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COVID-19 Booster - NPX Newsletter Fall 2022
Can I Get My COVID-19 Booster Now?
By Brandon Christen, PharmD Candidate, Cedarville University 2023, September OPA APPE Student
As pharmacists, it is important for us to remember that the effort we put into each patient interaction can sometimes mean just as much, if not more, than the end result. The following patient care scenario occurred in August of this year at a vaccine clinic in an assisted-living facility. An older adult patient had come in for her fifth dose of COVID-19 vaccine, but did not have her vaccine card with her, and we did not have immediate access to a computer to view her vaccination history on the statewide immunization registry. To make matters worse, we did not have the information from her pre-registration paperwork. In lieu of any sources verifying her vaccine history, the pharmacist overseeing the clinic called several pharmacies where she had gotten her previous doses, which took nearly half an hour. It was evident that the patient was getting more and more exasperated with each phone call, claiming that the system was incredibly broken. While the pharmacist urged her to stay, the patient said that she would contact her pharmacy herself. She thanked the pharmacist for going “above and beyond” to help her get her vaccine, even if she was not able to actually administer it.
Thankfully, the patient’s efforts proved fruitful as she returned with the information that we needed nearing the end of the clinic. Her whole demeanor seemed to change as we got the vaccine ready for her. Despite having nearly packed up all the clinic materials, we were able to get the vaccine ready for her in less than five minutes. Being a relatively small woman, she requested that we try to be as careful as possible in order to avoid injection site pain. The administering student delivered the medication in the center of the deltoid, minimizing the impact. Afterwards, the patient kept repeating how it, “did not hurt at all,” and she seemed relieved that the ordeal was finally over. She thanked us for everything and left the clinic with a big smile on her face. This demonstrates that, even if unsuccessful at times initially, patients will appreciate the effort put into their care. It is important to remember that we need to put our best into every patient interaction, as the most difficult cases are often the ones that patients recall with the strongest emotions, whether they be positive or negative.
