ImageboxPittsburgh MercyLeft ArrowRight ArrowArrow RightCloseContactContactMenuPhone IconSearchFacebookGoogle +InstagramLinkedInPinterestTwitterYouTube
Skip to Main Content
close
Language:
Font Size:
- + Reset
Menu Contact
Close
  • Our Services
    • Behavioral Health
      • About Pittsburgh Mercy Behavioral Health
      • Services for Adults
      • Services for Children & Adolescents
      • Mental Health Rehabilitation & Recovery Services
      • Mental Health Residential Services
    • Addiction Services
      • About Pittsburgh Mercy Addiction Services
      • Services for Adults
      • Services for Children & Adolescents
    • Intellectual Disabilities
      • About Pittsburgh Mercy Intellectual Disabilities Services
      • Day Support & Community Participation Services
      • Residential Services for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities
      • Unlicensed Home & Community Services
      • Employment Services
      • Contact
    • Physical Health
      • About Pittsburgh Mercy Family Health Center
      • Our Services
      • Locations & Hours
      • Getting Here
      • Insurances
      • Your Care Team
      • Pharmacy Services
    • Intervention Services
    • Homeless Services
      • About Pittsburgh Mercy’s Operation Safety Net
      • Street Outreach
      • Winter Shelter
      • Housing & Care Management
      • Physical Health
      • Project HELP
      • Student Placement Opportunities & Street Medicine Fellowship
      • Awards & Accolades
      • How You Can Help
      • Bethlehem Haven
    • Veterans Services
    • Faith Communities
      • About the Pittsburgh Mercy Parish Nurse & Health Ministry Program
      • About Faith Community Nursing & Health Ministry
      • Education for Faith Communities
      • Resources for Faith Communities
  • Your Care
  • Engage
  • Give
  • Our Organization
    • Home
    • About
    • Careers
      • Administration
      • Behavioral Health Services
      • Medical
      • Nursing
      • Professional & Management
    • Training
    • Events
    • News
      • Stories Of Hope
    • Contact Us
Close
  • Need Help? Call us.
  • Send us a Message

Pittsburgh Mercy
1200 Reedsdale Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15233-2109 USA

Call 1-877-637-2924

Email info@pittsburghmercy.org

Pittsburgh Mercy

Need Help? Call us.

1-877-637-2924

Send us a Message

  • Home
  • About
  • Careers
    • Administration
    • Behavioral Health Services
    • Medical
    • Nursing
    • Professional & Management
  • Training
  • Events
  • News
    • Stories Of Hope
  • Contact Us
  • Search
  • Your Care
  • Engage
  • Give
  • Behavioral Health
    • About Pittsburgh Mercy Behavioral Health
    • Services for Adults
    • Services for Children & Adolescents
    • Mental Health Rehabilitation & Recovery Services
    • Mental Health Residential Services
  • Addiction Services
    • About Pittsburgh Mercy Addiction Services
    • Services for Adults
    • Services for Children & Adolescents
  • Intellectual Disabilities
    • About Pittsburgh Mercy Intellectual Disabilities Services
    • Day Support & Community Participation Services
    • Residential Services for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities
    • Unlicensed Home & Community Services
    • Employment Services
    • Contact
  • Physical Health
    • About Pittsburgh Mercy Family Health Center
    • Our Services
    • Locations & Hours
    • Getting Here
    • Insurances
    • Your Care Team
    • Pharmacy Services
  • Intervention Services
  • Homeless Services
    • About Pittsburgh Mercy’s Operation Safety Net
    • Street Outreach
    • Winter Shelter
    • Housing & Care Management
    • Physical Health
    • Project HELP
    • Student Placement Opportunities & Street Medicine Fellowship
    • Awards & Accolades
    • How You Can Help
    • Bethlehem Haven
  • Veterans Services
  • Faith Communities
    • About the Pittsburgh Mercy Parish Nurse & Health Ministry Program
    • About Faith Community Nursing & Health Ministry
    • Education for Faith Communities
    • Resources for Faith Communities
Stories Of Hope

Carlow U. nursing students providing vaccinations at clinic

Posted on May 19, 2021 by Linda Ross

By Zandy Dudiak, Communications coordinator

For some Carlow University nursing students, administering injections at Pittsburgh Mercy’s COVID-19 vaccination clinic at 249 South 9th Street on the South Side was more than just giving someone a shot in the arm.

“For many of them, this is their first time ever giving an injection,” says Dr. Lugenia Bracero, assistant professor and Second Degree Program coordinator at Carlow. “Many of them were very excited to do this. This was definitely history in the making.”

