COVID-19 Vaccinator
“I have been able to help educate my colleagues through presentations about the importance of making connections, especially with our Māori whānau. The first initial engagement is vital to help keep our whānau feeling calm and settled. ”
– Claire McLean, Vaccinator
About the Career
The regular Vaccination workforce includes general practitioners, nurses, and pharmacists.
A COVID-19 Vaccinator is a health workforce role working in a COVID-19 vaccination team. As at May 2022, in Aotearoa the Ministry of Health is growing its vaccinator workforce to help support the COVID-19 vaccine and other Immunisation programmes.
More vaccinators are needed within their regions to safely and effectively deliver the COVID-19 vaccination and immunisation programme.
As a COVID-19 Vaccinator you administer the COVID-19 vaccine under the supervision and direction of an experienced, qualified health professional in an approved vaccination site.
Qualities you need
- Good communication skills and ability to work as part of a team
- Able to demonstrate professional conduct, preserve client’s rights including confidentiality and promote mutual respect amongst colleagues
- Analytical and judgment skills
- Able to make decisions appropriate to role
- Planning and organisational skills
- Able to work flexibly and respond to changing demands in workload
Career Pathway
You may already be a healthcare assistant, kaiāwhina, kaiarahi, kaimanaaki or pharmacy technician. Or, you could be a healthcare professional trained in New Zealand, or overseas, but are not registered in New Zealand and don’t currently hold a practising certificate.
You would take part in thorough training and must pass theory and practical assessments to become a COVID-19 Vaccinator.
The Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC) provides a range of health professional education, including accredited education to become an authorised vaccinator.
Find out more about becoming a Covid-19 Vaccinator here: https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/pages/becoming-covid-19-vaccinator-02072021.pdf
Find out more about becoming a Provisional Vaccinator (2022) here: https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/preventative-health-wellness/immunisation/provisional-vaccinator-foundation-course-pvfc-close-31-december
Our Whānau Career Story
Claire McLean, Vaccinator
Where do I work and what do I do?
I currently work for Te Whatu Ora Taranaki (formerly Taranaki District Health Board). I am based in New Plymouth at the vaccination clinic on Powderham Street but also travel to other sites including Tui ora, Ngatiruanui GP Clinics and Ngaruahine Iwi provider. My role as a vaccinator includes working together alongside the Iwi providers and help find solutions during the isolation period. It’s all about working with the community to meet community needs.
I recently completed my authorisation vaccination certificate for all age groups – including vaccination of infants.
I am planning to work alongside our Iwi providers across the region and to target the outreach whānau working in community.
With the provision of vaccinations during Covid 19 I have been able to help educate my colleagues through presentations about the importance of making connections, especially with our Māori whānau. The first initial engagement is vital to help keep our whānau feeling calm and settled. Another one of my responsibilities is having an equity lens over current vaccination related policies and implementing equity language.
What was my career pathway to get where I am / and what led me to this?
I had wanted to be a nurse since I was 16 but I didn’t think I was clever enough!
I was dairy farming 25 years here in Taranaki and I knew that I wanted a change. I moved to Hastings and worked in a supermarket and I was getting paid peanuts. I wanted to get ahead, so I signed up for a Health Foundation Science course at EIT in Napier.
I did really well, and I had a great tutors and support people that actually made me aware of my ability to get there. So, then I signed up for a Bachelor of Nursing Degree. Being Māori and trying to study I had to work 10 times harder just to get over the line.
I was working full-time at a supermarket and parenting.
All the stress was in the first year. I got through the first semester, but I didn’t get through the second one. But I learnt that no matter what goes on in your life, don’t stop! Ask for help if you need it.
I found good support people – I was supported by staff that specialised in writing. My whānau supported me and I got mentored along the way by my bubbly determined English specialist tutor that wouldn’t let me put myself down – we had regular meetings and I found that helpful. She is still a close friend today.
I was the first in my whānau to get a degree. My aunts, uncles and siblings and especially my dad, mother and children were my greatest reason for pursuing my career. I just wanted to make my whānau proud of me for taking the courage to so something none of us have done before. They see everything I went through! And they keep me on track by just being there, always.
It was also encouraging for the young people in our whānau. Now I have a son at Auckland University and a niece training to be a Physical Education teacher.
“My why” for doing this job and making a difference for Māori
At the start looking ahead to the future I wanted to be secure for my children. I wanted to show them that no matter what you are going through you deserve the same opportunities as anyone else. As Māori we deserve the same opportunities but we have to work harder to get there. However, it has all been worth every part of my journey.
Along the way I experienced being bullied by some of the people that I had trusted– but I pushed through it.
Now when other Māori and Pacific people see a brown face – they light up! I encourage them to give it a try. I say “What if? Why Not!? Look I did it! It wasn’t easy – but don’t be scared of it! Once you qualify you can get a great job – there are so many opportunities – so make sure to get a good support network around you and go for it!”
