MARION -- Lending a helping and: JALC nursing students help provide COVID-19 vaccinations
When COVID19 vaccines were approved, John A. Logan College Director of Nursing Marilyn Falaster saw the potential for her students to get hands-on experience and provide a historic public service.
"This pandemic has been devastating on so many levels," said Falaster. "To be able to see our students get the opportunity to not only gain valuable experience but to also play a role in protecting people from this virus has been gratifying for our faculty."
Assistant Professor of Nursing Debra Russell recently observed her students at the Marion Pavilion assisting the Bi-County Health Department.
I am so very proud of our students. They were friendly and energetic. It is evident in their interactions with the public that they find this a very worthy cause," said Russell.
Russell added that what she found most encouraging was how appreciative the individuals receiving the vaccination were to the students.
"I witnessed individuals in their 80s and 90s chatting with our students encouraging them. Those are experiences that go far beyond the classroom. It is such a worthwhile cause."
For one student, the opportunity has taken on a special meaning.
"I have an immune-compromised son, so I am just so excited to be a part of this," said nursing student Sarah Davis of Marion. "To be able to get the vaccine out to as many individuals as can get it makes me feel like I am a part of history here."
The nursing faculty's dedication in and out of the classroom to provide valuable experiences and training has benefited students. A recent report by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation showed that the College's most recent graduating class of Associate Degree Nursing students had a 96 percent pass rate on the licensing exam and a 95 percent rate for LPN students.
In 2020 John A. Logan College became one of the first colleges in the region to receive the recently required ACEN Accreditation (Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing). A distinction that ensures the College will continue to train students at the highest level of health care education.
For more information about the nursing program at John A. Logan College, call (618) 985-2828, Ext 8498 or visit www.jalc.edu/nursing/nursing-programs.
