“We had been a part of historical past,” stated Kaiser Permanente Santa Cruz Nurse Amy Suzuki, RN, as she mirrored on the previous two years of working by way of the COVID-19 pandemic and offering life-saving vaccines to the neighborhood.
Suzuki is a part of a bunch of Kaiser Permanente nurses whose work since December 2020 has contributed to the success of distributing the vaccine to Santa Cruz County residents.
KP Workers at Kaiser Permanente Area in Santa Cruz, CA
(Kaiser Permanente)
“We began with three vaccine stations on the Kaiser Permanente Watsonville Medical Workplace and realized that wasn’t sufficient,” stated Suzuki, who labored with others to open six extra vaccine websites, to maintain up with the demand.
“Our nurse groups had been in a position to give 80 to 130 vaccinations every day.”
— Amy Suzuki, RN – Kaiser Permanente Santa Cruz
Throughout the month of Could, Kaiser Permanente celebrates Nurses’ Week, a time to acknowledge and honor nurses for the compassionate care they supply daily to sufferers.
A few of these nurses embody Suzuki and her nurse colleagues Jennifer England, RN, and Brenda George, RN, MBA, who labored to get the vaccine out into the neighborhood. All of them staffed the vaccination heart on the Kaiser Permanente Area in downtown Santa Cruz. There have been 15 vaccination stations in all and on some days, the nurses gave near 800 vaccinations a day. The nurses keep in mind how grateful folks had been to be getting the photographs and the way that motivated them much more.
“I’ll have fond recollections of this for the remainder of my life,” stated England. “I’m so proud to have been a part of it.”
Offering among the first vaccines
Brenda George, RN & Director of Kaiser Permanente Santa Cruz County Medical Places of work, onerous at work
(Kaiser Permanente)
Reflecting again on when the vaccines had been first rolled out in December 2020, England stated: “After the primary few months of the pandemic, we lastly we had a vaccine and I noticed I might make a distinction and save lives.”
England works on the Kaiser Permanente Scotts Valley Medical Workplace the place she and different nurses labored to vaccinate eligible folks. If somebody didn’t present up for a vaccination appointment, the nurses referred to as different sufferers who had been ready for his or her photographs.
George, who additionally works because the Director of the Kaiser Permanente Santa Cruz County Medical Places of work, ensured there was sufficient vaccine provide by gathering unused doses from different suppliers.
“Because of our nurses, we didn’t waste a dose of the vaccine. It was a nursing crew effort.”
— Brenda George, RN & Director of the Kaiser Permanente Santa Cruz County Medical Places of work
Kaiser Permanente Santa Cruz County Senior Vice President Irene Chavez stated she is grateful to the entire nurses who labored lengthy hours and demonstrated true compassion all through the pandemic.
“These nurses are simply an instance of the hassle made by all Kaiser Permanente nurses who cared for these sick from COVID-19, whereas additionally serving to to distribute the life-changing vaccine in our neighborhood,” she stated. “We’re happy with all our Kaiser Permanente nurses for the dedication and professionalism they present every day.”
