Bucks County Community College donated medical protective gear to two local hospitals to help ease shortages amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Given the severity of the situation, we decided to donate any extra supplies we had to help out some of our clinical affiliates,” said Constance Corrigan, RN, Ed.D., dean of the college’s Health Sciences Department.
The donations were dropped off Friday, March 27, at St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne and Aria Torresdale Hospital in Philadelphia. Both are partners with the college, hosting students each semester as they complete the clinical components of their education.
Faculty members Cassandra Matthews of the Associate Degree Nursing Program, and Colleen Cardilla, director of the Radiography Associate Degree Program, gathered the supplies from the nursing labs at the Newtown Campus and the Epstein Campus at Lower Bucks and delivered them to the hospitals.
Donations consisted of more than 50 boxes of gloves, 120 surgical masks, 20 Person Protective Equipment sets, 40 masks with shields, 10 N95 masks, 25 sterile gown packs, 40 pairs of shoe covers, 100 bouffant caps, and 25 isolation gowns.
Meanwhile, the college has shifted its courses to remote learning during the public health emergency. Campuses have been closed since March 13. Corrigan said the programs have continued through these changes.
“While some of the hands-on requirements can be handled through distance learning and video education, a few classes will be awaiting a return to campus to demonstrate skills,” said Corrigan. “Associate Degree Nursing and Practical Nursing are utilizing some online simulation activities to compensate for some missed clinical time.”
To learn more about Health Sciences programs at Bucks County Community College, including five associate degree majors, six credit certificate programs, practical nursing, nurse aide training and more, visit bucks.edu/health. For information on the college’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, visit bucks.edu/COVID-19
