Military medical aid is welcome in Saskatchewan hospitals

Frontline workers battling the fourth wave of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan received a helping hand from the Canadian military last week.

Operation Laser Saskatchewan is in the province to relieve some of the pressure on overflowing intensive care units.

Once they hit the ground, they hit the ground while running. After a day of training with local frontline staff, nursing nurses and medical technicians were in intensive care units the next day.

Major Linda Jackson, Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Senior Nurse, said: “The welcome to the team has been well received from the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) and Regina General Hospital (RGH) . From leadership to kitchen staff, cleaning staff and clinicians, this has been extremely positive and grateful. “

The overflow of patients in Saskatchewan’s intensive care units has taken a toll on resources and local medical staff. The team that flew in from Ottawa is impressed with the way SHA has reallocated resources and was happy to help the HRH staff by giving them some respite and lightening the burden on patients.

CAF Senior Nursing Officer Captain Doug Murphy said, “I feel very privileged to be here and to be accepted for this job and to be able to go to the hospital, do the job we are trained to do and be. able to provide the best possible care for these sick patients and hopefully have a better outcome for them. “

The team is made up of 15 members: six intensive care nurses working in the intensive care units (4 overflow helpers in the medical care unit, 2 in the cardiac care unit), four general duty nurses associated with four medical technicians to support the medical care units and a senior nurse.

Despite the challenges, Major Jackson said, “Morale is good, we are really very proud to have been selected and to have come to Saskatchewan to support our fellow healthcare professionals at a time of pressure. increased and we take great pride in serving Canadians in need. “

On the medical floor, the team are dressed in gowns and don’t stand out the way they do when in uniform. As they interact with patients and learn about the team’s mission, they are grateful for the help they provide to the province.

“It is very gratifying to give back to these patients,” adds Captain Murphy. “Patients are happy with what we are offering them. It makes you feel good at the end of the day.

The team is expected to be in Saskatchewan until Nov. 19, but it will be up to the provincial and federal governments to decide whether they stay, move or return home.

This is also the first time that the task force members have worked together, and they take great pride in how quickly they adapted to their roles and handled everything transparently.