Immunization Compliance

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Hi everyone! This is my first year in school nursing. I am feeling very defeated with immunization compliance. I still have 35 non-compliant students. The due date for our immunization report is October 20th. I have done a call out in September. Sent a letter to the student's home. After that, I called each parent (if they didn't answer, I sent an e-mail). This week, I called the students in my office and gave them a copy of their record and told them which ones they need and when they need it by to stay enrolled in school. Is there anything else I can do? I feel like nothing is working. Thanks!!!

Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.

The McKinney-Vento act allows provisional enrollment in any state when a student is considered homeless. Provisional only means you have 30 days to find the record. In Texas, OP, the law is on your side. Students who are not compliant may be removed from campus until they are in compliance.

The guidance for hurricane-displaced kids is also here:

Texas School & Child-Care Facility Immunization Requirements

Good luck!

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You are doing what you can. Continue to call to remind parents and then exclude based on your state's laws. It is frustrating. I hate punishing kids for their parents' irresponsibility.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

Honestly it sounds like you have tried every thing short of sending a carrier pigeon to those parents. If you are a school that does exclusions then get your principal to make calls on the day you have decided is your exclusion date. I swear that is the only thing that will light a fire under some parents.

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We have an exclusion date of October 19th. I still have over 90. Sent email, sent letter. Next we have the principal send automated phone call to guardians stating their student will not be allowed in school on this date if the records have not been received.

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Specializes in Med-surg, school nursing..

I should clarify that I don't have any that are MISSING their record. Come week three of school I have the principal hounding and threatening exclusion if they choose not to listen to me.

My 11 are one's that are missing a shot, or had them too soon.

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Thank you so much for the replies! I talked to my principal and we have set an exclusion date. I just feel like 30 students is a lot to exclude. I am sure I will have some mad parents but I have notified them multiple times.

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Specializes in Med-surg, school nursing..
Thank you so much for the replies! I talked to my principal and we have set an exclusion date. I just feel like 30 students is a lot to exclude. I am sure I will have some mad parents but I have notified them multiple times.

I would call and email one last time making sure to include that if you do not receive a certificate or an appointment verification card by xxx then their child will be excluded UNEXCUSED (make sure to include that) from school and will not be allowed to return until the form is received.

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It's amazing how quickly they get that shot once the exclusion letter goes home. I also usually call first and put the blame on the state, "Oh, it's against state law for me to keep your little snowflake, I wish there was something I could do, but my hands are tied." Meanwhile I'm biting my tongue to not say you've had 6 months notice to get this shot!!

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It's definitely a process and I'm so jealous of those who have full compliance! This is my first year too and I didn't start working until the second week of school. Usually the nurses start the week before school to help with all of the last minute and first week of school enrollments (and I was surprised at how many don't enroll until the last minute or after school starts!) Usually the nurse hangs out with the registrar and checks for compliance and they don't process the enrollment if they aren't in compliance. This year, that didn't happen and the office staff didn't know how to check for compliance so if they presented a record of any kind, they enrolled them.

When I finally got everything entered, my list was over 100!! Thankfully, I was able to track a lot of records through our state and county databases and my first round of letters produced good results. I'm now down to only 11 that are missing a handful of shots and 3 that are up to date on their catch up schedules. My deadline to get records in to me is Tuesday and then I'm talking to the Principal about exclusion.

Glass half full me still thinks more will trickle in. My other big challenge is many of my families don't speak English so making calls means I have to find a translator to step away from their duties. It also helped me learn what all of the shots are called in Spanish when reading records :)

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Specializes in School Nursing, Home Health.

I put a due date for them in the letter I send home. If they don't have their shot by that date I don't let them come to school. I send an email out and CC my administration. Haven't had a problem so far.

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My exclusion day was today!!! I only need 5 more to be in compliance! I sent home 3 and 2 were absent so we will see. The exclusion date really did work! I am celebrating when I am compliant lol!

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