Annual Report 2021 - Using research to support our pandemic response
USING RESEARCH
TO SUPPORT OUR PANDEMIC RESPONSE
As part of our pandemic response, a team of dedicated researchers took action to launch three different research studies.
Surveillance to Optimize Prevention of COVID-19 (STOPCOVID) is aimed to ensure we are doing everything possible to protect the health and well-being of all Waypoint employees during the pandemic. The project actively tracked self-reported information to support real-time decisions and actions we’ve made to improve our pandemic response.
The other two projects are in partnership with Georgian College. With funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada special College and Community Innovation Program – Applied Research Rapid Response to COVID-19 fund, both projects addressed topics relevant to the pandemic and aimed to benefit health care workers.
The first project, titled Effects of COVID-19 on Health Care Providers: Opportunities for Education and Support or “ECHOES”, which welcomed the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre as a partner, addresses how COVID-19 has unsettled daily life for everyone, especially health care providers who already experience high stress, anxiety, and depression in their workplaces. The project is developing education and support tools for mental health care providers for awareness and resiliency, and improve teamwork to deliver quality health care during pandemic recovery.
The second project is titled Mindfulness to Combat Health Care Worker Burnout during COVID-19: Evaluating a 4-week Tailored Program, and was conducted in partnership with Mindfulness Without Borders. Mindfulness programs are known to decrease health care worker burnout. This research project was looking to evaluate the efficacy of online mindfulness, as well as long-term maintenance effects.