MOHAVE COUNTY – Mohave Community College students and employees are doing their part to help local health institutions in need of medical supplies during the Coronavirus pandemic.
MCC’s Allied Health and Nursing programs have donated medical materials to assist local hospitals during the pandemic and nursing students are volunteering to help patients at hospitals in Kingman, Bullhead City, Fort Mohave and Lake Havasu City.
June Weiss, MCC Director of Nursing, said students are screening staff and visitors entering the hospitals, as well as patients going into physician offices and clinics and staff entering long term care facilities.
Taschia Salas, a second year Practical Nursing student in Lake Havasu City, said she is proud to be an MCC nursing student representing the college in such a positive way during the crisis.
“Being at the hospital and helping the community stay safe is at the forefront of what nursing is all about. I have seen the healthcare community come together and adjust every day and every moment to all of the changing and challenging situations,” said Salas.
Joy Mills, a second-year nursing student, said that through this experience she learned that being a nurse requires a lot of flexibility.
“I have had numerous instructors say, ‘To be a nurse, you have to be flexible,’” said Mills. “The Coronavirus crisis has tested the very limits of my ability to be flexible and rise to changing priorities and workloads. Through these challenges, I feel I have become more adaptable and able to appreciate that flexibility is truly at the heart of nursing.”
Students are also assisting the Western Arizona Council of Governments with Meals on Wheels and delivering prescriptions. They are assisting the Red Cross to deliver prescriptions, meals and hold a blood drive. Students are also spending time with patients who are confined to their home, such hospice patients.
MCC’s Emergency Medical Services and Nursing programs also donated medical supplies to local hospitals.
Kris Long, MCC Director of Emergency Medical Services, said the Kingman Regional Medical Center (KRMC) Hospital Incident Command Center told her that they needed a fit-test solution that can be applied to the for N95 respirator masks.
“The college was able to provide the fit-testing solution to KRMC, so their employees who require N95 mask, can complete the testing and be able to wear the appropriately sized N95 mask,” said Long.
MCC’s Nursing Program also donated personal protective equipment to local hospitals and to Dr. Khamranie Persaud in Lake Havasu City.
The college Allied Health and Nursing programs boast 100% national board pass rates and job placement rates. To apply to become a student visit www.Mohave.edu.
The college on Monday closed its four campuses to the public and students, and moved classes and services online to help prevent the spread of coronavirus in our local communities. More information is available at www.Mohave.edu/Coronavirus
