Addressing immunizations in nursing education: Immunization resources for undergraduate nursing.

Nursing faculty are challenged to integrate immunization content in prelicensure nursing curricula. Historically, most immunization content has been delivered in pediatrics courses, with less emphasis on other populations across the lifespan. Skills related to vaccine administration may be prioritized over the most current immunization science, such as pathophysiology, immunology, and epidemiology. As the most trusted profession rated by the public (Saad, 2020), nurses are ideally suited to address vaccine hesitancy and promote vaccination in the communities they serve. Nurses apply active listening, problem solving, and communication skills with patients and their families, contributing to a person's confidence in their decision to be vaccinated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Association for Prevention Teaching and Research collaborated to develop a framework for immunization content and teaching resources, Immunization Resources for Undergraduate Nursing (IRUN), for faculty to use in designing the nursing curricula. Content includes a curriculum framework, curriculum mapping tool, multiple teaching resources, and a dedicated website (IRUNursing.org). The framework provides guidance for faculty on integrating immunization content into a curriculum. Teaching resources include case studies, simulation scenarios, and PowerPoint slide decks. Although primarily focused on prelicensure nursing education, resources are also relevant to advanced professional nursing education.

Anthrax postexposure prophylaxis in postal workers, Connecticut, 2001.

After inhalational anthrax was diagnosed in a Connecticut woman on November 20, 2001, postexposure prophylaxis was recommended for postal workers at the regional mail facility serving the patient's area. Although environmental testing at the facility yielded negative results, subsequent testing confirmed the presence of Bacillus anthracis. We distributed questionnaires to 100 randomly selected postal workers within 20 days of initial prophylaxis. Ninety-four workers obtained antibiotics, 68 of whom started postexposure prophylaxis, and of these, 21 discontinued. Postal workers who never started or stopped taking prophylaxis cited as reasons disbelief regarding anthrax exposure, problems with adverse events, and initial reports of negative cultures. Postal workers with adverse events reported predominant symptoms of gastrointestinal distress and headache. The influence of these concerns on adherence suggests that communication about risks of acquiring anthrax, education about adverse events, and careful management of adverse events are essential elements in increasing adherence.