CAF medical teams provide invaluable support in Regina

“Our mission is to support the nursing staff—the frontline workers—in the critical care units and on the medical unit,” explained Senior Nursing Officer Major Linda Jackson.

In their time on the ground, the CAF personnel have been tasked with myriad duties depending on their training and skill sets.

Some, like Lieutenant Celine Stamper, a General Duty Nursing Officer, have been working on a COVID‑positive floor, performing tasks such as patient assessments, providing medication and performing treatments as directed by the physicians on staff.

“I've been able to use my full scope of practice working alongside the civilian nurses and medical technicians,” she said.

Meanwhile, Medical Technicians like Corporal Andrew Sritharan have been busy with secondary—but nonetheless important—roles related to non-medical patient care and general support of the nurses. Whether that means helping make sure patients are consuming proper and sufficient nutrition, assisting with patient hygiene, or any other tasks the nurses may request of them, Cpl Sritharan said the Medical Technicians do what is needed.

Being able to take that burden off the hospital staff means the staff are better able to focus on ensuring their patients got the best care possible.

“It gives [SHA staff] a chance to just take a breather, identify what they want to do, what they're focusing on, to re-evaluate themselves as always, and always make sure that they're there for the patients’ needs,” he said. “So for us, it's humbling.”

Maj Jackson emphasized how important Cpl Sritharan and his Medical Technician peers have been.

“This is one area identified by the Provinc of Saskatchewan and by the hospital, with the current bed occupancies and the illness of the patients, that the nurses were really struggling to keep on top of,” she said. “This is where the Medical Technicians have made such a huge difference to this medical team, because these are the support activities that contribute to a patient’s successful recovery from COVID. It makes all the difference in the world.”

While Maj Jackson said none of the personnel under her command were from Saskatchewan, two did have connections to the province and the Prairies in general.

Cpl Sritharan is currently based at 15 Wing Moose Jaw, and while he doesn’t quite consider himself a ‘local,’ he has observed the mentality of the Prairie community.

“I'm seeing how the people around the area are all very caring, very come‑together,” he said.

It’s in the hospital where he’s spent the past month that he’s seen that mentality shine through.

“In the actual hospital itself, from the nurses to even the patients, each and every one of them have empathy and sympathy for each other,” he explained. “My there is kind of a humbling experience, because I'm providing back to the community that is also showing me support and love as a military member.”

That providing back to the community extends beyond medical interventions and support, Maj Jackson added.

She said she heard from his colleagues that Cpl Sritharan has also been helping the elderly patients with setting up their phones and tablets so they can keep in touch with their loved ones, as well as ensuring those devices are fully charged.

“This type of support is critical to a patient’s mental health and recovery, as it maintains family support,” she said. “Some of the patients are from communities far from Regina and do not have family in the Regina area who can visit.”

Lt Stamper has a closer connection to that Prairie ethos, as she comes from Manitoba. For her, it feels like coming home, as the Prairies have a special place in her heart.