WACO, Texas — If you're getting a COVID-19 vaccination at McLane Stadium in Waco tomorrow, March 19, you might be receiving the vaccine from a Tarleton State University nursing student.
The university has partnered with the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District to help administer the vaccine to Central Texans through an effort by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. The collaboration is done to meet the demand for healthcare professionals that can help vaccinate the country's vaccine-eligible populations.
“Getting people vaccinated quickly isn’t just about supply,” Dr. Sally Lewis, Dean of Tarleton’s College of Health Sciences and Human Services, said in a release by the university. “It’s also about having enough qualified medical professionals to deliver vaccinations.
While helping vaccinate Central Texans, Tarleton nursing students gain practical skills to help them through their nursing careers.
“Working on the frontlines provides a unique opportunity for our students to help protect our region," Dr. Lewis said. "They’re gaining valuable hands-on experience, healthcare agencies are getting much-needed help, and individuals are getting the vaccine they need to help mitigate COVID-19.”
According to the release, Tarleton-Waco student nurses pitched earlier this month to help vaccinate residents. It's also not their first time helping out. They were at two previous events as well.
Nineteen nursing students assisted the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District at a drive-through vaccination clinic at McLane Stadium.
Treffany Jones, a student in Tarleton’s LVN to BSN program, is one of the students who has helped out at vaccination sites. In addition to the drive-through effort at Baylor, she participated in vaccine clinics with the Veterans Administration in Waco.
“It feels really good to be able to help people,” Jones said. “By helping out at these clinics we are using our training and helping to stop the spread. That’s why I’m in this program, because I want to help people."