Vaccine Clinic voices - Dorothy Harsen and Helena Cox

For the hundreds of CoxHealth staff members who have volunteered at our community vaccination events, the experience has been an uplifting example of being the best for those who need us.

We asked a few staff members to tell us what it meant to them to participate in these historic events – below is the latest in our series of Vaccine Clinic Voices:

Dorothy Harsen, CoxHealth at Home

I love giving vaccines at the Meyer Center. It is so well organized. I feel spoiled as the nurse, because Pharmacy draws up our doses and registration staff does all the computer charting. All I have to do is give the injection and review the vaccine information sheet with the patients. Patient flow waxes and wanes, and I have the most fun when it gets really busy.

I enjoy seeing the patients. If it is their first dose, I enjoy asking if they are nervous or excited or both, and this provides a good distraction while I give the vaccination. With either dose, I like to thank them for doing their part to end the pandemic.

I particularly enjoyed a special needs patient last week. He wanted to thumb wrestle once I was done ... and of course, he won! The second thing I enjoy is meeting other Cox employees. There are two of us at each station and it has been fun working with someone I'd never have met otherwise. I enjoy comparing stories of where we work and what we enjoy about our jobs.

It is good to feel needed. I do home visits for outpatient Palliative Care in my regular role. During the past year, I admired the hospital staff for what they were going through to care for patients, but it didn't feel like I had much to offer. It is empowering to finally be able to make a contribution towards combating COVID!

Helena Cox, Cox College

Working with the public in the vaccine clinics has been a rewarding experience for many reasons, but mostly because of the gratitude and hope expressed by the community! I have heard so many say, “Thank you for what you do.”

As a nurse, I cannot adequately express how this pandemic has made so many of us feel helpless, especially in the early stages. Providing the vaccines to our community will make a difference in the number of lives saved from COVID-19 and help get the community back on track to health and wellness.