[Updated July 7, 2020]
Dear Members of the RECOVER Community,
We hope this message reaches you staying healthy and safe during the COVID-19 pandemic which has significantly altered the way we live our daily lives. During this unprecedented time, we would like to keep you updated on relevant points related to RECOVER.
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ONLINE COURSES
Online BLS and ALS Courses Available at No Cost for Academic Institutions
Because the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the cessation of classes at many educational institutions nationwide, veterinary and veterinary technology/nursing students are without the ability to attend classes, do rotations, or site visits.
RECOVER, VECCS, ACVECC, and Cornell have joined with a number of other amazing veterinary organizations to do what we can to help during these unprecedented times.
RECOVER is offering free BLS and ALS courses to students of accredited veterinary and veterinary technology/nursing programs worldwide.
**We have closed this offer on April 17th** We are very grateful for the response we received, where we served 160 institutions for over 18,000 students. More information is located at https://recoverinitiative.org/covid/
Online Course Discount Code for Others – 30% Discount
While we would love to be able to give away online courses for everyone, we aren’t quite able to do that. However, we’ve established a discount code that will be valid while the disruptions to our daily lives brought on by COVID-19 is ongoing. Please feel free to share the code washyourhands for those that may inquire.
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Certification Expiration Dates for Currently Certified Instructors – Extension
Given the current situation with COVID-19 and the need to practice social distancing and avoiding large gatherings, we will be extending the certification period for instructors who are currently certified. The extension will continue indefinitely until a reasonable timing to reinstitute the process arrives, once the disruption due to COVID-19 subsides.
Bottom line. Please do not worry about your certification status and focus on staying healthy and keeping all the rest of us as safe as possible!
Online Courses for Workshops that are Being Cancelled
For workshops that bundled the online courses with registrations that are now being canceled, the host of the workshop would have registrants that are enrolled in the online courses through their commitment to attend the workshop.
Upon cancellation of the workshop, we are asking the hosts of the workshops to reach out to the registrants to determine if they would like to have their online course access canceled as well.
If the registrant would like to cancel their online course access, we will do so with no questions asked. Please keep in mind, however, that those who have started on the courses will lose their course progress and any certificates earned will also be deleted.
If you were registered for a RECOVER workshop that has been canceled, please contact the hosting organization or company to discuss your online course status.
Is There a Way to Conduct Rescuer Certification Online?
We are also aware that with the cancellations of in-person workshops occurring we will have a slowdown of our ability to certify more Rescuers.
You may be wondering whether we would be able to certify individuals as Rescuers without performing an in-person workshop. The Executive Committee has discussed this topic, and we could not think of a good way to adequately substitute our unique in-person training, conducted through simulation which makes the training as effective as it is, through online means.
We hope that in-person certification workshops can be resumed as soon as it can safely be done.
Can Rescuer Certifications Be Held With Some Modifications?
Please see details on Interim Guidance During COVID-19 for RECOVER Instructors for guidance from RECOVER.
Please let us know if there are other ways we can make life easier. Please stay safe and healthy.
Kenichiro Yagi, MS, RVT, VTS (ECC) (SAIM)
RECOVER Initiative Program Director
