NHTI Student Nurses Aid Vaccine Delivery
Senior Nursing Students Staff Loudon Site
NHTI – Concord’s Community College is proud to announce our 2021 senior nursing students were onsite at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon last weekend as team members assisting in the delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine. All nursing students eagerly signed up to assist in the effort and provided professional support to the state of New Hampshire.
Nursing Department chair Mary Jean Byer, MS, RN, and Nursing professor Rae Mellow-Andrews, MSN, RN, RP, brought 27 senior nursing students who worked in two shifts from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Students worked as medical screeners asking each person in the car questions related to their health to determine if they 1) qualified for the vaccine and 2) how they would be managed after the vaccination. Any questions or concerns were referred to the line leader for consultation with each nursing student an integral part of the team.
“The energy was palpable, and this was one of the most meaningful experiences in my career,” said Byer. “As cars moved through, the volunteers were clapping and cheering them on. People in cars were waving and honking horns. One woman said she felt like a movie star! Some patients cried as they received their vaccine knowing they could finally hug their grandchildren or see their elderly mother. Each person played such a significant role in a team effort toward the same goal… to administer as many vaccines as possible. It gave me hope and renewed my belief that being a valuable member of the team can and does make a difference.”
Rae Mello-Andrews told the student nurses that they were “a part of the New Hampshire epidemic solution.”
Earning your Associate Degree in Nursing at NHTI is a great educational investment. Upon graduation, you are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN. Our graduates’ first-time pass rate on the NCLEX licensing exam exceeds the national average. Once you pass the exam and become a RN, you can work full-time and continue your education online to earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree in nursing through one of our transfer opportunities. Many of our partners offer tuition discounts. For information about the Nursing program, contact Mary Jean Byer at mjbyer@ccsnh.edu
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NHTI – Concord’s Community College
NHTI is a dynamic public institution of higher learning that provides accessible, rigorous education for students, businesses, and the community. We create pathways for lifelong learning, career advancement, and civic engagement, offering 90+ academic programs to 4,600+ students annually. NHTI is a member of the Community College System of New Hampshire and since 1969 has been accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, a nongovernmental, nationally recognized accrediting agency.
Press Contact Amy Proctor | 603-230-4001 | aproctor@ccsnh.edu