Monday, April 6, 2020

Reynolds Cares - Covid

Reynolds Respiratory Therapy Program 

Steps Up With Equipment Loans


The email chain started at 8:30 pm, Tuesday night, March 31. Reynolds Respiratory Therapy Program Head, Nakia Austin had a request from a local hospital. She emailed Dean of Nursing and Allied Health, Patricia Lawson. 

The request was this: The Respiratory Care Director from HCA CJW wanted to borrow three of Reynolds mechanical ventilators used for training. COVID-19 had been projected to “ramp up” in the next two weeks, and the hospital was calling for Reynolds’ help to prepare. 

Nakia was okay with the loan. Dean Lawson was okay with the loan, too. If the college was able to reopen in the summer for hands-on classes, the ventilators still wouldn’t be needed until later in the session. They’d worry about that later.

Next in the email chain were Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs, Kim Britt and Vice President of Finance and Administration, Amy Bradshaw. The loan of a Fixed Asset would have to be arranged. 

By 9 a.m. the next morning, the necessary approvals were in, and Nakia had the “okay” to process the paperwork and set the loan in motion. 

The following day the ventilators were packaged and ready to go. They were picked up at 11:30 a.m.

Every moment counts in a crisis, and Reynolds faculty and staff didn’t waste a second of it.