KEYWORDS:
Childhood Immunization, Partnerships, Onsite Processes

BACKGROUND:
When the state mandated Hepatitis B immunizations for all school children four years ago the Community Nursing Clinic, a Nurse Practitioner managed clinic at Waukesha County Technical College began to go to county schools to immunize children during School hours. The Clinic partners with the College’s nursing school. We connect nursing students, faculty, and Clinic staff for a vaccination program that now includes all childhood immunizations. We have witnessed an increase in compliance as the parents see we are willing to vaccinate students on their terms rather than on clinic terms.

OBJECTIVE:
Involve nursing students, faculty, and clinic staff to economically increase immunization rates in our county’s schools while creating a replicable model for mass immunization.

METHOD:
Vaccination rates as low as 75% are now 90% or higher. Gaps in services and funding overcome with long-term partnerships. Schools are so pleased with results that additional wellness initiatives have been requested.

RESULT:
A triangular method, utilizing Community Nursing Clinic, Nursing School, and School District to provide a cost effective, efficient, and timely method of vaccinating students by working together and bringing immunizations to them. We collaborated with the public health department to privatize this process, while utilizing the federal immunization program.

CONCLUSION:
Three separate entities came together and increased immunization rates in a timely, cost-efficient, manner. Bridging gaps in manpower and funding this collaboration has been a win-win situation for our schools, our county and potentially our nation as this model is replicable if a nationwide mass vaccination effort becomes needed.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Participants will understand how to form partnerships and become involved at the local levels, which will impact your community. We will elaborate on the inner workings of this model and identify ways it could be replicated in the participant’s community.