Convincing staff the importance of getting their flu shot

[NurseNat]

I've heard all the excuses...

Please share with me how you have managed to persude your staff to get the flu shot. Unfortunately, it is the front line workers (RN's, Home Support Aides etc) that we have the hardest time convincing. The support staff and stenos are first in line

I seem to remember a study showing the increase in mortality/morbidity and transmission from unimmunized workers...ring any bells??

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

[Stillanurse]

If you learn of some way to convince others to get the shot I think you could become wealthy. We actually have staff at where I work take pride in never taking the flu shot. The only thing I can say is that YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

[sbic56, BSN, RN]

I never get the flu shot either. It would be interesting to see how many nurses opt out...

[MRhodes]

Couldn't post entire file. Please send e-mail address for entire file. Got flu shot acceptance up to 50% using these ideas.

[email protected]

Flu Vaccine and Infection Control Open House Themes

It's almost that time of year again. Flu vaccination time and Infection Control Week! Want to boost your rates and provide information at the same time? Put a little zing into your function? Below are listed some tried and true flu vaccination programs. Combine with your Flu Vaccine push with or as part of your Annual Open House or Infection Control Week celebration. An Infection Control/Employee Health Open House held in October provides a forum to promote effective measures to prevent or control the spread of infection and to raise awareness of the essential services provided by infection control and employee health and an opportunity to let the staff know what infection control and employee health do all year. Use the theme on your memos and flyers and to decorate the booth. The first step is to plan, plan, plan. Plan ahead for several years - this allows you to buy ahead and save.

Infection Control. Go for the Gold:

- Refreshments: Serve lemonade and yellow cookies (a sugar cookie recipe and add yellow food coloring) shaped in sports shapes.

- Activities: Focus on the Infection Control Program. Hand out lapel ribbons (knot these color of thin ribbons together and pin them on, hand out the "legend"). Gold stands for Asepsis, Green stands for Handwashing, Purple stands for Standard Precautions, Yellow stands for Employee Health and Red stands for Isolation. Hand out blue ribbons for the cleanest unit or department.

- Door Prize:As the door prize give away a year's seasons tickets to a local football team (try and get this donated) or a fitness basket (jump rope, weights, sweatband etc.).

- Theme: Use a sports theme. Good for an Olympics year.

- Displays:

- Using the sports theme, use a goal post and post the IC programs surveillance goals and where you are in reaching these goals.

- Packets: Go for the Gold packets containing gold coins and chocolate footballs, "flu fact" prevention tips, tissues, and a post-vaccination survey and VIS in a ziplock bag.