Nursing student at Kent State University at Tuscarawas selected to participate in national COVID vaccination campaign

Kent State University at Tuscarawas nursing student, Andrew Loos, has been chosen to participate in the National Student Response Network's (NSRN) Profession Specific National Coordinators committee. The committee will address issues such as support of healthcare workers and vaccine hesitancy. The National Student Response Network has been working over the past year with the Organization for Associate Degree Nursing (OADN) to ensure that nursing students are represented in the work of the organization. Loos was nominated to participate in the committee by Nursing Professor Mariann Harding who highlighted Loos' organizational and communication skills. 

Kent State Tuscarawas Associate Degree in Nursing Director Joan Lappin explained in a recent news release that to be considered for a position on the Profession Specific National Coordinators committee, a student must display excellence in leadership skills. Lappin noted that NSRN actively sought participation from nurses and nursing students, saying, "The physician students who started this group have been enthusiastic and adamant about the inclusion of associate degree nursing students. The NSRN asked OADN members to try to identify a few associate degree nursing students to serve as Profession Specific National Coordinators." She also added, "I am very pleased to have a student from our program selected to serve on this national committee."

As part of the committee, Loos is tasked with helping to organize vaccine outreach, working with teams to engage student leadership and keep volunteers. Loos will attend committee meetings and collect data on outreach efforts. NSRN has been working with the federal government through the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act to increase the roles of healthcare students in the effort to vaccinate as many Americans as possible against COVID.