Gordon State College Partners with Georgia District 4 Public Health to Administer COVID-19 Vaccines

Thursday, January 21, 2021

Gordon State College’s nursing department partnered with District 4 Public Health to administer COVID-19 vaccines in Barnesville on Wednesday, January 13, 2021. District 4 Public Health collaborates with organizations, agencies and companies to deliver coordinated health care resources and support within its 12-county service area.

“The opportunity to work with the District 4 on this project came about as a result of the on-going relationship between the college and Lamar County nurse manager Sherry Farr,” said Dr. Samantha Bishop, director of nursing in the school of Nursing Health and Natural Sciences.   

GSC student nurses were asked to participate in the vaccination program due to the overwhelming need to administer the vaccine to as many people who qualify as quickly as possible. In order to qualify as a volunteer, GSC student nurses participated in training provided by the Georgia Department of Public Health. They were supervised on-site by Dr. Elizabeth Nwabuebo, a full-time nursing faculty member at GSC who said this is a great experience for the next generation of nurses not only giving back to the community but truly saving lives!

Volunteering for service-learning opportunities is not new to the student nurses at GSC. Bachelor of Science in Nursing students participate in service-learning experiences such as vaccine clinics and hearing, vision and scoliosis screenings at community public schools as well as public health fairs as part of their course of study every semester. While not required of the Associate of Science in Nursing students, these students also volunteer for service-learning opportunities regularly. 

“We have an overwhelming volunteer outreach program for our GSC student nurses. These options are growing, and they are very successful, continued Bishop. “Our nursing graduates are very accomplished and well trained. On average, they score over 90 percent on the National Council for Licensing Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX) every year, and they regularly go on to serve the workforce in the area.”

District 4 Public Health will continue to administer vaccines to those eligible every Wednesday and Friday for the foreseeable future. GSC student nurses and faculty will also continue to participate in this program as their schedules permit.

“We are so proud of our nursing students and professors helping our community during this very challenging time, said Dr. Jeffery Knighton, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “Without a doubt our nursing program provides outstanding preparation for our students; part of the reason is that our students receive very “real world” training. While the past year has been difficult, our students and faculty have gone above and beyond in working to protect the health of all of us.”

For further information on how to schedule an appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, please visit district4health.org or call 800-847-4262. For more information on the nursing programs and degrees offered at GSU, visit the website: https://www.gordonstate.edu/academics/school-nursing-health-sciences/index.html

Founded in 1852, GSC is a member of the University System of Georgia. The college has a distinctive legacy of excellent scholarship and service. GSC offers 11 four-year degrees and 16 associate-level degrees, which includes multiple baccalaureate pathways for students. With an enrollment of over 3,000 students, GSC offers an intimate academic setting in state-of-the-art classrooms and laboratories. In this setting, students receive individualized attention that only a small college with dedicated faculty and staff can provide.