During the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous companies and organizations launched initiatives to support frontline healthcare workers. These efforts ranged from personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical apparel to wellness resources, educational courses, and personal care products. The following comprehensive overview details the various freebies, discounts, and support programs identified in source materials, organized by category.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Medical Supplies
Several initiatives focused on providing essential protective gear to healthcare workers facing shortages.
- Masks and Face Shields: Multiple sources offered mask donations or discounts. DHAVNI provided free masks upon request. Preppi donated N95 masks to healthcare workers in need. Print For the Cure distributed face shields, mask straps, and door openers. For those purchasing masks, Decors Interiors offered cotton masks with a discount code HERO18 for 18% off, though a 9-week lead time was noted due to high demand. Black Kat Masks offered a 20% discount using code SHARM20, and Claire & Clara provided a 15% discount with code SHARM15.
- PPE Requests and General Supplies: In New York City, Mēle accepted requests for PPE, food service, and food or beverage needs. Med Supply Drive accepted PPE requests in the UK.
- Scrubs and Medical Apparel: Several uniform and medical apparel brands offered significant discounts. Barco provided 20% off entire purchases using promo code NURSESWEEK or NW20OFF, valid until May 13, 2022. Figs ran a Nurses Week sale offering 20% off from May 5 to May 12, 2022. Jaanuu offered up to 70% off until May 12, 2022. All Seasons Uniforms offered a 20% discount on all medical apparel during Nurse’s Week with code NURSE20. Kiefer Uniforms in Allouez, WI, offered a 20% discount on uniforms. Additionally, Fabled, a women's medical apparel brand, offered a discount specifically for readers of The Frugal Physician.
- Other Medical Equipment: FJOLK offered a free pair of shoes to healthcare workers via email request to [email protected]. Nursemates offered a 15% discount on purchases, including masks, upon sign-up.
Wellness, Mental Health, and Recovery Resources
Recognizing the immense stress on healthcare workers, various companies provided resources for mental and physical well-being.
- Coaching and Therapy Sessions: TB12, Tom Brady's fitness brand, offered a free virtual performance and recovery coaching session to healthcare members fighting the pandemic. Ten Percent Happier provided free access to its meditation app for healthcare, grocery, and food delivery workers. Supporti offered healthcare workers a free one-month subscription to its accountability partner app; users were instructed to contact Supporti via email at [email protected] for a special code.
- Communication and Support Apps: Speeko offered free access to its app for nurses, physicians, and other healthcare professionals through 2020 via a form on their website. Speeko also maintained a free list of COVID-19 communication resources. Additionally, Speeko provided a membership to healthcare and public health professionals on the frontline, offering resources for patient-centered communication.
- Virtual Events: Blushington hosted complimentary Virtual Makeup Pretty Parties to honor first responders, essential workers, and their children. Osmosis offered free events including meditation and yoga sessions, and AMA (Ask Me Anything) sessions hosted by their Chief Medical Officer.
Educational and Professional Development Opportunities
A significant number of organizations offered free training, certification, and educational credits to help nurses and other healthcare professionals during the crisis.
- COVID-19 Specific Training:
- IntelyCare: Launched a 100% free COVID-19 Nurse Training Certification for nursing professionals, which included one free contact hour upon completion.
- American Nurses Association (ANA): Offered a free 68-minute webinar titled "Be Confident Protecting Yourself and Providing the Best Care to Your Patients During this COVID-19 Pandemic."
- American Association of Critical-Care Nurses: Provided a free online course, "The Pulmonary, ARDS, and Ventilator Resources," available 24/7.
- Osmosis: Developed a free COVID-19 course for health professionals, eligible for 2 Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits, along with free clinical skill videos on topics like imaging features and body temperature assessment.
- Unbound Medicine: Offered a free 30-day trial to access their drug guide mobile app.
- Continuing Education Credits: Vohra Wound Care offered 20 Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) credits with a $50 discount on any educational package using promo code "COVIDNURSE50."
- General Professional Development: Orbit CME offered a $100 credit. LinkBuildingHQ acknowledged frontline workers with a 15% discount on marketing services for their online presence using coupon code Covid15-LBUS.
Food, Beverages, and Retail Discounts
While specific free food items were not detailed in the source data, several retail and beauty discounts were available.
- Beauty and Skincare: Numerous beauty brands offered discounts. argancoco provided 70% off with code averagesocialite and a free hand sanitizer with every purchase. Artis Make-up Brushes offered 25% off with code Sharm25. art naturals offered 25% off for essential heroes. Barefaced offered two free bar soaps with code HEALTHCARE (shipping not included). Beakey Blenders offered 20% off with code SHARMEDLIFE. bioClarity offered 15% off with code STAFF15. Blume offered 25% off all products with promo code THANKYOU2021.
- Clothing and Footwear: In addition to FJOLK's shoe offer, various uniform discounts were available as noted in the PPE section.
How to Access These Offers
Access methods varied by offer. Many discounts required the use of specific promo codes at checkout on the respective brand websites. For free items like masks or shoes, healthcare workers typically needed to fill out a request form or send a direct email to the company. Free access to apps and webinars often involved registering through a dedicated landing page or filling out a form to verify professional status. Due to the time-sensitive nature of many of these promotions, specifically those tied to Nurses Week 2020 or 2021, current availability may be limited.
Conclusion
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a widespread response from companies to support healthcare workers through various freebies and discounts. These initiatives covered essential PPE, professional apparel, mental wellness resources, and significant educational opportunities. While many offers were tied to specific timeframes like Nurses Week 2020-2022, the collective effort highlighted a significant community and corporate acknowledgment of the sacrifices made by frontline personnel.