Background: When the first coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines received emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in December 2020, distribution of the vaccine began within 24 hours.
Method: Nursing faculty leveraged a long-standing practice partnership with the academic health center (AHC) to lead an innovative effort mobilizing nursing and interprofessional student volunteers to support the COVID-19 mass vaccination program for AHC frontline health care staff, patients, and community members.
Results: Student vaccinators administered 98,000 vaccinations and contributed a significant service to the university health system by supporting the swift rollout of the vaccine program. The total number of volunteer vaccinator hours (11,820) resulted in an approximate cost savings of $768,300 to the AHC.
Conclusion: During a global health crisis, nursing students and faculty demonstrated a strong commitment to the academic-practice partnership and improved access to COVID-19 vaccinations for residents of the health system's underserved communities. [J Nurs Educ. 2022;61(6):308-313.].