The fight against COVID-19
Our nursing students in their crimson scrubs could be seen nearly everywhere throughout IU’s Garrett Fieldhouse, as returning students entered Garrett for their testing appointments. Our students single-handedly manned the sample collection stations for many shifts, providing instructions to students on the proper way to collect their samples and ensuring that each sample was accurately entered into the tracking system. Our student nurses also offered words of encouragement to students who were a little hesitant to collect their own samples, as well as comfort (and tissues!) to all those completing the sample process.
Throughout the entire volunteer effort, our nursing students were accompanied by one or more faculty members. A huge “Thank You” to all the faculty who participated in the collection process, including Marsha Hughes-Gay, Britney Arce, Sonita Ball, Sharon Gates, Angela Opsahl, Mary Lynn Davis-Ajami, Deb Smith, and Abby Berg.
IUSON BL Lecturer Ronda Hendricks coordinated our students’ involvement in the on-arrival testing. Says Ronda: “Our IUSON BL students demonstrated extreme professionalism and excellent patient care during the testing process – volunteering a total of 579 hours. Once again, IUSON BL played a very important role in our efforts to keep IU safe from COVID during the spring semester.”
“Once again, IUSON BL played a very important role in our efforts to keep IU safe from COVID during the spring semester.”
- Ronda Hendricks
But our efforts in keeping IU and its students safe from COVID did not stop there. Our sophomore, junior, and senior nursing students also participated in the IU COVID Vaccination Clinics held at IU’s Assembly Hall from March 29th – April 28th. “Our students’ response in being asked to help with the pandemic was fantastic,” says IUSON BL Lecturer Sonita Ball, who coordinated IUSON BL’s involvement in the clinics, “and we were able to fill all of the time slots we were offered. We filled 42 vaccinator slots for a total of 126 hours. Our students did an outstanding job of being both very proficient and very professional in administering the vaccinations and in interacting with their patients.”