BREAKING: The Utah National Guard will assist long-term care facilities
Feb 1, 2022, 8:44 AM | Updated: Apr 29, 2022, 11:10 am
(Utah National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Sean Conorich conducts COVID-19 rapid testing at the Fairpark in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021. Spenser Heaps, Deseret News)
(Utah National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Sean Conorich conducts COVID-19 rapid testing at the Fairpark in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021. Spenser Heaps, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Department of Health has requested help from the Utah National Guard’s COVID-19 Joint Task Force, and the help is coming.
The Task Force has been activated, which means 50 service members will be deployed to help at long-term care facilities across the state of Utah.
“Utah National Guard members have provided invaluable assistance to the UDOH during the pandemic across multiple mission areas,” said Dr. Michelle Hofmann, Utah Department of
Health deputy director. “We appreciate their hard work and dedication.”
The increase in COVID-19 cases from the omicron variant has caused staff shortages in long-term care facilities as well as hospitals. The Guard will be supporting facilities that need help through February.
Those guard members who are assigned to help will attend a two-day training course intended for nursing aides that is coordinated by the Utah Department of Health and Avalon Healthcare Group.
The course, Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program, is approved by the Utah Nurse Aide Registry.
When they finish the training, the Guard members will be qualified to provide nursing-aide-related duties under the general supervision of a licensed nurse.
