Resource Materials APIC’s "Protect Your Patients. Protect Yourself." program features a variety of helpful resource materials infection control specialists can use to encourage health care institutions to implement or expand their health care worker immunization programs. Materials in this kit range from suggested approaches for proposing in-house immunization programs to institutional management to sample communications tools, designed to help institutions reach health care workers with information about the importance of annual influenza immunization and to promote in-house influenza immunization programs sponsored by employers. Click on the following links to view the tools in this kit: Presentation to Management Best Practice Models Influenza Immunization Program Checklist Sample Employee Education Materials APIC Position Statement on Influenza Vaccination Template Influenza Vaccination Policy Presentation to Management This “Protect Your Patients. Protect Yourself.” PowerPoint presentation provides the medical and economic rationale for programs to immunize health care workers. The content also features suggested talking points to help infection control specialists persuade management and other decision-makers to take a strong position in support of employee influenza immunization. Tip: Team up with key stakeholders (e.g., employee health, pharmacy, infection control) and plan to convene a multi-disciplinary team to participate in the presentation to management, to show the importance of the program to all departments. "Protect Your Patients. Protect Yourself.” PowerPoint Presentation Back to Top Best Practice Models Featured are examples of successful influenza immunization programs for health care workers that have been implemented by APIC members. These best practice models describe the strategies used by select institutions that produce employee immunization rates of 80 percent or higher.  Tip: The case studies offer strategies to encourage employees to get immunized; these can be incorporated into your program. Case Study #1 Case Study #2 Back to Top Influenza Immunization Program Checklist The checklist provides detailed, month-by-month instructions for infection control professionals to use in planning, implementing and promoting an influenza immunization program for employees. Tip: Use the checklist when you meet with your influenza immunization program team to guide your discussion. Influenza Immunization Program Checklist Back to Top Sample Employee Education Materials These sample communications materials can be tailored for use during employee influenza vaccination programs. Use the template materials to educate employees about the dangers of influenza transmission and the importance of annual vaccination. Tip: Educate early and re-educate often. Tip: Try to use the term “influenza” consistently in your materials (instead of “flu”) to help keep the focus on a serious, life-threatening respiratory illness. Employee newsletter articles – Communicate the importance of annual influenza immunization to employees and raise awareness about influenza in employee newsletters. Featured are a series of sample articles that can be used before influenza season and to promote institutional immunization programs. Tip: Consider writing additional articles on influenza for your employee newsletter, including a mid-season update about employee immunization rates. Newsletter #1 - New Employee Influenza Immunization Initiative Newsletter #2 - Influenza Season is Coming... Are You Prepared? Newsletter #3 - Get Vaccinated: Free Influenza Immunization Offered to Employees Employee e-mail messages – Use to forward employee e-mail message from the CEO, hospital administration or other key management staff to emphasize the importance of the employee influenza immunization program. The messages correspond to the newsletter articles, alerting employees to the importance and availability of influenza immunization. Tip: Ensure these messages will come from the management’s e-mail address (CEO, President, etc.) and do not appear to be from an administrative assistant or other e-mail address. This underscores the top management's commitment and directive for influenza immunization. Tip: Send the messages the same weeks the newsletter articles are published to strengthen your facility’s position on employee influenza immunization. Email #1 - Message from CEO to Encourage Immunization Email #2 - One Month Before Clinics Email #3 - Announcing Influenza Clinic Dates and Times Flyer – Use this informational flyer that can be customized to promote in-house employee influenza vaccination clinics. APIC Flyer Tip: Give the flyer to each department manager for posting. Also post flyers by the break rooms and time clock, and in the cafeteria, employee restrooms, staff lounges and other high-traffic areas. Consider distributing the flyers with employee paychecks. Artwork for materials – Jazz up your materials with the artwork provided to help attract attention to your immunization program. Feel free to download, copy and use the APIC logo designed for this initiative, “Protect Your Patients. Protect Yourself.” for your promotional materials. Tip: Use the artwork to give last year’s materials a fresh look. Toolkit Logo Back to Top APIC Position Statement on Influenza Vaccination APIC has issued a position statement on influenza immunization of health care workers that is consistent with CDC recommendations. This statement underscores APIC’s commitment to increasing immunization rates for health care workers and encourages organizations to develop or maximize their own policies and programs. Tip: Refer to the APIC position statement when you meet with institutional management to emphasize the importance of employee influenza immunization programs and policies. APIC Position Statement Back to Top Template Influenza Vaccination Policy Statement This sample immunization policy statement can be adapted to help institutions take an assertive stance on influenza vaccination for health care workers.  Tip: Use this sample policy statement to strengthen or support your institution’s influenza immunization position, or as a basis to suggest one to hospital management. Template Influenza Vaccination Policy Statement Back to Top