Chamberlain Colleagues Step Forward for Healthcare Workers Nationwide

As a University dedicated to supporting those who have a calling to Step Forward in healthcare, it comes as no surprise that Chamberlain colleagues jumped at the opportunity to demonstrate #CareForCaregivers on the front lines—many of whom are Chamberlain students and graduates—at a time when the world needs them the most.

Safety Comes First

While nurses and healthcare professionals are sacrificing their own personal safety and health to care for others amid shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE), Chamberlain campuses mobilized quickly to donate their supplies of PPE and other healthcare items—normally used for learning in labs and simulations—to 46 hospitals and medical centers across the country. The numbers speak for themselves:

• 168,000+ gloves
• 16,600 masks
• 2,300 gowns
• 940 shoes covers
• 640 caps
• 575+ face shields
• Plus much more and counting

"Very special THANK YOU to the staff from Chamberlain University College of Nursing for donating an assortment of much needed PPE (personal protective equipment)."

James R. Pogue, Sr., MS, EMTP
Strategic National Stockpile Coordinator
Dallas County Health & Human Services (DCHHS)

For M. Allen Perez, MSN-Ed, RN, CNE, associate dean of student learning, the decision to assist in the donation of PPE supplies to Summerlin Hospital—a clinical partner located across the street from the Las Vegas campus—was an easy one since they are all part of the Chamberlain community.

“Although most educators are not at the bedside anymore, our friends are still there,” Allen said. “Regardless of who they are—doctors, nurses, ancillary providers and unlicensed personnel—we have either worked with them, know someone who has worked with them, or have heard of them.”

With the support of campus leadership, Allen was able to help collect and deliver 2,600 pairs of gloves, 80 isolation gowns and 500 masks. “We had the opportunity to offer them some protection in the care they are providing for our community and that is something to be proud of. We answered a need for those who have answered the call.”

Treats and Eats

In addition to protective gear and other essential healthcare supplies, colleagues and teams have gathered hundreds of care packages filled with healthy and fun snacks for some 50 healthcare systems nationwide and delivered meals for healthcare workers needing a much-deserved treat to keep them going. Some highlights include:

• Campus leaders and colleagues going out on donut runs and dropping off lunches for local hospital teams.
• Chamberlain’s Workforce Solutions team putting together baskets filled to the brim with munchies and having pizzas, meals and food gift cards delivered to hospital partners.

For Kathryn Berrigan, MSN, RN, healthcare development specialist, the call to support caregivers at Ochsner Health—Chamberlain’s educational healthcare partner in New Orleans—was both personal and professional. Being a nurse herself, she knows what it is like to serve on the front lines of providing patient care.

“Since I have been a nurse and have worked in hospitals with my previous jobs, I know that nurses often do not get to take a lunch break,” Kathryn explained. “I thought that if we could provide a snack that they could grab and go, they would be able to eat something when they did not have time for lunch.”

With that goal in mind, Kathryn worked closely with the Chamberlain University College of Nursing at Ochsner Health campus and created a Care for Caregivers team to coordinate donations, which included 50 cases of bottled water for each break room at Ochsner Medical Center, more than 50 snack baskets to over 10 Ochsner Health hospitals, and chalk to write inspirational messages for caregivers on the sidewalks leading into the facilities.

“I have several friends who are currently working in the ICU units and in the hospitals, and they were sharing with me how overwhelmed they were,” Kathryn said.

So Kathryn and the Care for Caregivers team also coordinated virtual care webinars for Ochsner Health staff to give them an opportunity to focus on self-care and share tips, as a supplement to what Ochsner Health is already providing.

 “It really makes a difference when people know they are cared for,” Kathryn shared. “I simply wanted to pay it forward to the caregivers. It was a small way I could use my position as a Workforce Solutions consultant to help support the nurses who are supporting our community and risking their lives every day.”

On behalf of Chamberlain University, thank you to caregivers for all that you are doing each and every day to keep our communities safe and healthy. Your unwavering dedication to serving others during this time has not gone unnoticed. We see you. We support you. We thank you.

Share your appreciation for healthcare professionals by publicly giving thanks on our wall of gratitude.

By Agnes Hicks