Each year the month of August is dedicated to a national effort to increase awareness around immunizations. The National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) movement works with public health officials, healthcare systems, clinicians, and patient advocates to provide education about immunizations. Clinicians play a significant role in this process. They are ultimately in front of patients and can provide them with education and facts about getting immunized. Clinicians are also patients; getting immunized may be required to perform their job and protect patients. Each hospital system and its local, state, and federal government requirements may determine who must be immunized against which viruses. You may be asked to receive a few vaccines to comply with an assigned position. Here is some background information before starting any new assignment.

The History of Immunizations

Viruses have been the cause of countless deaths over the course of time. This tiny little organism’s primary purpose is to replicate itself and find as many hosts as possible to survive. When there is an outbreak of some kind, like in the most recent pandemic, people die in large numbers. Historically, clinicians had no defense to offer patients other than cleanliness. They were left at the mercy of these viruses and the havoc they caused to people. The first person to give any hope to those who lived in constant fear of contracting a disease was Dr. Edward Jenner.  He expanded on a practice used for centuries before him and ultimately formally discovered a vaccine for smallpox in 1796.  From that point forward in time, vaccines have continued to evolve. Humans finally had a way to defend themselves against these unseen perpetrators. Through the ongoing efforts of researchers and clinicians, many of the deadliest diseases have been eradicated. 

Immunizations Around the World

Over the past few decades, there have been a few global virus concerns. You may remember the Swine Flu scare in 2009 or the SARS outbreak in 2003. Both raised concern for the World Health Organization as possible pandemic causing viruses. The role of the World Health Organization (WHO) is to monitor these sorts of threats and help countries develop a plan of attack. This plan often brings together top researchers from around the world. They work collaboratively to develop treatments and vaccines to decrease the impact of the virus. Think about how many people are on the ground constantly looking for potential threats. It is like a war plan against an enemy you cannot see with the naked eye. While the WHO plays a significant part in immunizations, the ultimate implementation happens at each country’s government level.

Government Immunization Requirements Today

Regulations for immunization can vary within the United States. We have federal mandates that are universal across all states. We also have laws that occur at the state or even local levels. Most of these regulations are for children 0-18 years old. However, there can also be regulations for adults when needed, like the recent COVID-19 vaccine. Clinicians are often on the front line of maintaining these regulations. Pediatricians and pediatric nurses must know the vaccine schedule for school-aged children. The vaccine schedule has evolved since some schools required to be vaccinated as early as 1850. Implementing Electronic Health Records has made this more accessible, but clinical judgment is still needed. People immigrate from other countries that don’t follow the same guidelines. Children fall behind schedule due to illness or family life changes. Clinicians are trained to review each patient’s immunization status and develop a catch-up plan if needed.

Health Care System Requirements

Beyond government requirements, it is common for individual health systems to have their own set of rules. No government law requires citizens to have the COVID-19 or flu vaccine. However, hospitals or physician practices may require employees to have these vaccines. When you begin working with a new facility, verify any immunization requirements they may have. This will allow you to schedule any missing vaccines or review any waivers if you cannot get vaccinated due to medical or religious reasons. Here are some common vaccines required by healthcare systems.

Future Vaccines

The development of vaccines is rapidly progressing. Only a few decades ago, children were home with chickenpox. Today, kids receive the Varicella vaccine and never experience that terribly itching sensation. They also won’t be exposed to Shingles as they get older. Scientists, researchers, and clinicians work together to keep people healthy. Larger government bodies will monitor these findings and publish recommendations. It then becomes the responsibility of all clinicians to know what these changes are. Exam room discussions about immunizations will constantly change. Each year, a new immunization schedule will be released by the CDC. Software vendors will scramble to get updates into their computer systems, and clinicians will make printed sheets for their patients. Nursing staff must be educated on the vaccine’s nuances before injecting the first patient.

If you are working in healthcare, vaccines will be a common topic with patients and among staff. TREK Healthcare Staffing can help you understand any immunization requirements for your position. Contact us today if you have questions.