PNW clinic vaccinated more than 3,000 people against COVID-19

Purdue University Northwest’s (PNW) Safe Return to Campus task force recently compiled statistics documenting the significant results PNW’s vaccine clinic had in protecting the campuses and larger Northwest Indiana community against COVID-19.

The vaccine clinic, which used exam rooms in the Nils K. Nelson Bioscience Innovation Building, offered Pfizer vaccine shots across 22 different dates between April 13, 2021 and Jan. 31, 2022. With eight-hour timeframes for each day the clinic ran, the efforts amounted to 176 total hours of hosting and inoculating patients. That excludes setup and teardown time.

The clinic vaccinated a total of 3,011 people. The various vaccine clinics initially administered first and second-dose Pfizer shots, but would also go on to offer booster shots.

Undergraduate and graduate students and faculty from the College of Nursing took the lead in administering vaccines to the campus community and outside visitors. Totals included 26 undergraduates, 25 family nurse practitioner students, 25 College of Nursing faculty and staff members, and two College of Nursing alumni. For College of Nursing students, administering vaccines was a true experiential learning opportunity, says Jodi Allen, Family Nurse Practitioner program coordinator and assistant professor.

“This was a full campus community endeavor — from students, faculty, and staff across colleges, marketing, Information Services, and more coming together for the safety of our university,” says Allen. “About 20 volunteers helped with registration on our clinic days. They jumped right in and did a great job!”

• Appointment attendance was rated higher than most other clinic sites. A total of 95.3% of appointments were successfully completed.
• Additional thanks for vaccine clinic help goes out to:
  • Julie Wiejak, interim executive director of Undergraduate Admissions
  • Catharine Olsen, interim senior executive assistant to the Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives
  • Lisa Hopp, dean of the College of Nursing
  • Oriana White, president of Student Government Association
  • Nancy Ross, assistant to Dean Lisa Hopp
  • Dawn Wasek, graduate program secretary in the College of Nursing

“Even with the positivity rate going down, COVID-19 appears to be something we will deal with on a seasonal level,” says Allen. “However that may look, vaccinations are essential to keep the positivity rate down and to keep our campus community healthy and functioning normally.”

This was a full campus community endeavor — from students, faculty, and staff across colleges, marketing, Information Services, and more coming together for the safety of our university.

Jodi Allen, Family Nurse Practitioner coordinator and assistant professor