Registered Nurses and Influenza Vaccination: Changing Mindsets and Improving Compliance to Foster Global Health

Mullaney, Susan M.

Saturday, 29 October 2011: 3:35 PM

Susan M. Mullaney, EdD, MS, RN, CNE
Department of Nursing, Framingham State University, Framingham, MA
Coleen E. Toronto, MSN, RN
William F. Connell School of Nursing, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA

Learning Objective 1: Identify at least two of the key barriers to accepting personal influenza vaccination as perceived by registered nurses worldwide.

Learning Objective 2: Recommend personal behavior changes for both colleagues and clients through evidence-based educational strategies to ensure the achievement of more effective influenza vaccination campaigns.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommend that all healthcare workers (HCW) receive influenza vaccination annually and consider it the most effective method for preventing influenza infection and its complications (CDC, 2010). Influenza causes about 226,000 hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths in the United States each year (CDC). However, 60% of registered nurses do not comply with these recommended vaccination guidelines (CDC, 2006), and it is disturbing that vaccination rates are lower among registered nurses than other types of HCW (Ofstead, Tucker, Beebe, & Poland, 2008).

An integrative review encompassing international research was conducted to explore factors that influence nurses’ decisions to receive or decline influenza vaccination. The Health Belief Model provided the framework for analyzing and reporting the results. Findings indicated that concerns about the vaccine’s safety and efficacy are major barriers and that a lack of understanding of the vaccine’s role in high-risk patient protection exists. Recommendations to improve vaccination rates include rigorous education specific to nursing personnel on vaccine efficacy and safety in addition to safeguarding patients.

This proposed presentation will (a) overview the research, emphasizing patient safety implications and factors that contribute to the professional and personal influenza vaccination practices of registered nurses; (b) recommend strategies to improve vaccination rates among nurses; and (c) discuss implications for registered nurses, in particular occupational, public, and school health nurses.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2010). Key Facts about Seasonal Flu Vaccine. Retrieved from http://www.flu.gov/individualfamily/vaccination/index.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2006). Influenza: Self-reported vaccination coverage trends 1989-2006. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/vaccination/pdf/vaccinetrend.pdf

Ofstead, C. L., Tucker, S. J., Beebe, T. J., & Poland, G. A. (2008). Influenza vaccination among registered nurses: Information receipt, knowledge, and decision-making at an institution with a multifaceted educational program. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, 29(2), 99-106.

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