MCC nursing students volunteer at state vaccination sites
Mesa Community College nursing students are partnering with the state to distribute COVID-19 vaccines during the spring as doses become available for more Arizonans.
More than 70 students from MCC’s Student Nurses’ Association (SNA) have signed up to volunteer at state-run POD sites since late February.
According to the association’s faculty advisor Wes Foster, the state reached out to them to ask for student’s participation in the task.
“With students being able to do it, it’s really being a big, big help for the state,” said Foster. “So, it’s been a great collaboration.”
He said vaccination sites are dependent on student participation due to the high number of people coming in every day.
Nursing student and association member Desiree File participated in one of the student volunteering events in which a record of over 1,600 people were vaccinated.
“It was beyond rewarding,” she said. “It was a lot of teachers and a lot of elderly that were just very emotional and grateful for being able to get the opportunity to get it.”
So far the association has participated in seven vaccination events whose volunteer positions are being quickly filled by students, according to Foster.
“They’re loving that they’re getting out there and they’re actually having to assess patients and work with them,” he said. “That’s why the spots go quickly; they’re loving it.”
After each volunteering shift, students who have not been vaccinated also have the opportunity to get a shot. Foster said that is their only payment for the day of work, and that students are excited about that as well.
The association plans to open up more spots for students in upcoming events as the demand for vaccines continues.
“They’re still very short on volunteers to help run these vaccination sites,” said File. “Without us being there they wouldn’t be able to get the numbers they’re getting.”
She said academic activities are also an obstacle for students willing to participate.
“The hardest part is a lot of the events sometimes land on the days you have class or simulations, so you don’t always get to participate in with as much as you want,” she said.
Foster said he encourages more students and faculty to participate in the task as more cooperation will allow more events to take place.
“It’s going to be challenging, but we’ll get it done.”
