PEMBROKE -- The Pembroke Regional Hospital says they are going to be in need of extra hands as vaccinations are set to ramp up at their clinic at the Pembroke Memorial Centre.
There are three types of paid positions looking to be filled: vaccinators to give shots, pre-loaders to fill syringes, and pharmacy leads to oversee personnel.
“We are quite comfortable with running one clinic per week; we give about 900 or so doses of vaccine,” says Sabine Mersmann, the Senior Vice-President of Clinical and Support Services at the Pembroke hospital. “But once it gets to two or three days a week, we’re going to need extra people on hand so that we can continue to have our hospital staff available to do hospital types of jobs.”
Mersmann says they are looking for people who are retired or working part-time, and are regulated health care professionals.
“So we basically need people lined up that we can call within 48-72 hour notice to say let’s staff it.”
Currently the clinic at the PMC runs once a week on Thursdays, but an increase in vaccine supply to Renfrew County is expected to expand the clinic to multiple days per week.
“In the second half of May, the province is going to double the amount of vaccine we will be seeing,” says Dr. Robert Cushman, the acting Medical Officer of Health for the region. “2,300 [doses per week] going to 4,600. That’s a good ball park figure to use.”
The extra hands will staff the expanded clinics, but also ease the workload on the staff already working tirelessly to vaccinate others.
“If we get double the amount of vaccine that we have been getting, we’re going to need double the amount of people,” says Mersmann.
“It’s a very steady pace,” says Tina Davidson, one of the pharmacy leads at the PMC clinic. “It’s a very rewarding experience, you certainly feel good at the end of the day.”
While Davidson notes she may leave with a smile on her face at the end of the day, there is still lots to do before then.
“Pre-loading vaccine into syringes so that the operations of the clinic run smoothly, keep the flow of vaccine coming out to the arena floor,” says Davidson, describing her days. “Do the final check on product. Manage the cooler of vaccines; so make sure that the appropriate amount of vaccine is ready for preparation at any time.”
Those interested in volunteering for the clinics can contact Danielle Rae at the Pembroke Regional Hospital by email at danielle.rae@prh.email.
