The University of Scranton donated more than 7,000 surgical masks, 15,000 examination gloves, 300 personal protection equipment items including gowns, shoe covers and goggles, and more than 8,000 miscellaneous items such as disposable oxygen tubing and nebulizers, alcohol pad, cotton applicators and sanitary wipes. The items, given to three area hospitals, were collected from the Leahy Clinic, the Departments of Nursing and physical therapy as well as biology and chemistry laboratories. The University’s Panuska College of Professional Studies also lent three ventilators used in hospital simulation laboratories on campus for clinical training in the Department of Nursing.
The personal protective equipment and medical supplies were donated to the Commonwealth Health Regional Hospital of Scranton, Geisinger Community Medical Center and Moses Taylor Hospital.
The ventilators will be used by Geisinger during the COVID-19 crisis. Geisinger will upgrade two older-model ventilators for use in the hospital and will thoroughly clean the equipment prior to returning it to the University.
“This was a collaborative University effort to assist our partners in the local health care industry who are on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis. We are grateful for all the ways in which we partner with these organizations for student learning opportunities and are glad to be able to provide these needed supplies and equipment at this time as they prepare to care for our community during this global pandemic,” said Debra Pellegrino, Ed.D., Dean of the Panuska College of Professional Studies.