4 GEORGIANVIEW FALL 2020 DIGITAL SUPPLEMENT
The COVID-19 pandemic is only one reason Freda
Figueira will never forget the past year. She graduated
from Practical Nursing at Georgian's Owen Sound
Campus, passed her licensing exam, and had a baby.
Then in March, just as the pandemic was escalating,
Freda began her first full-time nursing position in the
Inpatient Mental Health Unit at London Health Sciences
Centre.
"At first our patients couldn't have visitors, which
took away the support of loved ones," she says. "They
couldn't go outside, had to eat meals alone in their
rooms. And many were frightened and confused seeing
staff in masks and face shields. They were trying to deal
with such serious issues and now COVID-19 had made
everything so much more difficult."
Working in mental health is a calling for Freda. "I
learned at Georgian we need to look at things holistically,
and our mental health is part of that. My best days are
when I'm able to really connect with my patients. For
example, one patient didn't understand what COVID-19
was. I personally took out my cell phone to play the
news to show him this is real. When patients can focus
on their own personal wellness, is when I feel like yes,
I'm making an impact."
Shane Ellis, a 2017 Paramedic graduate, was on the
job when COVID-19 became the sudden new reality. "It
GEORGIAN ALUMNI ON THE
of the COVID-19 pandemic
FRONTLINES
