Reinhardt student nurses continue to use their time and efforts – including their Spring Break – to assist where they can in slowing the spread of COVID-19.
Reinhardt University’s Cauble School of Nursing & Health Sciences continues adapting as new stages of the pandemic emerge. With vaccines available to all Georgia residents over the age of 16, the need to administer vaccines keeps growing. Reinhardt’s nursing students recently filled this need during Spring Break at an evening clinic at the Pickens County Health Department. Eagles helped administer around 220 vaccines over two evenings to Pickens County School District employees.
Kordell Palmer was one of the student nurses who spent time during Spring Break to assist at the vaccine clinic in Pickens County.
Brittany Wilson ’21 and Kordell Palmer ’22 were two of the student nurses to dedicate their time to furthering their skillset by helping the Pickens County community.
“I decided to volunteer to give COVID vaccines over Spring Break because I had some free time between classes and my clinical schedule. I figured I could help out the health department because they have been so kind to let us come into the facility and for an opportunity to grow and learn. Also, I really enjoy the people and getting to meet and interact with the public and community,” said Wilson.
“I knew they needed help and I was able to help after my normal workday so I decided this would be a great chance to help out in the community and get to practice skills,” said Palmer.
With added challenges from the pandemic, Wilson felt the fluid nature of the past year prepared her for the flexibility required in the nursing profession.
“Being in nursing school during the pandemic has been a huge challenge, we have had to learn how to be very flexible and change plans at the last minute,” said Wilson. “I really think it has helped because the nursing profession is always changing and adapting.”
Palmer describes being a nursing student during the pandemic as a blessing. Through his church, Palmer was taught to find the positive in every situation, and his ability to do so makes an impact on his patients.
“Getting to make a nurse-to-patient connection is very different right now than ever before because most hospitals only let one visitor in, and it must be the same one person the whole stay at the hospital,” said Palmer. “I got to help one patient figure out Facetime on his phone and as soon as we got his daughter on the call, the patient lit up like a light bulb! The patient’s mood was changed for the rest of my shift. The patient told me ‘thank you’ at least twenty times before I left for the day. Something so simple as showing him what app on his phone to use made the man’s day immensely better.”
Reinhardt’s nursing students continue leaning into their experiences to gain as much knowledge and skill as possible during this time.
“I am extremely thankful that we get time to learn in the hospital during the pandemic because there was the possibility that we would not get that chance,” Palmer said. “Overall nursing school in the pandemic has made me stronger and more flexible all while I learn lots of information.”
Thank you to our students and all healthcare workers for your continued work throughout the past year.
