When Covid-19 infected 26 staff members and 30 residents, staff at Cedar Haven nursing home in Lebanon, Pa., with no previous medical training were temporarily reassigned to patient care roles, according to an article on the Lebanon Daily News website.
Employees who previously were responsible for building maintenance, driving residents to appointments or therapeutic recreation are now being told to help with resident care.
Facility executives said about 8 percent of their 357-person staff is quarantined or isolated due to COVID-19.
Employees who work in non-medical roles are being asked to take an 8-hour, online course followed by three days of training before taking on duties as a "hospitality aide," which include feeding residents, responding to call bells and helping with one-on-one care for some residents.
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