visited Nk’mip Resource Center (Oliver Indian Band) and spent the day mask fit testing their staff who perform the community nursing duties to ensure that they are fully protected.
In Victoria, we have two practicum instructors who have stepped away from their instructor duties to respectively work full-time in ER at Victoria General Hospital and screen patients for COVID-19 testing at a medical clinic. A few of our Practical Nursing students in Victoria are also completing their clinical experiences in long-term care at a senior’s home.
With the force and magnitude of this pandemic, we at Sprott Shaw, are doing what we can to support the healthcare system and offer the supplies and resources needed to help overcome this pandemic.
As a way to give back and give thanks to our community and dedicated workers, we are also recognizing our #SprottShawHeroes who are risking their lives for us and changing the world one step at a time. Learn more about the heroes on our Facebook page here.
A big round of applause for all of our #SprottShawHeroes, healthcare workers, first responders and essential workers! The world thanks you!
