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Summer 2021 CNSA - SACRAMENTO STATE CHAPTER VOLUME 38, ISSUE 4

Debunking COVID-19 Vaccine

Emily Chen (2nd Semester)
Class Representative II

Leeches In the
Hospital?
Page 3

S
ince its launch, there has been a lot of false information posted on Full Circle
social media and on the internet regarding COVID-19 vaccines, Page 4
which is causing some people to reject the shot. Here are some of the
“Is There Anything Else
1. “The vaccine was rushed and has not been tested properly.” You Need Before I Step
Out?”
Usually, a vaccine takes up to 5-15 years to develop due to its complexity. Page 5
Thus, having had the development of the COVID-19 vaccines approved for
use within a year, many have expressed their concerns and skepticism re- Almost There!
garding its safety. However, although the vaccines were made quickly, Page 6
none of the clinical trials were rushed and most importantly- safety was
not compromised. One of the main reasons the vaccine was developed 4th Semesters, It’s the
Homestretch!
readily is because there have already been decades of research regarding Page 8
coronaviruses prior to the outbreak. In fact, many scientists working on
other vaccinations refocused their attention entirely to solely develop the Campus Resources:
COVID-19 vaccines. The approval process, which would normally take Mental Health Matters
months, was also sped up to be completed in days. AMA member Peter Page 9
Hotez, MD, PhD says, “All that work we did over the last decade has laid
the groundwork for our current generation of COVID-19 vaccines,” adding Campus Resources:
Food Pantry and Pop
that “the vaccines for Operation Warp Speed build on our research, and
Up Pantry
my colleagues’ research over the last decade, showing how we can deliver Page 10
the spike protein—it’s a 10-year R&D program just like any other vac-
cine.” Although the time it took for development of the COVID-19 vaccines Announcements
seemed short, the research, efficacy of the vaccine and safety were not Page 11
compromised as the testing protocols remained.
 THE MONTHLY SHOT PAGE 2
(Continued from page 1)

2. “The vaccine can cause infertility.”

The Royal College of Midwives and Obstetricians and Gynaecologists have stated “claims of
any effect of COVID-19 vaccination on fertility are speculative and not supported by any da-
ta.” In fact, there is no biological plausible mechanism by which current vaccines would
cause any impact on a woman’s fertility.
3. “The vaccine can alter our DNA.”
The vaccines contain mRNA which instructs the cells in our body to make a protein
which triggers an immune response. This allows our body to build immunity against the
virus. It does not enter the nucleus, where our DNA is. In fact, our body gets rid of the
mRNA in a few days.
4. “I have had COVID-19, so I do not need to have the vaccination.”
As the virus is still new, there is no evidence showing how long our natural immunity may
last. It is still unpredictable as someone who had prior exposure may get infected again.
Not to mention, the level of immunity varies greatly between people who have been previ-
ously infected. In fact, just to be on the safer side, early evidence suggests that the vaccine
induces a better and longer term immunity compared to natural infection.
5. “I’m going to get the vaccine so I do not have to wear the mask and follow social
distancing rules after.”
Unfortunately, scientists do not know yet the impact on transmission. The safest option is
to still wear a mask and follow social distancing rules in public. However, for small groups
where everyone is vaccinated, it should be safe to do so (at our own risk). Large gatherings
are still not advised. It is important to keep in mind that no vaccine is 100% effective. Since
there is no guaranteed protection, we must con-
tinue to wear masks and follow social distancing
rules until we reach herd immunity- when the
majority of the population has been vaccinated.

Disclaimer: This is NOT medical advice and you

should consult your doctor for professional
guidance. The aim of this article is not to en-
dorse anyone to have the vaccine, but to en-
courage everyone to make a well-informed de-
cision with facts rather than believing what you
read/hear from the internet/social media or
others. Remember-this is solely for the benefit for yourself and your loved ones.
Sources: The BBC, Independent, Royal College of Midwives and Obstetricians and Gynaecologists,
MHRA, AMA
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Leeches in the Hospital?

