Gavin Dhanoi scrubs up in his spare time

RICHMOND, BRITISH COLUMBIA – Gavin Dhanoi was a registered nurse for six years before becoming a mobility and seating consultant for HME in British Columbia, so when the pandemic hit, Dhanoi put his scrubs back on and volunteered to help out.

“There’s no other time than now, where we have seen a shortage of nurses and hospital staff,” said Dhanoi. “Knowing that I have the education and background that I do, it didn’t feel right to not step in and give my time back to the community during such circumstances.”

Dhanoi spends most of his time in the medical ward at Langley Memorial Hospital, where he cares for COVID-19 patients, as well as patients with cardiac issues and other co-morbidities.
In the early days of the pandemic, when little was known about the virus, Dhanoi says going back into nursing was “scary.”

“I’ve been away from the hospital for about two and a half years, so when I went back as a nurse, it was scary because you have to get your feet wet again,” he said. “Every day is different, so you never know what you’re going to walk into.”

Dhanoi made the leap from RN to mobility and seating consultant when he started wondering, “Why am I using the
equipment I’m using?”

“Besides the in-services we got once in a while at the hospital, that was really the trigger that made me start exploring on my own,” he said.

Now, armed with his experience as a mobility and seating consultant, Dhanoi says he’s even more effective as a nurse.

“With HME, I’m working so closely one-on-one with clients, as well as long-term care facilities, it’s really given me a 360-degree view when stepping into the hospital,” he said.