Nursing Students Act Locally to Combat Global Pandemic

About the Program

Category: Health (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

Henrico County Public Schools (HCPS) communicates a divisionwide commitment to every student through a vision of inclusiveness: “The right to achieve. The support to succeed.” The school division also embraces four critical cornerstones: student safety and wellness, academic growth, equity and opportunity and relationships. As a part of HCPS, the practical nursing program’s mission is to prepare nurses to provide safe, effective and culturally competent nursing care throughout people’s lives. Clinical sites and experiences are imperative for supporting this mission.Since 1966, St. Mary’s Hospital and HCPS have cosponsored a school of practical nursing. Henrico County-St. Mary’s Hospital School of Practical Nursing has collaborated with Bon Secours Mercy Health System for many years. In the fall of 2020, responding to an unprecedented global health crisis, the school of practical nursing and the health system partnered in the rollout and administration of COVID-19 vaccines to health care workers at Bon Secours Mercy Health Systems in the Richmond and surrounding areas. Through this collaboration, our nursing students were able to assist with administering more than 10,000 vaccines to the Richmond area health-care community. The students gained valuable experience and provided a tremendous impact to our community.