Answering the call from CentraCare Health and other clinics throughout the state, St. Cloud State University nursing faculty members signed up to assist in administering COVID-19 vaccines, including working over winter break and the holiday season, passing up time they would usually spend with family during that time.
“It felt like a way to give something back to our community and take a proactive step against COVID-19,” said assistant professor of nursing Dr. Amy Hilleren-Listerud, who helped assist in the initial launch of the COVID-19 vaccinations for CentraCare employees in December. “We are all extremely proud and humbled by the gratitude expressed by the vaccination recipients.”
Some of the faculty that jumped on board to assist in the vaccination efforts include, Dr. Roxanne Wilson, who has helped recruit registered nurses throughout the region to help with the vaccinations, Dr. Jane Bagley, Veronica Chapp, faculty emeriti Sue Herm and Hilleren-Listerud, not to mention the extended list of St. Cloud State alumni already working in help in the fight against COVID-19.
As a University, St. Cloud State has continued to try and assist in these efforts, including partnering with CentraCare to design and manufacture face shields, lending two Centigrade freezers to help with vaccine implementation, creating and providing faculty, staff and students with face masks, collaborating with the University of Minnesota School of Nursing to establish a Doctor of Nursing Practice educational degree and provide nurses with an opportunity to engage in world-class research and advanced clinical practices, as well as helping ease the financial hardships put on students during this time with the Huskies Food Pantry.
