As COVID-19 vaccines become available to all ages, Kent State University at Trumbull's nursing students are spending their last months of being undergraduates as volunteers at local vaccination clinics.
Kent State Trumbull’s senior Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students have been assisting the Trumbull County Combined Health Department in its weekly COVID-19 vaccine clinics. The point-of-distribution mass vaccination drive-thru clinics have been held on Wednesdays and Thursdays at the Trumbull County Fairgrounds over the past several months.
Mary Beth Lukach, a nursing faculty member at Kent State Trumbull’s BSN program, said the students have gained valuable experience at the vaccine clinics during the pandemic. In addition to interacting with the community and giving first- and second-dose immunization injections, they have assisted with registering patients, documentation, health monitoring, and most importantly, medication education.
“The students are playing a huge role in this historical event to help to fight off this virus and protect this community,” Lukach said. “This is something they can tell their grandchildren someday.”
Graduating senior Jasmine Hickey, a Bristol High School and TCTC grad, is one of the students working at the clinics.
“Four years ago, I couldn't have imagined our class would be helping vaccinate the community in a pandemic,” Hickey said. “However, this is a great experience, and we are all focused on a brighter future.”
For more information about Kent State Trumbull’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, visit www.kent.edu/trumbull/bachelor-science-nursing.
Posted by Kent State University at Trumbull on Monday, April 19, 2021
To find a vaccination clinic near you, download the ArmorVax app or consult your county or city health department.