Posted by Sean Elliott, client services manager within Nova Scotia Digital Services, is responsible for the IT support field services team at the IWK Health Centre. This means he oversees computers, software installations, and printers, all in very high demand these days as the nature of work has shifted
“Our work has changed to reflect the needs of staff to which we have a portion of the team working from home resulting in us adjusting how we manage resources,” Elliott says. “This involves getting work that can be performed remotely assigned to work from home staff, and capacity planning to ensure that we have the right mix of on-site and off-site staff to get the work done while maintaining COVID precautions.”
Due to pandemic response, their tasks have changed considerably to support users working remotely from home, setting up COVID-19 assessment centres, and moving whole departments within the health centre to support surge planning. This has meant coming up with innovative solutions such as delivering laptops to physicians who are in self-isolation, as well as developing instructions and providing the needed equipment so that staff can work from home with relative ease.
Elliott says it’s important to stay positive through all of this because they realize that this is going to be a marathon, not a sprint. He says that by remaining dedicated, professional, and resilient in the face of pop-up demands and unclear requirements, they will be able to overcome any challenge that they put their collective minds towards.
“The IT team is committed to coming to work everyday regardless of our own needs and uncertainties as the care and consideration we exemplify ensures that staff at the IWK are equipped with the tools they need,” Elliott says. “We are here to help them protect the lives of Nova Scotians, which we know helps keep everyone’s anxiety and stress at manageable levels.”