Staff members at Black Diamond’s hospital are being well taken care of through random acts of kindness as they work through the COVID-19 crisis.
Oilfields General Hospital site manager Carla Ralph said scrub bags and caps, ear savers, and food were among gifts dropped off for staff the past two months.
“We definitely feel very supported and very thankful for such a wonderful community,” said Ralph. “You don’t even think you need something and then it’s there. That’s pretty incredible.”
Among the more popular items were the 100 plus hand-sewn scrub bags for staff to put their scrubs in, to take home and launder.
“Several ladies in various communities made those and brought them in and that’s been wonderful,” she said.
Also popular were the more than 100 ear savers to pull mask elastics from behind ears to the back of the head. Some were crocheted and adorned with buttons while others were made using 3-D printers, Ralph said.
“As time has gone on people have become more creative,” she said. “It went from the ear savers to scrub caps.”
Ralph said the more than 50 hand-sewn scrub caps donated last month were also a hit.
“They also have buttons for the masks to attach to,” she said. “When they were donated everybody jumped on them because they loved them.”
While the staff appreciate the efforts of local residents and organizations, Ralph said they’ve had to turn some gifts away.
“A few people have tried to donate masks,” she said. “It comes from a very good place, but we have the medical equipment we need. There’s a misconception that we’re short of supplies, but we have adequate personal protection equipment that we need from AHS (Alberta Health Services). All of our needs are met.”
Some food items also had to be refused, Ralph said.
“If it’s not produced by a commercial kitchen or it’s not individually wrapped we can’t accept it,” she said. “We have to ensure that whoever is making it is abiding by AHS standards.”
Ralph said the random gifts have been an emotional boost to hospital staff, who are working in a very stressful and frightening times.
“These are difficult circumstances trying to balance things like childcare, school and all of the other things they have to do as moms,” she said. “Despite all of that, when they come to work they put their patients first. They’re amazingly resilient.”
Ralph said the staff are doing everything they can to keep the hospital environment safe through rigorous sanitation regimes and self-protection measures. No staff member has tested positive for COVID-19, she said.
“For people needing medical attention, our emergency room is a safe place to come,” she said. “We’re starting to see some cases where people should have come in a lot sooner. Don’t stay at home and put off something that needs addressing. We understand people are afraid and we also respect that everyone is trying to stay home, but if you need medical attention come, we will keep you safe.”
Ralph said everyone who enters the facility is provided with a mask and required to sanitize their hands.
Anyone wishing to support staff through gifts must contact the Oilfields General Hospital administrative office at 403-933-6541. Monetary donations must be made through the Sheep River Health Trust.
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