College of the Desert Lends Hand in COVID Crisis

College of the Desert donated thousands of pieces of personal protective equipment, including masks, gowns, hair bonnets, gloves and shoe coverings to local hospitals and the Desert Aids Project this week as part of the College’s community response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Nursing staff and faculty returned to campus this week to collect and distribute the equipment, which is normally used as part of the teaching and learning process at the College’s nursing program.

“Staff at Desert Aids, Desert Regional, John F. Kennedy and Eisenhower Medical Centers were very appreciative of the supplies,” said Carol Scobie, who is the College’s Director of Nursing & Allied Health.

The College has successfully transitioned all of its face-to-face classes online, which includes all of its nursing courses. Third and fourth semester RN students are providing health screenings at the Desert Aids Project and running COVID-19 phone banks at Eisenhower Medical Center. Both LVN and RN students are spending time in online simulation, enhancing their clinical thinking and judgement skills.

In total, College of the Desert donated more than:

• 1,000 Gowns
• 900 Hair Bonnets
• 500 Pairs of Shoe Coverings
• 300 Masks with and without shields
• 345 Boxes of Protective Gloves in various sizes

“We are pleased that we could provide some additional help to our healthcare partners,” said Scobie. “They do a lot to support both our students and our community and we are happy to help them in any way we can.”

Photo caption above: Pictured left to right: Sarah Fry, Associate Professor of nursing, Amy Hetherington, Nursing Instructor and Carol Scobie, Director of Nursing & Allied Health inventory and prepare PPE donations for local healthcare facilities.