KEYWORD1:
Immunization, Nursing Practice, Professional Organization, Nurse Entrepreneur,
Foundation

BACKGROUND:
Nurses comprise the majority of attendees at the National Immunization Conference. NNINA, the National Network of Immunization Nurses and Associates, is a national professional organization for nurses and associates involved with immunizations. The range of nursing roles represented in the NNINA membership is wide and diverse, ranging from immunization clinical staff nurses to state nurse consultants, university professors, nurse entrepreneurs and many more.

OBJECTIVE:
To demonstrate how diversely nurses impact immunization practice. To describe how association through a national organization can provide a foundation for networking, support and advancement of the role of nurses in immunization services.

METHOD:
NNINA’s registration data was collated to develop a list of job titles, types of employing agency, and states of residence. Members were canvassed for position descriptions to provide more detail about their roles in immunization.

RESULT:
There are currently over 120 members of NNINA with 82 job titles. Types of agencies include Public Health Departments, military facilities, private pediatric practices, Indian reservations, non-profit organizations, coalitions, travel health agencies, government agencies and more. NNINA members are found in 33 states, Washington DC and The US Virgin Islands.

CONCLUSION:
Nurses are an integral part of the immunization world. From research to policy makers, vaccine providers to educators, all play vital, unique and innovative roles in immunization programs. NNINA supplies a foundation to bring nurses together from diverse immunization occupations across the country to provide advice, support, insight and coordination to its members.
LEARNINGOBJECTIVES:
1. Identify the many different roles nurses fill in immunization practice.
2. Recognize how a national organization such as NNINA can promote nursing practice and empower nurses to find new roles in meeting the challenges of immunization practice in our country today.