Peter Hoang (1st semester)

What’s popping CNSA! Today I’m gonna learn y’all some leech therapy (also
called hirudotherapy) in the hospital setting. Reattachment operations such as
skin grafts and reconstructive plastic surgeries require microsurgical tech-
niques to reattach tiny blood vessels with tiny sutures and needles. On rare oc-
casions, the procedure may experience a complication called venous conges-
tion in which the tiny sutured veins are unable to carry blood back to the heart.
The blood pools in the veins and never gets reoxygenated and the accumulation
of carbon dioxide around the site can cause tissue death. This is where the bad
boy leech comes in.

Leeches secrete hirudin once

they are attached to the skin
which acts as an anticoagulant
and antiplatelet agent. Their spit
essentially prevents blood clots
and reduces the amount of con-
gested blood in the tissues so
that the tissues can get unimped-
ed blood flow. This way carbon
dioxide never builds up in the tis-
sues which allows for the blood vessels to heal and grow larger. Now you’re
probably asking, “Why not just use heparin or any other anticoagulant?” Well
that’s because the leeches are more precise when it comes to those tiny blood
vessels! Anyway, when they finish drinking your blood and get fat, they’re taken
off of the patient, anesthetized and disposed of as medical waste.

As a final note, I would like to finish by saying that we have leech farms that
breed leeches specifically for hospitals. These bad boys are sanitized for attach-
ment and are only used once before disposed of. Imagine getting someone
else’s used leech on your wound… gross!
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Full Circle
Calli Moore (2nd semester)

“ You walk on the floor, wide-eyed and terrified.

You stare through your face shield at the bustle before you.

The nurse you're assigned to introduces herself.

You tell her it’s your first day and she gives you a smile.

Today, you're a shadow, seen but not heard.

But you embark on a journey, to a future untold.

So embrace this moment, keeping it close.

The time will pass and your path will unfold.

The life of a student will come to an end.

And you'll be that nurse with a student in hand.

”
Many of us remember our first day of clinical and how intimidating it
can be. Walking into an unfamiliar territory, surrounded by new
equipment and supplies, can be overwhelming. You are not the only
one who feels this way. This part of the process is imperative in be-
ginning a new field of any kind. I encourage you to take a look behind
you and realize how far you have come since then. Whether you are
still in first semester or getting ready to graduate, your progress is
relative. The hours of studying, sleepless nights, early mornings, and
endless examinations all helped you get to where you are today. It is
important to remember that one day, our journey will come full circle
and we may be the ones looking back at a wide-eyed student who
feels overwhelmed, intimidated, and excited and will be reminded of
our first day. I hope my poem made you smile and remember to
thank yourself for all the hard work you have done.
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“Is There Anything Else You

Need Before I Step Out?”
Wilianne De Vera (3rd semester) - Mentorship Coordinator

That’s the phrase that’s been engraved in my head since the first se-
mester of nursing school--to always ask your patients if they need an-
ything else before you leave their room. I do that a lot in my clinical
rotations that I brought the habit home. The phrase is only meant to
ensure our patients are comfortable before we leave their room, but
lately it’s been making me have deep thoughts. In clinicals, I work
with all different types of
nurses. I’ve worked with ones
who play by the rules, ones
who play against the rules,
even ones where they forget
the rules completely. Every
time I meet a new type of
nurse I always wonder “Once
I graduate, what type of nurse
would I be?” Obvious answer would be a great nurse. The one who al-
ways knows what to do, knows how to communicate well to patients,
their families, and to coworkers, never makes a grave mistake. What
do I need to be a great nurse? To be honest, I'm not sure. I’m still in
school. Still learning, I’m still allowed to make mistakes without fear
of being fired from it. Being a student gives me that safety net. I have-
n’t walked out of the doors just yet. I feel like a patient right now. In
my own hospital room, hooked up with all types of IVs and needles
with huge amounts of textbook content being shot through my veins
that it makes my body ache. The school is my nurse and every time I
finish a semester, the school asks “Is there anything else you need be-
fore I step out?”
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Almost There!
Alice Hoang (4th semester) - Undergraduate Representative IV

