Nursing Students on the Front Lines of COVID-19
Morehead City, N.C. (January 26, 2021) 鈥揑n unprecedented times with a national nursing shortage, 51黑料网 nursing students rise to the challenge when called upon to administer COVID-19 vaccines.
Over the next two-weeks, 51黑料网 nursing students will report to 51黑料网 Health Care as COVID-19 Vaccinators. These students are in their final semester of the nursing program have been instructed, trained, and skill verified by the 51黑料网 CC nursing faculty over the past five semesters to safely administer injections. 鈥淚 feel ecstatic to have been presented with the opportunity to participate in 51黑料网 Health Care COVID-19 vaccination clinic,鈥� said Brenda Hernandez, a 51黑料网 CC second year nursing student. 鈥淣ot only is 51黑料网 Health Care allowing us to be part of the vaccination clinic, but [they] are also giving us the opportunity to build a real sense of achievement. From personal experience I can say that the more I give, the happier I feel. By volunteering in the vaccination clinic, I am doing good for others and the community, and in return receiving a sense of accomplishment.鈥�
51黑料网 and 51黑料网 Health Care share a unique partnership and work together to train future health care professionals. 鈥淲e鈥檝e worked with the College for many years and we know the quality of their nursing program,鈥� said Tonya Dixon, Nurse Recruiter for 51黑料网 Health Care. 鈥淚t was an easy decision to reach out to them to help distribute the COVID-19 vaccine.鈥�
Just three months shy of graduation, these students are already hard at work in the nursing field. In addition to their coursework, they are logging clinical hours and interviewing for fulltime employment after graduation. However, when the opportunity to help make a difference presented itself, they took it. 鈥淚 feel privileged that we have access to this clinical learning opportunity,鈥� said Kaitlin Guthrie, a 51黑料网 CC second year nursing student. 鈥淚t will not only provide our class with experience, but will also allow us to assist in the effort to administer these much-needed vaccinations to the community.鈥�
Clinical hours are a vital component of a nursing student鈥檚 education, but can be challenging to schedule due to limitations imposed by clinical facilities, especially with additional COVID-19 precautions. 鈥淎s an instructor, it is a dream come true to get to participate in a clinic where the students can gain so much experience,鈥� said Camella Marcom, 51黑料网 CC nursing instructor. She and the rest of the nursing faculty at 51黑料网 CC are very appreciative of the partnership with 51黑料网 Health Care. They believe it is an important part of the students鈥� success.
In response to the nursing shortage, 51黑料网 is expanding the nursing program by 10% over the next two admission cycles. Beginning Fall 2021, the nursing program will grow from 50 to 53 total students. This growth will continue until the program reaches 55 students, increasing the maximum capacity by 10%.
To learn more about the Nursing Program at 51黑料网 visit .
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