Frontline workers share COVID healthcare experience in new photo exhibit (PHOTOS)
A new photo exhibition spotlighting the challenges of being a frontline healthcare worker in BC throughout the COVID-19 pandemic opens today at Douglas College in New Westminster.
Through the Nurses’ Lens, featuring photos and quotes from 12 nurses who worked in patient care during the ongoing public health crisis, will be showcased at Amelia Douglas Gallery from February 1 to May 3.
Through the Nurses’ Lens/Submitted
The exhibit’s materials came from a photovoice research study led by Douglas College Nursing instructors Ruhina Rana and Nicole Kozak in conjunction with Aggie Black, Director of Research and Knowledge Translation at Providence Health Care. The study aimed to discover the lived experience of frontline nurses during the pandemic.
“Researchers were investigating the virus and how it affected the public,” said Rana in a release. “But we wanted to explore how the pandemic was affecting nurses on the front lines, physically and psychologically. How were they being supported?”
Through the Nurses’ Lens/Submitted
Visitors to the Amelia Douglas Gallery will see deeply personal photographs and read thought-provoking quotes from the 12 nurses who volunteered to be part of Through the Nurses’ Lens.
Some images show the photographer’s resilience and hope for the future, while others tell a story of great fatigue. There are photos expressing frustration with miscommunication and quotes sharing battles with burnout.
The purpose of the study was to amplify the voices of nurses on the occupational and social issues that impacted them during the pandemic and gather recommendations from them for the health system and workplace improvements.
Through the Nurses’ Lens/Submitted
“You don’t want research to sit quietly on someone’s desk. It should change something in, and for, the community,” added Kozak in a statement. “It’s essential for people from all walks of life to come experience what these nurses have felt.
“Our hope is that people throughout the region who see these photos will stand with us in advocating for greater support from the government for nurses and others on the front lines, leading to better working conditions in the sector.”
There will be an opening night reception on February 1 at 5 pm, including an artists’ talk at 7 pm. In accordance with COVID safety protocols, attendees must wear a mask as well as present proof of vaccination and ID.
It is the first time in nearly two years that the Amelia Douglas Gallery has opened. It has been closed since March 2020 due to the pandemic.
Through the Nurses’ Lens/Submitted
Through the Nurses’ Lens
When: February 1 to May 3, 2022
Time: 10 am to 7:30 pm (Monday to Friday), 11 am to 4 pm (Saturdays). Closed Sundays
Where: Amelia Douglas Gallery – Fourth Floor North, Douglas College – 700 Royal Avenue New Westminster
Admission: Free
Community Partnership Content
Follow Channels and Categories