Winona State University is partnering with Winona Health in a rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The College of Nursing and Health Sciences and WSU Emergency Management team has collectively provided medical equipment and PPE, along with iPads loaned by IT to Winona Health to keep the medical community supplied and protected in the fight against Covid-19.
As part of Governor Walz’s state plan, universities were asked to inventory and donate what they could. In response, College of Nursing SIM Labs on both WSU campuses quickly gathered and delivered the following critical care items:
- 2,300 N95 respirators
- 1,380 masks
- 28 safety goggles
- 13, 700 gloves
- 29 reusable/washable gowns
- 40 disposable isolation gowns
- 9 hospital beds and mattresses
- 7 bedside tables
- 4 IV poles
- 2 carescopes
- 2 gurneys
- 40 thermometer covers
The iPads will enable Winona Health’s healthcare providers with more flexibility and increased capacity in offering remote appointments and telehealth options.
To further support the medical community, Winona State is housing a small number of medical personnel from Winona Health in dorm rooms at Tau Center on its West Campus. Some of these individuals are medical personnel who need a local place to stay, while others are trying to protect their families at home from possible exposure. WSU is continuing discussions with Winona Health (in conjunction with the county) for expanding its use of Tau Center as the need increases.
About Winona State University
Founded in 1858, Winona State University is a comprehensive, regional public university with over 7,600 students on campuses in Winona and Rochester. Around half of WSU students are first-generation, meaning neither parent has a four-year bachelor’s degree. The oldest member of the Minnesota State system, WSU offers more than 80 undergraduate, pre-professional, licensure, graduate and doctorate programs in five colleges: Business, Education, Liberal Arts, Nursing & Health Sciences, and Science & Engineering.
Winona State is ranked as the second public institution in Minnesota by U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges,” has been named among the “Best in the Midwest” by The Princeton Review for 16 years in a row, and has been featured as one of America’s 100 Best College Buys for quality and value for 24 consecutive years. The University generates $447.9 million in economic impact for the region per year. The University’s mission is to enhance the intellectual, social, cultural and economic vitality of the people and communities we serve: a community of learners improving our world. For more information, visit winona.edu.
