Infection Prevention Manual

Influenza Vaccination Information for Health Care Workers Did You Know? CDC, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) recommend that all U.S. health care workers get vaccinated annually against influenza. Health care workers include (but are not limited to) physicians, nurses, nursing assistants, therapists, technicians, emergency medical service personnel, dental personnel, pharmacists, laboratory personnel, autopsy personnel, students and trainees, contractual staff not employed by the health-care facility, and persons (e.g., clerical, dietary, housekeeping, laundry, security, maintenance, administrative, billing, and volunteers) not directly involved in patient care but potentially exposed to infectious agents that can be transmitted to and from health care workers and patients. Why Get Vaccinated? Influenza (the flu) can be a serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. Anyone can get sick from the flu. You can get the flu from anyone, including patients and coworkers who are sick with the flu. If you get the flu, you can spread it to others even if you don’t feel sick. By getting vaccinated, you can help protect yourself, your family at home, and also your patients at work from getting the flu. What Does the Research Say? Health care workers who get vaccinated help to reduce the following: transmission of influenza staff illness and absenteeism influenza-related illness and death, especially among people at increased risk for severe influenza illness Higher vaccination levels among staff have been associated with a lower risk of nosocomial (hospital-acquired) influenza cases. Influenza outbreaks in hospitals and long-term care facilities have been attributed to low influenza vaccination coverage among health care workers in those facilities. Higher influenza vaccination levels among health care workers can reduce influenza-related illness, and even deaths, in settings like nursing homes. Your Agency Name (PN System)