In March, Dr. Bracero approached Sister Sheila Carney, RSM, special assistant to Carlow’s president, wondering if the nursing students could become involved in the vaccination effort. Since March 29, Dr. Bracero has been coordinating students and faculty to serve at Pittsburgh Mercy’s vaccination clinic on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Getting the opportunity to put an injection into a human arm instead of a pad in a simulation lab has helped build the students’ confidence through hands-on experience. Some had not given shots before, but had only watched videos of how to do it.

Dr. Bracero says some were nervous, especially sophomores who never before had a chance to administer injections in a hospital setting.

Mary Frances Reidell, who teaches senior students community health nursing at Carlow, has coordinated the senior nurses going to the vaccine clinics for their Community Health Nursing Clinical. Dr. Bracero has been the nursing faculty who has coordinated the nursing students who wish to volunteer or who need extra clinical hours.

“I was waiting with baited breath for the vaccine to be approved,” Reidell says. “I felt so helpless. Now, I can finally help.”

Ciara Murray, Carlow University junior nursing student

Reidell told her students that this is their calling.

“You’re helping to save the world one shot at a time,” Reidell reminds her students. “After giving 40 or 50 shots, they walk out of there like pros.”

Junior Ciara Murray has enjoyed the opportunity to educate people about the vaccine, and especially seeing them so excited to receive their second dose. She has also appreciated the different experiences she has had at the clinic that she would not have had otherwise.

“It’s a different type of environment than an inpatient clinical setting,” she said.

Dr. Janice Nash, director of the BSN Nursing Program, said the vaccination clinic has given the students a chance to interact with different populations and age groups.

She is particularly grateful for the students to have the experience, because COVID-19 has kept the classes remote this past year, except for the times student nurses served in an in-person hospital setting. Nash says the experience has been good for the faculty, too.

“These have been my favorite days of the whole semester,” she says.

Samantha Spader, Carlow University sophomore nursing student

Sophomore Samantha Spader said that by seeing the variety of people attending the vaccination clinic, she has learned a lot about patient interaction.

“I feel that I’m getting a lot more experience,” she said.

Reidell said the clinic’s observation room also provided the students a chance to watch for side effects after people receive the vaccine. For instance, when people complained of dizziness, the students checked their vital signs.

They also were able to interact with pharmacists and practicing and retired doctors, who struck up conversations about their careers.

Sophomore Morgan Nedley said the clinic has provided her with her first non-hospital experience.

“I’ve noticed these people are so excited to get their vaccines,” she said. “It means a lot to them.”

Lauren Birkmeyer, a  graduating senior, agrees, noting she had never experienced working in a clinic setting before the opportunity to administer COVID-19 vaccinations for Pittsburgh Mercy came around.

“Everybody’s just really friendly and really helpful,” she said. “It’s nice to be able to develop a rapport with people and be part of something that’s making history.”

Dr. Bracero, whose background is in psychiatric nursing, says it is “heartwarming” to be able to administer the shots to persons served by Pittsburgh Mercy.

“I’m just so grateful for this opportunity,” she says. “It’s been a wonderful experience.”

Carlow University nursing students, Morgan Nedley and Lauren Birkmeyer, review some information as they prepare to administer COVID-19 vaccines.
Tagged in:
  • Carlow University
  • Carlow University nursing
  • coronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • COVID-19 vaccination
  • COVID-19 Vaccine
  • Pittsburgh Mercy
  • Pittsburgh Mercy Family Health Center
Share on:
  • In the News
  • News Releases
  • Social Media
  • Media Relations
  • Stories Of Hope
  • Annual Report
  • Credits

Categories

  • Art In Therapy
  • Employment
  • Family
  • Gratitude
  • Health & Well-Being
  • History
  • Independence
  • Lifesharing
  • Mindfulness
  • Mission
  • Recovery
  • Street Outreach
  • Therapeutic Gardening
  • Uncategorized
  • Veterans Services

Archives

Back to Top
Pittsburgh Mercy

A member of Trinity Health, serving
in the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy

A Member of Trinity Health

Pittsburgh Mercy
1200 Reedsdale Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15233-2109
USA

Call 1-877-637-2924

Email info@pittsburghmercy.org

Contact Us Feedback

Connect with Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Notice of Nondiscrimination & Accessibility Requirements
  • Notice of Privacy Practices
  • Terms of Use
  • Site Map
  • http://CARF%20Accredited

© 2022 Pittsburgh Mercy

Website by Imagebox