Sanford Health News asked nurses to share their experiences with COVID-19 patients and their reasoning for getting vaccinated. These are Amanda’s words.
I grew up in a family that had several members of my family that also went into health care. So from a young age, I knew that health care was something I was interested in because that was something I was exposed to.
To be able to help where the help is needed — that’s a good feeling to be able to do that.
We may have one week where we’re in the clinic one day and then we’re vaccinating another day, and then we’re helping out on the hospital another day. To have that flexibility and be able to go where the need is, I feel grateful that I’m able to help.
You know, I’m a mother. I have three little kids. They’re not eligible for the vaccine. I want to do my part to protect them. So if that means me getting the vaccines so that they don’t, in turn, get the illness because I bring it home, then I want to do that too.
I had an opportunity to help at the flu and COVID vaccine blitz at the Fargodome the other weekend. I approached a vehicle afterwards and this young girl opened her door and she had tears in her eyes. (She said) her parents are not supportive of the COVID vaccine. So they weren’t getting her vaccinated. She was waiting for the day (when) she was old enough to get the vaccine without needing her parents’ consent.
And she continued to tell me with tears in her eyes, she said, “I’m afraid of COVID. I don’t want COVID. I don’t want to get sick. I don’t want to possibly die from COVID. And I know my family doesn’t want to get the vaccine, but I know that this is the right thing to do.” I just thought she was such an amazing young woman.
I thanked her for her bravery. I thanked her for doing what she felt was the right thing — for herself, for her family and for her community. It was one more person that we were reaching that day, who may not have otherwise been able to get the vaccine.
We’ve all been affected. And so to just be able to put this behind us, I think we can all agree is something we want to do. Vaccines (are) one of the ways we can do that.
Learn more
- Schedule your COVID-19 vaccine at Sanford Health
- COVID-19 diary from a critical care nurse
- COVID-19 FAQs: Variants, vaccines and long-term effects
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Posted In COVID-19, Fargo, Immunizations, Nursing and Nursing Support, Sanford Stories
