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Posted: 3/01/21

TAMIU Nursing Students Help Deliver Hope in Sunday City Vaccine Drive

 

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Some 120 Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) College of Nursing and Health Sciences’ nursing students and Student Nurses’ Association members  helped deliver a shot at hope at an appointment-based COVID-19 Vaccine Drive  on campus Sunday. 

The 700 vaccines allotted by the City of Laredo Health Department were delivered to scheduled recipients. Vaccine appointments by the City are non- transferrable and only those registered for an appointment receive the vaccine. 

The outdoor drive-thru event began at 9 a.m. and concluded at 2 p.m. Mostly overcast skies greeted participants and TAMIU president Dr. Pablo Arenaz visited with students and other volunteers.

TAMIU College of Nursing and Health Sciences’ faculty oversaw student administration of the vaccines.  Other students and volunteers handled data entry tasks for the event. Coordinating vaccine stations and students with faculty was Angelica Michelangeli, clinical assistant professor / interim chair, BSN Program.

Dr. Marivic Torregosa,  dean of  TAMIU’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences’  Dr. F. M. Canseco School of Nursing,  said TAMIU nurses have long provided help in vaccine delivery, flu clinics, outreach to vulnerable populations like stroke victims and contact tracing – providing them a rare learning opportunity.

“Dr. Arenaz leads our campus’ COVID-19 Response Team and meets with the City pretty much daily.  He made us aware of  the Laredo Health Department’s various needs.  We realized that this represented a real-world opportunity for our students to get hands-on experience in community health and become involved in  helping our hometown and our community health professionals.  This is something most students would only read about in a textbook. Instead, they are part of vital team that is helping to flatten COVID-19 transmission,” Dr. Torregosa said.

Students at the event felt great pride in being able to help and were also moved by the emotional and grateful responses from vaccine recipients.

So far in  2021, TAMIU student nurses have generated 2000+ volunteer service hours at vaccine drives at the Sames Auto Arena, and Laredo Independent School District and United Independent School District campuses.

Last year, student nurses completed 6500+ service hours.  Their efforts joined a TAMIU-wide community service drive by all students amassing over 50,000 service hours as part of the University’s 50th Anniversary Celebration.

TAMIU student nurses continue to conduct contact tracing on campus in a dedicated area with all-important social distancing and face-covering in place.

In March, TAMIU student nurses will assist in COVID Vaccine testing at LIFE Downs, and assist at vaccine drives scheduled by LISD and VARA Hospice.

For more on the vaccine drive, contact the City of Laredo’s dedicated COVID-19 site at: https://www.cityoflaredo.com/coronavirus/  or call its Information Hotline at 956.795.4954.

Find out more about the College of Nursing and Health Sciences here: https://www.tamiu.edu/conhs/

Nursing students, vaccine delivery.
TAMIU Nursing students and members of the Student Nurses' Association helped deliver 700 vaccines at Sunday's drive at TAMIU.