The Easy Button: Collaborating with Statewide Immunization Information Systems to Reduce the Stress of the ‘Back to School' Rush

Background:
Historically school nurses have been inundated with monitoring student immunization compliance to state requirements. Nurses typically rely on physicians' office staff to provide immunization information for students through mail or fax. This process creates delays in receiving immunization information resulting in missed school days.

Setting:
New Jersey's public schools

Population:
School nurses and students enrolled in New Jersey's public schools

Project Description:
In 2006, the New Jersey Immunization Information System (NJIIS) began an initiative to provide school nurses with access to and use of the NJIIS database to verify immunizations for school entrance requirements. In collaboration with the state's Department of Education, nurses in 20 public schools were selected to be trained and provided with read/write access to the NJIIS. This session will outline the success of the collaboration; demonstrate the benefits and use of IIS as a tool; and provide insight into how barriers were reduced for school nurses to gain access to the NJIIS.

Results/Lessons Learned:
Findings indicate that school nurse collaboration with the NJIIS can greatly reduce time, consolidate student's immunization history, and provide real-time access to student's immunization information. Nurses are able to search the NJIIS for immunization information and have immediate access to the child's immunization history. More than 1,400 of New Jersey‘s school nurses have accessed the NJIIS and this has improved their efficiency in monitoring student's immunization status. To date, over 87,500 immunization doses have been added to the NJIIS by school nurses, resulting in more students becoming up to date in their immunizations.