PROTECT YOUR PATIENTS. PROTECT YOURSELF.
A Special APIC Program for Infection Control Professionals
To Help Increase Health Care Worker* Influenza Immunization Rates
Greater emphasis needs to be placed on improving influenza
immunization rates among health care workers* to help ensure patient
safety and protection—especially for patients at increased risk
for influenza-related complications. Immunization also provides personal
protection for health care workers and minimizes workforce absenteeism
during the influenza season.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends all
health care workers receive an annual influenza immunization. Despite
these recommendations, vaccination rates among health care workers
remain low, with only 36 percent receiving immunization each year.
Health care workers infected with influenza can spread the virus to
patients in their care. In fact, research suggests health care workers
can be a key source of institutional outbreaks, contributing to
increased morbidity and mortality among vulnerable patients.
Health care facilities have an important role to play in maximizing
influenza vaccination rates in health care workers. Every facility
should consider developing and implementing comprehensive influenza
vaccination programs for employees. Infection control professionals can
play an integral role in improving health care worker influenza
vaccination rates, thereby reducing institutional influenza
outbreaks.
Protect Your Patients. Protect Yourself.
The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and
Epidemiology (APIC) encourages infection control specialists to use the
materials featured in the influenza immunization resource kit, called “Protect
Your Patients. Protect Yourself.”
This special resource kit is designed to help APIC members and
other infection control professionals develop and implement health care
worker influenza immunization programs in their institutions. The “Protect Your Patients. Protect
Yourself.” program supports the association’s
position encouraging infection control specialists to help champion
influenza immunization among this under-vaccinated population. The goals
of this program are to:
|
|
• |
|
Help hospitals and other health care facilities increase
immunization rates among health care workers and prevent potential
influenza outbreaks among patients in their care |
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
Provide APIC members with resources to help implement
recommendations issued by the CDC for health care workers to be
immunized annually against influenza |
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
Educate health care workers and institutional management about
the importance of preventing influenza transmission to patients and
fellow health care workers
|
|
|
|
"Protect Your Patients. Protect
Yourself."
Resource
Materials
Internet Resources and
Readings
|
|
|
|
* In the context of this initiative, the term “health
care worker” or “employee” extends to all personnel in
a health care setting who have contact with patients. This includes
physicians, nurses, physician assistants and other personnel in hospital
and outpatient settings, including emergency medical response workers;
nursing home and chronic care facility employees who have contact with
residents; employees of assisted living and other residences for persons
in high-risk groups; and persons who provide home health
care. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This program is made possible through an
unrestricted educational grant from Aventis Pasteur.
|
