Pharmacy students help administer 28,000 Covid vaccines and counting
Student pharmacists have administered vaccines at more than 20 facilities throughout Middle Tennessee.
Shelby Bratcher and Janel Shoun-Smith |
Olivia Garrett is one of the many Lipscomb pharmacy students who have administered around 15,000 Covid-19 vaccines in the past few months.
As U.S. health officials have been working to get a majority of Americans vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus, Lipscomb University’s College of Pharmacy students have been doing their part, with about 40% of the student body having administered approximately 28,000 Covid vaccinations over the past few months.
While some student pharmacists have been providing vaccinations as part of their required clinical work, most have been participating as volunteers. Student pharmacists have administered vaccines at 22 facilities, including pharmacies, hospitals, assisted living facilities and nonprofit clinics, throughout Middle Tennessee.
“Students are getting practice drawing up vaccines, doing vaccinations, counseling patients when they review the qualification questions or answering patients’ questions,” said Sarah Uroza, associate professor of pharmacy practice, who helps coordinate COP student vaccination efforts and data along with Justin Kirby, assistant professor of pharmacy practice.
“It is also giving them exposure to lots of different areas of pharmacy, they are getting to go into nursing homes, assisted living facilities, corporate offices and lots of other unique practice settings that they may not get to see during pharmacy school,” she said.
Sena Segad was one of many students volunteering at nonprofit clinics around Nashville.
“Most locations have contacted us and asked if we have students that would like to volunteer. They have opportunities, but not enough employees to handle regular business on top of vaccinations,” Uroza said.
Sena Seged, a third-year student from Hendersonville, Tennessee, is one of these students who has volunteered her time and knowledge at Nashville’s Siloam Health Clinic in Antioch every Friday.
“Siloam Health is a faith-based, nonprofit clinic that provides health care services to uninsured, underserved communities. In the Bible, Siloam is the pool of water where Jesus performed the miracle of giving sight to the blind man. It’s such a rewarding, emotional, and humbling experience being able to vaccinate the patients of Siloam,” explained Seged.
Starting out, Seged was a support volunteer who would screen patients before they received the vaccine. In this role, she would take temperatures, complete pre-screening paperwork, and translate Spanish for patients. Then she transitioned into a vaccine administration position.
As a daughter of parents who have a high risk of Covid complications, Seged spent a lot of last year living in fear of the virus, she said. She knew she wanted to be a part of the solution. “Once the vaccines became available, I realized this is what I was called to do, and there was so much opportunity for student pharmacists to participate in,” said Seged.
Communication was the biggest lesson she learned through this opportunity—in more ways than one.
“A lot of the patients do not speak English as their first language. They are proud when they see someone who looks like them giving them the shot. I can tell they are more comfortable. They will go and tell their family members and encourage them to get vaccinated as well,” she said.
Olivia Garrett has been volunteering at Sumner Regional Medical Center in Gallatin, Tennessee. Garrett has been administering vaccines since December 2020, and has been thrilled to be able to serve her community in this capacity during the pandemic.
“I have learned how important it is to use your skills and talents to help others. I plan to incorporate volunteer work into my future career as a pharmacist,” said Garrett. “The vaccine clinics have been such a positive experience. Those who have received their vaccine are excited, reinvigorated and hopeful for the future. Overall, the supervisors, volunteers and patients are grateful for science!”
Lipscomb faculty member Justin Kirby gives fellow faculty member Sarah Uroza her Covid vaccine.
Michael Jennison from Mentor, Ohio, is a second-year pharmacy student who has been administering vaccines as a volunteer at Sumner Regional Medical Center, HCA Healthcare, Christian Towers Assisted Living and PrimeCare Pharmacy since December.
“I got into health care because I wanted to have a career that allowed me to positively impact my community. There are a lot of opportunities to do this in health care. Going to school in the middle of a pandemic was the first time where I could make some kind of impact,” said Jennison.
“Most patients are excited to get the vaccine, especially when I volunteered in December and January. The last time I vaccinated in late March I've had more patients skeptical and asking more questions. Communication is the biggest skill you have to use. It seems that everyone is curious about the vaccine,” he said.
Daniel Parry, a fourth-year pharmacy student from Suwanee, Georgia, has worked as a volunteer in two clinics so far: Prime Care Pharmacy in Gallatin, Tennessee, and Mill’s Family Pharmacy in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where he mostly cared for elderly patients.
“Some were nervous. Mostly relieved, excited and hopeful,” he said of those seeking out the Covid vaccinations. “Many of the patients I saw at the one clinic were elderly and just want to be able to safely see their families and friends again. So many of them were thankful and couldn’t wait to get their second doses. Many people did this so they could better keep their families safe.”
“Pharmacists interact with patients on a daily basis. Therefore, we need to be able to effectively communicate medical information to people of all kinds of backgrounds. You never know exactly what questions a patient will ask or how they will react when they are getting a vaccine or medical advice,” Parry said. “Being adaptable, empathetic and mindful to those you are serving are traits a pharmacist will always need and continue to get better at.