Spring 2022 Covid-19 Testing Site Manager

Julian A. Romero

Hahn School of Nursing, University of San Diego

Health Care Informatics Social Justice and Community Activism Project

Dr. Barbara Berkovich

5/15/2022
 Spring 2022 Covid-19 Testing Site Manager

Covid-19 reached peak levels throughout the United Sates during winter break from

December 2021 through January 2022 due to the Omicron variant. The Omicron variant of

Covid-19 spreads more easily than previous variants and can be spread from people who have

previously had Covid-19 or people who have been vaccinated (CDC, 2022).

Prior to the start of spring semester 2022, The University of San Diego’s Hahn School of

Nursing needed student volunteers to help manage and run the school’s Covid-19 testing site. I

was offered one of two positions to be the site manager for the school of nursing’s Covid-19

testing site.

Clinical students needed to be tested weekly or whenever they were due to go to an in-

person lab to help mitigate the spread of Covid-19. In addition, every student enrolled in the

Hahn School of nursing needed to be tested for Covid-19 even if they were not required to be on

campus for classes. Students were allowed back on campus a few weeks after the start of the

spring 2022 semester for in-person lectures once case trends slowed. Students were required to

submit for random testing if their name was selected for the week. This ensured that case trends

were continuing to fall, and it was safe for students to continue to attend in-person lectures.

Statement of Problem

With the start of a new semester the University of San Diego had to initiate a new Covid-

19 testing policy for the students in a short amount of time. The Hahn School of Nursing needed

to offer more testing due to the clinical nature of some of the programs. This required additional

testing capabilities unique to the school of nursing that offered more frequent testing and flexible

hours. Student volunteers from the health informatics program were needed to commit to a full

semester to be able to successfully run the school specific testing site.

Deliverables

A general conversation regarding the need for help to run the testing site was discussed

during a Zoom meeting with Kate Todaro and a few other faculty members from the school of

nursing. I was asked to be the site manager for the Covid-19 school of nursing and understood

that this would be a semester long commitment.

I created a shared Gsheet with the volunteers that included administrative tabs

highlighting essential contact information, availability of volunteers, weekly schedules, and an

hour tracker for students that needed to keep track of hours for their practicum credit. I would

meet with Kate Todaro and the other site manager to troubleshoot any issues and ensure that the

testing site was able to run as scheduled. I would set up the station in the mornings and ensure

that we had enough supplies ordered.

I managed 6 student volunteers ensuring that there was proper coverage throughout the

semester. If there was a student that could not work their shift, I would cover or find a

replacement. I spent 70 hours volunteering throughout the semester working early mornings

before my full-time job.

The university testing requirement as well as clinical testing requirements were no longer

required after spring break due to the steep decline in Covid-19 cases. The Covid-19 testing site

volunteer project was successful and efficient for the students. I gained experience in project

management, people management, and was able to implement everything in a short amount of

time.
 References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, March 29). Omicron Variant: What You

Need to Know. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved May 15, 2022,

from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/variants/omicron-variant.html