With everything that happened in 2021, Rosalind and I were at a loss when trying to craft a Christmas letter. At one point in the letter she says, "As I sat down to write this letter, I spent more time staring at my keyboard than I did typing." I agree. I did the same. At least she actually banged out a rough draft, a place to start.
One thing that she left out of the letter was her future. She just didn't want to spend any energy on sharing that heartache. Would she be Rosalind White, LPN or Rosalind White, BSN-RN? This was unknown even as late as January 11, 2022, just one week ago. She is a senior nursing student at SWOSU, the number one nursing school in the state of Oklahoma. Her graduation date is May 2022. But would she be able to finish? Would she be able to finish without taking a Covid vaccination-- that was the question.
Our governor signed a piece of legislation in the summer that exempted all students from pre-K through higher education from masks and Covid vaccines, but he exempted the university medical students from this freedom. My girls work in hospitals. They can work in a hospital without a vaccination, but they cannot attend school and actually graduate, earning a degree to work in one without a vaccination. No logic. None.
In July after the first round of vaccination requirement emails were sent to nursing students from the nursing department, I contacted some of my friends and family who I knew would stand with us in prayer for this to resolve in a timely manner, making a path for her to graduate with her BSN. We didn't tell very many people and didn't talk about it freely. We were just mentally dealing with this ourselves, even mourning it to some degree. I cannot thank my praying friends enough.
Rosalind's professors encouraged her to enroll for the spring semester even though they couldn't give her any clear answers: not even any definite answers to what their actual policies are nor any promises that she would be able to finish unvaccinated. Sparing you all the boring (frustrating) details, the solution finally came. There are three senior nursing students out of about 60, who are refusing the vaccination. The school and the hospital (where clinicals are required), neither of them wanted to be liable for these students' exemptions. (The school wasn't requiring the shot so it wouldn't validate an exemption and the students aren't employees of the hospital so it wouldn't validate an exemption.) After much back and forth, these institutions came to an agreement in the form of a document that needed to be signed, but no one in the nursing department would sign it. Previously I had tried to reach out to my state representatives for help, to no avail. Thankfully, one of the other seniors lives in a different district in Oklahoma whose representative was 100% willing to engage and find answers. Praise the Lord! This legislator equipped the senior with all the specific information needed and then even which official to find at SWOSU who could sign this document. The students finally got the document signed.
What does this mean? At this point it means that they can attend all clinicals that are requirements for graduation. Rosalind White, BSN: May 2022. RN to follow after the boards are passed in June.
I cannot even explain to you the level of frustration felt at being at the mercy of someone else's fear. The thought of spending 7 semesters and not being able to finish the last semester was harrowing. All the time, the debt, the dreams... it was heavy. There wasn't an acceptable plan B. Even with God carrying the majority of the mess, it was still cumbersome at times. So, I say again, praise the Lord! And, a heartfelt thank you to praying friends who stood with us and helped carry this burden. You helped make this happen. And, for that, we are grateful.
