Coronavirus information

During this challenging time, our Husky Nurse network has stepped up to support our community and each other. From clinical work in the field helping those impacted by COVID-19 to generous support for our students, times of adversity seem to always bring out the best in us. #TogetherWeWill

How the UW School of Nursing is responding to the outbreak

Response

Updated: March 5, 2021

Since the beginning of the pandemic, UW nursing students and faculty have been on the COVID-19 frontlines. Most recently, they have been helping to vaccinate healthcare workers, first responders and those serving vulnerable populations across the Puget Sound and providing care to individuals and families affected by COVID-19. From Tukwila to Seattle, students started volunteering to help with COVID-19 vaccination efforts in mid-December, during what would normally be their winter break, and have continued on into the new year, even as they manage class and clinical workloads. Vaccination and care sites include the Snoqualmie Tribe, UW Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, COVID-19 assessment and recovery and isolation facilities managed by Public Health—Seattle & King County (PHSKC) and Tent City 3 managed by University District Street Medicine.

In the words of Liam Malpass, a graduate nursing student who administered COVID-19 vaccines at a PHSKC site, “So many of us who work in health care have been waiting nine exhausting months for this moment and our hope has been reignited as we start to turn the corner on this pandemic.”

In order to expand their reach, the UW School of Nursing has launched a vaccine “boot camp” to provide focused, physically distanced, hands-on training for all health sciences students who have not yet learned advanced injection and safety procedures. This Interprofessional Vaccine Boot Camp at the School of Nursing’s Simulation Center is taught by volunteer graduate nursing students and faculty from nursing and other health sciences schools.  To date, they have trained over 380 students. The goal is to ensure confident, safe administration of the vaccine by all health sciences students. Needles and other supplies for the boot camp, which are in high demand during the pandemic, were generously donated by Retractable Technologies, manufacturer of the needle being issued in the vaccine kits. Other supplies, such as PPE, are available due to generous funding from the Centers for Disease Control Foundation.

The school also partnered with the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing to host a virtual symposium on the role nurses play in the race to vaccinate a nation.

UW nursing students have been at the forefront of COVID-19 response since last spring. When traditional hands-on clinical opportunities disappeared due to safety and health concerns, the school partnered with PHSKC to give students the opportunity to help meet health needs and treat COVID-19 patients. Since last April students have been working in the PHSKC Call Center, providing virtual health visits, and working at clinical sites throughout the county. This extraordinary partnership has provided dozens of students with unique real-world clinical experiences while sharing their skills and knowledge so critical during the pandemic.

Related News Coverage

Helpful resources and information

Resources

Support School of Nursing COVID-19 Efforts

The faculty and staff at the UW School of Nursing have been working to develop innovative solutions to the challenges proposed by the coronavirus pandemic. Most recently, we implemented three new clinical opportunities to allow our students to safely learn, meet curriculum requirements, and serve in a time when there is a very urgent public need for nursing skills. If you would like to support the School’s response to the coronavirus, there are two ways that you can do so:

COVID-19 Response Support

Nurses are on the frontlines of fighting this pandemic. From conducting research to participating in clinicals, our priority is the safety of our students and faculty. Please consider giving to our COVID-19 support fund, which will be used to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) to help them serve our community effectively and safely.

Make a Gift

Emergency Student Support

Many of our students are experiencing financial hardships as they continue with their studies. We invite you to make a gift to the Fathi Family Endowed Emergency Fund for Nursing Students. This fund was created in partnership with the Fathi Family to provide support to our students to continue their education.

Make a Gift