FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (February 12, 2021) — MassBay Community College Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) and Practical Nursing (PN) students recently volunteered with the Watertown, MA Health Department in administering COVID-19 vaccinations. Fifteen ADN students and eleven PN students assisted with vaccine administration and with the registration process for hundreds of residents who received their COVID-19 vaccine.
“Nursing students are needed to administer vaccines and provide vaccine education in our communities,” said MassBay Director of Nursing, Andrea Bresnahan. “Being part of the COVID-19 vaccination effort is a rare opportunity for students to directly learn about population health, participate in public health program, gain clinical experience, and ultimately save lives.”
The Watertown Health Department vaccination clinics that the student’s participated in were held the first and second weeks in February at Perkins School for the Blind for both students and staff and at the Watertown Police Department for people over 75 years of age. According to the Mass.gov website’s daily vaccination report for February 11, 2021, more than 987,000 people in Massachusetts have been vaccinated for COVID-19.
“It was a great experience being able to be part of the vaccination rollout for that age group,” said MassBay Practical Nursing student, Lizbeth Sanchez, of Medfield, MA. “I learned a lot about the process, while being able to assist in all areas of the vaccination procedures. The people were very nice and grateful to have us there volunteering our time to administer the vaccine for them.”
“I was excited to be able to help vaccinate the elderly community to keep them healthy,” said MassBay Practical Nursing student, Auchiana Perryman, of Waltham, MA. “It was really humbling to have people thank you. I currently work as a CNA at a local hospice care facility, so being able to assist in keeping people safe makes me more excited to become a nurse.”
The MassBay Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program and the Practical Nursing program have both been ranked as the #1 nursing programs in Massachusetts by two different nursing advocacy organizations. In March 2020, MassBay’s ADN Program was ranked #1 in Massachusetts by RegisteredNursing.org and in August 2020, the group PracticalNursing.org named MassBay’s Practical Nursing Program the #1 Program in Massachusetts by PracticalNursing.org. Students in the nursing programs study on the Framingham campus.
MassBay Community College is the most affordable higher education option in MetroWest Boston, offering a robust portfolio of courses and more than 70 associate degree and certificate programs with flexible day, evening, and weekend classes in Ashland, Framingham, Wellesley Hills, and online. MassBay students receive an unmatched educational value by earning stackable credits that transfer to bachelor’s degree programs, and workforce-ready skills necessary to advance careers in high-demand fields such as health and life sciences, automotive technology, engineering, business, cybersecurity, and the humanities. MassBay’s Associate Degree in Nursing (RN) and Practical Nursing (LPN) programs were both ranked as the #1 Nursing Program in Massachusetts in 2020-2021 by national nursing advocacy organizations RegisteredNursing.org, and PracticalNursing.org. Since its founding in 1961, MassBay has been accredited by several governing bodies and remains firmly committed to its mission of meeting the needs of the diverse local communities it serves. We value the intrinsic worth of all individuals, collectively in pursuit of inclusiveness and prioritize our work towards achieving equity within our community and beyond.