Sask. health authority introduces COVID-19 safety course for volunteers
The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) requires people to take a new online course in infection prevention and control before they can volunteer in SHA facilities and programs.
“We’d like to bring them back because everybody is missing our volunteers. The staff, the clients and the residents,” said the SHA’s director of volunteer services, Bernie Doepker.
The course covers topics such as proper hand hygiene, how to wear a mask and how to put on and take off gloves safely.
At the start of the pandemic, the SHA dismissed all of its volunteers 65 and older as they were deemed a population more vulnerable to COVID-19.
Doepker says people volunteer at their own risk and the SHA assumes no responsibilities for mishaps and the new course is for their own safety.
Marjorie Bodnairchuk, a retired registered nurse and healthcare administrator who would often play the piano at the Herb Bassett Home in Prince Albert before the pandemic, said the course has good information, but may not be accessible for some volunteers.
The training requires logging into a website, reading, watching videos, using interactive tools and completing quizzes.
“People who aren’t comfortable with computers and websites and I think maybe they’ll just conclude their time with the Sask. Health Authority,” said Bodnairchuk.
Bodnairchuk says that would be disappointing as the residents of care homes and hospitals are going to be left with less visitor interaction and entertainment.
Doepker says the SHA is taking a cautious approach to resuming volunteer services and only allowing volunteers to deliver Meals on Wheels, virtual volunteers and outdoor entertainment.
“We are in desperate need of more volunteers,” said Doepker as many of the current volunteers who’ve been delivering Meals on Wheels need a break.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
WATCH LIVE As GC Strategies partner is admonished by MPs, RCMP confirms search warrant executed
The RCMP confirmed Wednesday it had executed a search warrant at an address registered to GC Strategies. This development comes as MPs are enacting an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power, summoning one of its contractors to appear before the House of Commons to be admonished publicly for failing to answer questions related to the ArriveCan app.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Attempt to have murder charge quashed against alleged serial killer dismissed by judge
A motion filed by the man accused of killing four Indigenous women in Winnipeg to have one of those murder charges quashed has been dismissed by the judge – weeks before the start of his trial.
Government proposes new policy for federally regulated employees to disconnect from work
In their 2024 budget, the federal government wants to amend the Canada Labour Code, so employers in federally regulated sectors will eliminate work-related communication with employees outside of scheduled hours. If implemented, this would affect roughly 500,000 across the country.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
Disappointment widespread over budget's proposed $200-month disability benefit funding
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.