14 Oct Medical Students Assist with the Vaccination Rollout in the Northern Rivers
For the last 4 weeks I have been assisting in the Northern NSW COVID-19 vaccination effort. Throughout this experience I have had the amazing opportunity to assist in many roles including administration, post immunisation observation, gaining informed consent, submitting vaccination evidence, drawing up vaccines and vaccinating. I have spent days attending Bulgarr Ngaru Aboriginal medical service vaccination hub and the pop-up vaccine clinics at Yamba and Coraki.
The opportunity to work within Bulgarr Ngaru has been an enriching experience that has taught me a huge amount about the local indigenous and non-indigenous community of the Richmond valley.
I have truly enjoyed the opportunity to work beside highly skilled nurse vaccinators to deliver up to and beyond 100 vaccines daily. These beautiful nurses have taught me a huge amount and help me vaccinate with confidence. I have been independently consenting, vaccinating and documenting for up to 50 patients daily which has given myself a feeling of accomplishment I have previously felt on only a few occasions throughout my medical school career.
My days working at the pop-up clinics have been an excellent learning experience, allowing myself to experience the truly amazing efforts that go into producing these clinics in the community. I have met many amazing people from many walks of life who have taught me many medical skills and greatly increased my understanding of these beautiful towns. Having the chance to both draw up and vaccinate at these clinics has been stressful and crazy at times but has given me a massive sense of confidence and achievement. These clinics have been a truly integral part to vaccinating our most vulnerable populations with thousands of vaccinations being administered. I am so proud of this amazing community and feel honoured to be a part of it.
I wish to say congratulations to the community of northern NSW for coming forward for vaccination. But mostly I would like to say thank you to all the people I have had the pleasure of working alonside, you have made an incredible impact on this community’s safety and health.
Abigael Baker – October 2021
Lismore Rural- Western Sydney University medical student