Clark alumni and employees assist with vaccine effort
A handful of Clark faculty and staff are assisting with the vaccination effort in Clark County.
A small group responded to the request for volunteers at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center to help patients receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
The volunteers are Sarah Kuzera, director of Medical Assisting; Ashley Schumacher, Clark’s nurse practitioner; and alumni Alejandra Herring ’14, faculty in Medical Assisting; Marci Wedemeyer ’11, staff member in Dental Hygiene, Kristi Taylor ’99, director of Dental Hygiene, and Brenda Walstead ’80, dean of Business and Health Sciences.
Every 15 minutes, patients receive the injection as they follow a strict socially distance protocol, while wearing masks. The volunteers then watch for possible adverse reactions for 15 to 30 minutes depending on each person’s risk factor.
The Clark volunteers support various aspects of the process, from assessment to vaccination, to the observation wait time. They also hand the vaccine to PeaceHealth medical personnel to speed up the process and there is continuous sanitizing of equipment and chairs.
“I’m proud of Clark’s faculty and staff who have stepped up,” said Walstead.
Walstead said she’s working with PeaceHealth to bring Clark’s Allied Health students to the hospital to assist with the vaccination process. No date has been established, but she anticipates it happening in the weeks to come.
Brenda Walstead ’80 and Alejandra Herring ’14 are two of a several Clark alumni and employees who have volunteered at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center to help patients receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
