81 year-old retired Brigadier General Clara Adams-Ender, the 18th Chief of the U.S. Army Nurse Corps, serves on the frontline in Manassas, Virginia, the place she is working to make a distinction in individuals’s lives by administering COVID-19 vaccines and sharing her 60-plus years of expertise as a nurse, chief, {and professional}. (U.S. Army Photo by Otis Toussaint, MEDCOM/OTSG)
VIEW ORIGINAL
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (May 10, 2021) – At 81 years of age, retired Brigadier General Clara Adams-Ender, the 18th Chief of the U.S. Army Nurse Corps, has volunteered to fight COVID-19 by vaccinating her group, bringing people one step nearer to normalcy. She serves on the frontline at PediatricCare Northern Virginia, Manassas, Virginia. She is placing her 60-plus years of expertise as a nurse, chief, {and professional} to work to make a distinction in individuals’s lives.
When Adams-Ender was on the Board of Medicine within the Richmond, Virginia, space, she and her friends mentioned with the Medical Reserve Corps of Virginia the necessity for a reserve of healthcare professionals consisting of physicians, nurses, dieticians, and different healthcare professions keen to offer their time and abilities throughout an emergency scenario. The pandemic supplied the chance to make this imaginative and prescient a actuality.
One of the primary steps was to cross all the right protocols and comply with the steps to incorporate that licenses had been present.
Adams-Ender defined that she believes within the science behind creating a vaccine to handle this virus. She has met and communicated with scientists at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, Maryland, about management research on the vaccine and whether or not individuals of colour and “seasoned” adults like herself had been a part of their management teams.
People of colour usually have reservations about taking the vaccine, she stated. So, she has shared details about the research with individuals of colour, older adults, and individuals who have questions.
Adams-Ender obtained the Pfizer vaccine however is additionally educated about Moderna and J & J (Janssen) vaccines and is assured that they’re protected and efficient. When it was her flip to get the vaccine, she said that she gladly rolled up her sleeve, particularly given the tens of millions of people have succumbed to the virus.
She said that this communicable illness is her precedence and she or he hopes that it is everybody’s precedence as everybody needs to get out of the home, see household and pals, and get again to consuming out, touring, and doing pleasant actions.
Adams-Ender has had many conversations with household, pals, and people concerning the significance of getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Her ardour for serving others is all a part of her outgoing character, her love for speaking to individuals, and her concern for others, as evidenced via training.
She defined that an essential job as a nurse is to coach. While on energetic responsibility, she instituted methods to recruit and retain army nurses via packages such because the Army Nurse Candidate Program, the Accession Bonus Program, and the introduction of incentive pay to handle the critically low numbers of licensed registered nurse anesthetists. She additionally developed the AMEDD Enlisted Commissioning Program and expanded Reserve Officers’ Training Corps scholarships.
She additionally established a nursing management mentoring program referred to as “Chief Nurse for a Day” the place senior nurse leaders took over as Chief Nurse and had been required to debate and share their experiences with nursing leaders. Adams-Ender stated, It was a extremely profitable program and lots of the leaders went on to be chief nurses within the Army or VPs of nursing within the civilian sector.
“I’m most happy with my position as a nurse mentor,” she stated.
In addition, Adams-Ender staunchly defended the notion of the baccalaureate diploma because the minimal entry customary for Army nurses. She testified yearly earlier than Congress, positioned Army Nurse Corps fellows in varied Congressional workplaces, and supported the creation of progressive organizational configurations to boost hospitals’ effectivity and high quality of care.
She famous that, since January 2021, about 40% of Americans have been vaccinated. Each day we get one step nearer to herd immunity. She believes that we have to get to 80% as a result of requirements might be relaxed for big gatherings, masks, and staying 6- ft aside.
Adams-Ender recommends that any people on the lookout for correct info on COVID-19 and the vaccines use the CDC, public well being, and native well being division web sites. These web sites share many incessantly requested inquiries to fight mis- and dis-information.
She additionally highlighted the significance of our service members getting the vaccine because it is essential to be prepared for deployment at any time. She additionally inspired different medical professionals to volunteer as a way to give again whereas shedding the “COVID kilos” by turning into extra energetic.
Adams-Ender is completely happy to be a part of ensuring our nation is capable of transfer ahead by utilizing her 60 years of nursing expertise. To take care of well being care on this nation right now and stamp out the virus, individuals should get vaccinated.
