Nursing student gives COVID-19 vaccine to her professor mom

"It was very nerve-racking but also really exciting."

March 15, 2021, 4:04 AM

A Tennessee student has given the COVID-19 vaccine to her mother, who teaches at the same college where she studies nursing.

Dominique Brockman, 32, attends Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. She also works as a nursing tech at Saint Thomas Hospital.

On March 4, roughly one year after the start of the pandemic, Dominique administered the COVID-19 vaccine to her mom, Beatrix Brockman, who is a languages and literature professor at Austin Peay.

Dominique said her fellow nursing students have been giving doses at the vaccine site on campus. When she found out her mom was cleared to receive the vaccine, Dominique was approved to be the one to administer it.

PHOTO: On March 4, roughly one year after the start of the pandemic, Dominique Brockman administered the COVID-19 vaccine to her mom, Beatrix Brockman, who is a languages and literature professor at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee.
On March 4, roughly one year after the start of the pandemic, Dominique Brockman administered the COVID-19 vaccine to her mom, Beatrix Brockman, who is a languages and literature professor at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee.
Sean McCully/Austin Peay State University

"It was very nerve-racking but also really exciting," Dominique told "Good Morning America." "It was [my mom's] idea first. She though it was awesome."

Dominique, who was vaccinated in December, said she's given flu vaccines but this is the first time she's administered a COVID-19 vaccine.

PHOTO: Dominique Brockman, 32, attends Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. On March 4, roughly one year after the start of the pandemic, Dominique administered the COVID-19 vaccine to her mom, Beatrix Brockman.
Dominique Brockman, 32, attends Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. On March 4, roughly one year after the start of the pandemic, Dominique administered the COVID-19 vaccine to her mom, Beatrix Brockman, who is a languages and literature professor at Austin Peay.
Dominique Brockman

Dominique hopes to graduate in December. She's deciding between labor and delivery, critical care nursing or working in a fast-pace unit like the ER or ICU.

At the height of the pandemic, Dominique was working the front lines and dealing with patients fighting COVID-19.

"You think about them as patients and you're giving the best care you can, regardless of their diagnosis," she said.

PHOTO: Dominique Brockman, 32, attends Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. On March 4, roughly one year after the start of the pandemic, Dominique administered the COVID-19 vaccine to her mom, Beatrix Brockman.
Dominique Brockman, 32, attends Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. She also works as a nursing tech at Saint Thomas Hospital. On March 4, roughly one year after the start of the pandemic, Dominique administered the COVID-19 vaccine to her mom, Beatrix Brockman.
Sean McCully/Austin Peay State University

Beatrix, 58, said receiving the vaccine was "a chance of a lifetime."

"My husband is 81 years old so he needs to be protected from it and I also don't want to get it," the mother of two told "GMA." "Being vaccinated is enabling me to go from teaching online to hopefully teaching in person, in the fall."

Beatrix said her daughter is going to be the greatest nurse she could ever imagine.

"She followed her calling," she added.

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