Pascale Wortley, Immunization Services Division, National Immunization Program, CDC, 1600 Clifton Rd, Mailstop E-52, Atlanta, GA, USA, Karena F. Sapsis, National Immunization Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, NE, Mail Stop E-05, Atlanta, GA, USA, and James B. Bender, Center for Health Communication, Academy for Educational Development, 1825 Connecticut Ave, NW, Washington, DC, USA.
BACKGROUND:
CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends that all health care providers get vaccinated against influenza, yet only about 38% do. The primary reason influenza vaccination is recommended for health care workers is to reduce potential transmission to patients.
OBJECTIVE:
To learn about nurses' attitudes and beliefs about the influenza disease and vaccination, and to assess ways of increasing their vaccination coverage rate.
METHOD:
CDC conducted eight focus groups with Registered Nurses, four in Birmingham, Alabama and four in Detroit, Michigan, to learn more about their knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices surrounding influenza disease and vaccination. Focus groups were conducted with both vaccinated and unvaccinated nurses, using a structured moderator's guide, and a professional moderator.
RESULT:
>>Many nurses do not perceive they are at risk for influenza.
>>Nurses have a good deal of misinformation about influenza disease and about the vaccines, believing many of the same myths as members of the general public.
>>As in the general public, some nurses are adamant vaccine decliners.
>>Unvaccinated nurses were generally not aware that influenza vaccination is recommended for health care workers to protect patients, and while this information swayed some, it was not universally convincing.
>>Nurses report ease of access to the influenza vaccine at the workplaces as critical to their obtaining the influenza vaccine and that vaccination was generally promoted passively through flyers and posters.
CONCLUSION:
Nurses need more information about influenza disease and influenza vaccination, and materials need to focus on personal reasons nurses should get vaccinated, not just "protecting their patients". Findings are consistent with other studies indicating the importance of readily accessible influenza vaccine.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this session, participants will learn about:
Nurses' knowledge about influenza disease and vaccination
Nurses' two main barriers to getting vaccinated
Two messages that appear to be salient and persuasive to many nurses
Three channels for reaching nurses with information
See more of Adult Immunization Track Workshop: Influenza Vaccination of Health Care Providers
See more of The 39th National Immunization Conference (NIC)
Recorded presentation