COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic Experience: Reflections and Lessons Learned from a School of Pharmacy Perspective at a Health Sciences University
by Michael Keeney, BS, 2022 PharmD Candidate, Kristin Busse, PharmD, Lisa Henk, MS, Karen MacKinnon, BS, RPh, Ann B. Nattinger, MD, MPH
Introduction: The quick development cycle of COVID-19 vaccines led to the rapid implementation of workplace vaccine clinics with little guidance from experts on how to design and launch COVID-19 vaccine clinics.
Objectives: The primary objective of this project was to review strategies employed by the Medical College of Wisconsin’s (MCW) COVID-19 vaccination clinic to provide recommendations for guidance on future vaccination clinics.
Methods: MCW opened a workplace clinic for COVID-19 vaccination shortly after the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine received FDA Emergency Use Authorization on December 11, 2020. The clinic was led by faculty and staff from the School of Pharmacy and Office of Research. Few guidelines existed at the time to inform the design of the clinic. A team was assembled to implement the clinic, and tasks included patient outreach and scheduling, vaccinator and clinic workflow training, vaccine dose preparation, post-vaccination observation, and dose administration documentation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the clinic team leads to identify themes for improvement of the COVID-19 clinic. All volunteers were surveyed to provide input on the safety and efficiency of clinic.
Results: Common themes from team leaders include gratitude and burnout. Respondents contributed unique perspectives on areas of improvement. Most respondents to the all-volunteer survey found the clinic to be safe for patients and volunteers (94% and 93%, respectively). The clinic was perceived to be efficient, with 85% of respondents saying that patient workflow was very efficient. Literature was reviewed to identify best practice guidelines developed after the implementation of the MCW COVID-19 vaccination clinic.
Conclusion: Despite the theme of burnout, team leaders and volunteers reported gratitude for the opportunity to participate in a COVID-19 vaccination clinic. Given the quick development of COVID-19 vaccines and little guidance, experiences at our workplace clinic can be used to help frame future pandemic clinic responses.
Keywords: COVID-19 Vaccines, BNT162 Vaccine, Workflow, COVID-19, Pandemics, Wisconsin, Workplace, Vaccination, Surveys and Questionnaires, Documentation, Volunteers, Pharmacy, Burnout, Psychological, Faculty, Schools
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2022 March/April Table of Contents
Introduction: The quick development cycle of COVID-19 vaccines led to the rapid implementation of workplace vaccine clinics with little guidance from experts on how to design and launch COVID-19 vaccine clinics.
Objectives: The primary objective of this project was to review strategies employed by the Medical College of Wisconsin’s (MCW) COVID-19 vaccination clinic to provide recommendations for guidance on future vaccination clinics.
Methods: MCW opened a workplace clinic for COVID-19 vaccination shortly after the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine received FDA Emergency Use Authorization on December 11, 2020. The clinic was led by faculty and staff from the School of Pharmacy and Office of Research. Few guidelines existed at the time to inform the design of the clinic. A team was assembled to implement the clinic, and tasks included patient outreach and scheduling, vaccinator and clinic workflow training, vaccine dose preparation, post-vaccination observation, and dose administration documentation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the clinic team leads to identify themes for improvement of the COVID-19 clinic. All volunteers were surveyed to provide input on the safety and efficiency of clinic.
Results: Common themes from team leaders include gratitude and burnout. Respondents contributed unique perspectives on areas of improvement. Most respondents to the all-volunteer survey found the clinic to be safe for patients and volunteers (94% and 93%, respectively). The clinic was perceived to be efficient, with 85% of respondents saying that patient workflow was very efficient. Literature was reviewed to identify best practice guidelines developed after the implementation of the MCW COVID-19 vaccination clinic.
Conclusion: Despite the theme of burnout, team leaders and volunteers reported gratitude for the opportunity to participate in a COVID-19 vaccination clinic. Given the quick development of COVID-19 vaccines and little guidance, experiences at our workplace clinic can be used to help frame future pandemic clinic responses.
Keywords: COVID-19 Vaccines, BNT162 Vaccine, Workflow, COVID-19, Pandemics, Wisconsin, Workplace, Vaccination, Surveys and Questionnaires, Documentation, Volunteers, Pharmacy, Burnout, Psychological, Faculty, Schools
Download PDF
2022 March/April Table of Contents