The COVID-19 vaccinations are well underway at the Gem on the Lake. On December 17th, 2020, La Rabida received its first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and immediately began distributing to our staff. Since then, our dedicated team has been working around the clock to ensure that our staff has the opportunity to receive their doses. Elissa Roop, La Rabida’s Infection Prevention and Employee Health Nurse, RN, and various teams across the hospital have taken the lead in making sure the vaccination process runs smoothly and efficiently.

The vaccine rollout was something our team had been preparing for. From ensuring we had all the supplies needed to store and administer the vaccines, creating a distribution and clinic plan, and communicating information about the vaccine to staff, we were ready for the green light from the FDA.

“We were not certain when the vaccine would be approved for use, so it was a waiting game,” shared Elissa. When the vaccine was finally authorized, it was go time. “We learned on a Monday that we were getting the vaccine, and by Thursday we received and administered our first 50 doses.” Since then, La Rabida has administered over 600 doses to staff across the hospital.

This vaccine is different than the traditional flu vaccine because it requires special handling.

“The COVID-19 vaccine is only able to be in our refrigerators for five days. There are six vaccines are in a vial and the vial has to be used within six hours after dilution,” explained Elissa. This requires thoughtful coordination to ensure that no doses go to waste. “The hardest part was scheduling the vaccine and ensuring people did not miss their appointments since we have to be very meticulous about how we store the vaccine, reconstitute it, and give within a certain amount of time.”

The rollout of this new vaccine has kept everyone on their toes and requires support from various teams across the hospital. From our pharmacy, employee health and quality and risk management teams to the purchasing department and management across the hospital, the COVID-19 vaccine distribution has been a team wide effort. “It was definitely a quick process, from learning we were getting the vaccine, scheduling staff, and then finding out the best process for our COVID vaccine clinics, but working with a great team has helped make this process run smoothly,” shared Elissa.

After receiving the vaccine herself, Elissa feels a sense of hope.

“I received both doses of the vaccine. At first, like everyone, I was a little nervous to receive it because it was so new, but after doing my research and hearing from experts about the vaccine, I decided that this was the best way to not only protect myself but also my family, my co-workers, and patients,” said Elissa.

To recognize all the hard work put into the vaccine distribution process, Elissa was awarded the Heart of the Quarter and the Employee Health team was recognized as La Rabida’s Exceptional Team. It is because of their commitment that our staff is protected in the fight against COVID-19.

This story was featured in the February 2021 issue of eCurrents. Read the full issue here.