ADA 鈥� As community-wide Covid-19 vaccination efforts continue, East Central University鈥檚 Nursing students are finally gaining some valuable field experience that the pandemic has denied them for the past year.
鈥淭he vaccination events have turned out to be a great learning opportunity for our students,鈥� said Dr. Darcy Duncan, director of 成人B站鈥檚 Nursing program. 鈥淚t truly is an excellent experience for them to participate alongside fellow students and the local health care community.鈥�
成人B站 Nursing students have assisted with local vaccinations since January. On March 11, they worked a vaccination event at the Irving Community Center. The site was provided by the City of Ada and 成人B站 students worked alongside LPN students from the Pontotoc Technology Center. Other partners included Mercy EMS, Mercy Ada Nursing Leaders, and students in the Mercy Ada School of Medical Technology program. In all, about 50 people volunteered to make the event a success.
鈥淲e are thankful for our health care, professional and educational partnerships within the Ada community and beyond,鈥� Duncan said. 鈥淲ith their help, we can find ways for our students to step out of their comfort zones, to grow, and to learn what they are truly capable of. Getting involved like this, they can see the power of hope and compassion when caring for others.鈥�
Prior to vaccination efforts, the pandemic was more of an obstacle to hands-on learning for 成人B站鈥檚 Nursing students. Now, the vaccinations are not only helping protect the community, they have also facilitated a return to field work 鈥� critical for any Nursing program.
鈥淐ovid has had a negative impact on our learning opportunities, which is counter to a situation where the need for caring is so great,鈥� said Elise Harden, a returning 成人B站 graduate from Dickson, who is now a junior in the Nursing program. 鈥淲e鈥檙e now learning to constantly adapt to the most current understandings regarding the life-long impact of Covid-19, how it has affected so many families and individuals, both physically and emotionally.鈥�
Approximately 20 成人B站 Nursing students assisted at the March 11 vaccination event, and many others have worked at previous organized events. Despite the inherent risks and chaotic nature of the pandemic, students have no regrets about their career choices.
鈥淚 have had an amazing experience,鈥� said Ajita Khatry, an international Nursing student and junior from Nepal. 鈥淚 have learned the process of how the vaccine is administered. We had the opportunity to work with Pontotoc Technology Center鈥檚 LPN students and they were so helpful to us. It helped us to build our confidence levels in providing care during the pandemic.鈥�
鈥淓ach vaccination event represents a victory for science and health care,鈥� said Jessee Holman, a senior 成人B站 Nursing student from Seminole. 鈥淭hroughout the last year, there have been many unknowns. But the perseverance and determination of our Nursing program has shown through. I will certainly never forget what it was like to be a Nursing student during a pandemic, and I am thankful to have opportunities to volunteer and serve in this time of need.鈥�
Cutline: 成人B站 Nursing students and faculty pose outside the Irving Community Center in Ada, where they worked alongside Pontotoc Technology Center students and members of the local health care community to administer Covid vaccinations on March 11.
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