Nursing students receive credit for administering vaccines

In late January, the UW system announced a tuition credit refund of $ 500 for nursing students working at COVID-19 vaccination sites to encourage vaccine distribution and further support nursing students.

“UW System Nursing Deans met with system leaders in November 2020 to identify ways nursing students could be involved in the fight against the pandemic,” said Judy Westphal, Dean of Nursing College. “Two initiatives have been developed.”

The first initiative provided bedside assistance in Wisconsin health care organizations by certified and registered nurses, while the other initiative provided assistance during vaccine deployment.

“2020 has been the year of the nurse and the pandemic has certainly highlighted the importance of nursing,” said Associate Professor Bonnie Nickasch. “It’s exciting for the students to see that what they are learning is already useful to their community.”

Nickash enjoyed volunteering at Wisconsin vaccination sites. Depending on individual background and education, students and / or RNs can be used in many

capacities at vaccination sites.

The main roles assigned include registration, vaccinators and surveillance roles.

UWO nursing student Chloe Jostad volunteers at local clinics in Oshkosh as well as at Menasha clinics.

“Each clinic is very different from the next, from the layout, the timing of the appointments to the vaccine manufacturer that we use,” Jostad said. “However, all of the clinics have been extremely successful so far and I look forward to helping as much as possible.”

A typical day at a vaccination site for Jostad is oriented towards space, shown emergency supplies and kits, and ultimately paired up with registered nurses to administer vaccines to the community.

Before providing patient care, all nursing students should demonstrate safe and competent care in the classroom setting by learning about the vaccine and how best to educate patients.

Nursing students administering vaccines are supervised and supervised by authorized persons. This is usually a registered nurse employed by the local health care organization or a UWO faculty member who is a registered nurse with a minimum of a master’s degree.

In the event of an allergic reaction, these authorized persons are ready to ensure the safety of the patient.

Jostad explained that in the nursing program there is a specific semester in which students learn to administer intramuscular (IM) injections. IM injections are used to give a vaccine. This training takes place in the second semester of the program, also called “Junior 1”.

Once students have been verified to administer IM injections, they can then volunteer at vaccination clinics, such as the campus flu clinic or COVID-19 clinics in the community.

Undergraduate program director and associate professor Jason Mott said UWO has around 250 undergraduates involved or will be involved in this program.

“I think it’s great [students are volunteering]Mott said. “They will have a lot more experience in public health than most people before them.”

To be eligible for the tuition credit, students must present a letter confirming the hours worked to their campus financial aid office by March 31, 2021. Students must work a minimum of 16 hours, or two days. as a COVID-19 vaccinator between January 1, 2021 and March 31, 2021

Eligible students will receive the $ 500 tuition credit at the end of the spring 2021 semester.

“This tuition reimbursement is an incredible opportunity, and I am so grateful to Dean Westphal of the College of Nursing and UW-System President Tommy Thompson for making this possible for so many nursing students and other students in the state of Wisconsin, ”Jostad said. “With this repayment, I can begin to pay off some of the interest on my student loans and take out a lower loan amount for my last semester here at UWO.”