As she works to become a nurse, Arizona woman gets chance to help others during pandemic

A Valley woman is getting the chance to do something she first started a quarter of a century ago: Becoming a nurse.

Jill Fagan Alexander has dreamed of becoming a nurse ever since she was 14 years old.

"I went to nursing school about 25 years ago, and then, life happened and I quit for a long time, and I was a mom for about 20 years," said Jill.

Now that her kids are raised, Jill decided to take the plunge and go back to school, right in the middle of a global pandemic.

"It’s really changed my experience of what I thought nursing school would be, but it has also provided a lot of great opportunities," said Jill.

For Jill, those opportunities include administering COVID-19 vaccines to those who need them most at a Dignity Health distribution site in Chandler.

"We either are in the tents helping vaccinate, or we are in the POD, helping people assessing any reactions that they might have," said Jill.

Jill is working alongside fellow nursing student Naomi Aklin.

"Really interesting experience going to nursing school during a pandemic, only because I am working in COVID units at the same time, then I get to come here and being able to give the COVID vaccines and seeing the other side of it," said Aklin.

Both Jill and Aklin say they’re grateful to be here during this turning point in the pandemic.

"It’s really rewarding to see that people are getting the vaccine that they need, and we are getting the learning and the education that we really would like to have," said Jill.