Looking back at my first

semester, I can’t believe
how quickly time flew. It’s
exciting yet terrifying to
be so close to graduating! I
remember being incredi-
bly nervous during the
White Coat Ceremony at
the thought of starting
clinicals, and now that I
am in my preceptorship it
(Class of Spring 2021- Section 5 at White
still surprises me how Coat Ceremony)
much we have all grown
since our first semester. Nursing school has been one of the best yet
difficult experiences I’ve ever walked through, with piling up with
challenge after challenge in the past two years.
The first adversity is the stress of competing to get into one of the
best nursing schools in the area, no bias obviously! Then, after finally
being accepted, we were swamped with an overwhelming amount of
information and new skills to absorb which was no easy task. Then
another challenge emerged from the effects of COVID-19. Persevering
through a pandemic was a challenge like nothing I’ve seen before,
and it was the year of academic burnout for many students. Transi-
tioning into zoom classes has been difficult and it has immensely im-
pacted our nursing journey. From seeing our cohort in-person nearly
every day to staring at a computer screen for hours on end, it has
been an uphill struggle for motivation and positivity.
 THE MONTHLY SHOT PAGE 7
(Continued from page 6)

But even though we might’ve not had the nursing school experience
we expected, we were able to be a part of the battle against COVID-19!
Working in the school’s COVID Clinic has been an incredible oppor-
tunity that I didn’t expect to be given as a student. Even though online
schooling has been a continuous battle, we made it out victorious! No
matter how close or far you are from graduating, whether you are in
your first or fourth semester, nursing school will be over in the blink of
an eye. Surviving one difficult day after another might seem like an
endless journey but we are all almost there! And once we graduate, we
are going to be amazing nurses and I am very proud of all of us for sur-
viving nursing school through this pandemic!

(Class of Spring 2021 White Coat Ceremony)

THE MONTHLY SHOT PAGE 8

4th Semesters, You’ve Done Well!

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Resources

COUNSELING: CRISIS ASSISTANCE & RESOURCE

Student Health & Counseling Services EDUCATION SUPPORT (CARES):

https://www.csus.edu/student-life/health- https://www.csus.edu/student-affairs/crisis-
counseling/counseling/ assistance-resource-education-support/

We offer confidential individual and group coun- The Sacramento State CARES office provides sup-
seling. If you would like to explore whether coun- port to students who are in crisis or experiencing
seling is right for you, the first step is to call us unique challenges to their education. They address
during business hours. a variety of issues including, but not limited to:
Transportation Barriers, Mental Health and Well-
If you are experiencing an urgent matter, you can
ness, and Physical Health and Wellness.
drop in during our business hours.

Location: Student Health & Counseling Services Location: University Union, 1st Floor, Room 1260
at The WELL Contact: (916) 278-5138 or cares@csus.edu
Contact: (916) 278-6461 Hours: Mon - Fri, 8am – 5pm
Hours: Mon-Fri: 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
THE MONTHLY SHOT PAGE 10

Campus Resources—Food Pantry and Pop Up Pantry

ASI Food Pantry ASI Pop Up Pantry

Registration once every semester:

Fresh produce at no cost to Sac State
https://asi.csus.edu/asi-food-pantry
students in need
TUESDAYS: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm Dates: TBD
FRIDAYS: 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm Location: Residence Halls Parking Lot
Location: University Union, Room 1246
Drive up to receive your box of food!
Students are allowed to come once a week Walk-up station will also be available.
and take 1 bag of pre-bagged food.

For more information, visit ASI’s website https://asi.csus.edu/asi-food-pantry or Instagram @sacstateasi

Photo Credit: Andrea Price (Instagram @andrea.price.sac)

 THE MONTHLY SHOT PAGE 11

Learn more about

Men in Nursing at IMPORTANT
aamncsus.weebly.com UPCOMING DATES
& aamn.org
Events:

None! We’ll see you all soon in

Enjoy Your Break! September 2021 for the Fall
semester!
Thank you students and faculty for your hardwork
and flexibility in nursing school during a
pandemic!

Summer Semester Financial Help

See the April 2021 Monthly Issue if you need any Contact Info
financial help regarding the summer semester. California State University, Sacramento,
School of Nursing:
6000 J Street
View Past Monthly Shots Sacramento, CA 95819-6096
http://www.hhs.csus.edu/nrs
cnsaatcsusacramento.weebly.com/ Phone: (916) 278-6525
Fax: (916) 278-6311
the-monthly-shot-newsletter.html
Monthly Shot Editors:
Kyle Dela Vega
Email: csus.cnsa.monthlyshot@gmail.com
Write for the Monthly Shot!
Join CNSA: Each article is one CNSA event and is great for your Faculty Co-Advisors:
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