San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer echoed Governor Gavin Newsom and other city leaders calling for locals to sign up for California’s Health Corps to help healthcare facilities bolster their staff ahead of the expected coronavirus patient surge.
The state is inching toward the apex of its patient curve, and county leaders and healthcare administrators are doing all they can to prepare space and make sure facilities are stocked with the necessary supplies. The third arm of the preparedness mission is having sufficient staff on hand to treat sick Californians.
Faulconer asked medical residents, nursing students, retired medical workers, or former healthcare workers who changed professions to sign up and join the fight. The mayor said some will be paid and provided malpractice insurance. Most of the corps’ operational structure still needs to be ironed out.
Dr. Joelle Donofrio-Odmann, the city’s Associate Medical Director, pleaded for anyone ready and able to answer the call.
“Every little bit helps," she said.
Governor Newsom said as many as 66,000 additional hospital rooms could be needed by the time the pandemic peaks in our state. Within three days of establishing the corps, sign-ups topped 70,000 -- more than twice the estimated pool of people in the state who retired within the last five years and have active health care profession licenses.
Click here to register for the Health Corps, or to find out more information.
Local
Sharp Healthcare made its own recruiting pitch Monday, saying "If you are an experienced RN, LVN, Nursing Assistant, Respiratory Care Practitioner, we need you. If you are a RN working in a non-clinical role, retired RN, Nursing Student or Respiratory Care Student, we need you as well."
Those qualified who are willing to answer the call were urged to call (858) 499-5424 or email dian.doyle@sharp.com for the next steps in the process.
