+ Preventing Influenza: Should Vaccinations Be Mandatory for
hospital personnel? By: Denise Montero and Kristen Kubik
Slide 3
+ Influenza A contagious respiratory infection Symptoms: fever,
cough, muscle and body aches, headaches, fatigue, and sore throat
Patients most at risk are the elderly and young children Spread
through droplets CDC, ACIP and HICPAC recommend all healthcare
workers to be vaccinated each season
Slide 4
+ Influenza Vaccine Pros: Most effective way to prevent the flu
Up to 25% of staff can spread the flu without displaying symptoms
Vaccinated staff decrease patient mortality by 40%, risk of
nosocomial infections by 43% and absenteeism by 20-30% Increases
mass immunity Fiduciary responsibility (John Hopkins, 2015) Cons:
Staff can have adverse reactions Violation of personal liberty
Weakens our immune system Toxic ingredients Strains can be
inaccurate
Slide 5
+ Assessment of the Healthcare Environment Financial
Implications: National burden of $83.3 billion Direct medical costs
for adults $8.7 billion Influenza-attributable illness causing $4.5
billion Indirect costs of 6.2 billion 17 million workdays are
lost
Slide 6
+ Assessment of the Healthcare Environment Policies Mandatory
influenza vaccinations Events on facility resources Employee
resistance
Slide 7
+ Assessment of the Healthcare Environment Latest Analysis
There was an increase in healthcare facility mandating of the
vaccine Mandatory flu vaccinations of healthcare workers was tied
into Obama Care If facilities did not vaccine a certain percentage
it jeopardized their government reimbursement Mandatory vaccines
caused loss of jobs However, after the increase in mandating it is
found the benefit is not as strong as thought Evidence-based public
health practice shows no evidence that mandatory flu vaccines are
beneficial to preventing the spread (CDC Study, 2015).
Slide 8
+ Assessment of the Healthcare Environment Root Cause Analysis:
Why is the influenza vaccine becoming mandatory? Why are we only at
45% vaccination rate? Why do nurses have these perceived barriers?
Why are there adverse affects? Why is there minimal testing?
Slide 9
+ Healthcare Worker Influenza Immunization: Mandates, Benefits,
Concerns: Mandates Preventing spread of influenza to patients
Worker absenteeism during busy influenza season Modeling preventive
health behaviors to patients (CDC, 2012)
Slide 10
+ Healthcare Worker Influenza Immunization: Mandates, Benefits,
Concerns: Benefits The seasonal flu vaccine protects against the
most common strains It causes antibodies to form about two weeks
post-shot Enhanced patient safety
Slide 11
+ Healthcare Worker Influenza Immunization: Mandates, Benefits,
Concerns: Concerns Lost of jobs Risk of Guillain-Barre Syndrome Not
very effective in flu prevention No long-term safety
testing-experimental vaccine No studies regarding giving a person
the same shot every year Billions of dollars spent of a vaccine
that might or might not work Violation of HIPPA privacy law
Slide 12
+ CDC Recommendations Annual flu vaccine for everyone 6 months
or older Take everyday prevention against germs Cover your nose and
mouth with a tissue during a cough or sneeze Wipe down work
stations and phones with disinfectants wipes Avoid touching your
eyes, nose and mouth Maintain standard precautions If you are
displaying flu like symptoms (especially a fever) stay home Take
medications as prescribed by your doctor
Slide 13
+ Conclusion Influenza (the flu) can be a serious disease that
can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. Anyone can
get very ill from the flu, including people who are otherwise
healthy. You can get the flu from patients and coworkers who are
sick with the illness. If you get the flu, you can spread it to
others, even if you dont feel sick. By getting vaccinated, you help
protect yourself, your family at home, and your patients (CDC,
2014).
Slide 14
+ References CDC. (2013). Workplace health promotion. Centers
for Disease Control. Retrieved from:
http://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/evaluation/t
opics/immunization.html CDC. (2014). Influenza information for
health care workers. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/HealthcareWorkers.htm\
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Influenza vaccination
coverage among health-care personnel -- 2011- 12 season, United
States. MMWR. 61(38);753-757
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6138a1.
htm?s_cid=mm6138a1_w
Slide 15
+ References Health Impact News. (2015). CDC study: Mandatory
flu vaccinations of health care workers offer no protection to
patients. Health Impact News. Retrieved from:
http://healthimpactnews.com/2013/cdc-study-mandatory-flu-
vaccinations-of-health-care-workers-offer-no-protection-to-
patients/ Johns Hopkins (2015). Frequently asked questions:
Mandatory flu vaccine. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved from:
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/mandatory_flu_vaccination/fa q.html
Zimmerman RK, Lin CJ, Raymund M, Bialor J, Sweeney PM, Nowalk MP.
Hospital policies, state laws, and healthcare worker influenza
vaccination rates. ICHE. 34;8:854-7.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/671265
