Fact Sheet: Immunization Program Considerations

Because they’re regularly exposed to patients and/or infectious materials, healthcare personnel (HCP)* are considered to be at substantial risk for acquiring or transmitting a number of vaccine-preventable infectious diseases. To avoid the spread of disease and protect both HCP and patients, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) encourage healthcare facilities to implement immunization programs.

Vaccination Program Best Practices

• Review immunization records and immunity status at the time of hire and on a regular basis.
• Maintain secure and easily retrievable vaccination records for HCP.
  
  • Records should reflect immunity status (documented history of disease; vaccination history; serology/laboratory results) for indicated vaccine-preventable diseases, as well as vaccinations administered during employment and any documented episodes of adverse events after vaccination.
  • For each vaccine, the record should include:
    
    • Date of vaccine administration
    • Vaccine manufacturer and lot number
    • Edition, language and distribution date of the Vaccine Information Sheet (VIS) provided to the vaccinee at the time of vaccination
    • Name, address and title of the person administering the vaccine

Recommended Vaccinations

• Hepatitis B
• Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
• Varicella (Chicken Pox)
• Influenza
• Pertussis (often combined with Tetanus and Diphtheria, called Tdap)
• Pneumococcal (Pneumonia) for certain at-risk HCP

Vaccinations the CDC suggests should be “considered in certain circumstances,” yet do not fall into the same category as those “recommended” above, are:

For more information about disease-specific risk factors and vaccine recommendations, you can view the full CDC report.

* The CDC and ACIP define HCP as: “All paid an unpaid persons working in health-care settings who have the potential for exposure to patients and/or infectious materials including body substances, contamination medical supplies and equipment, contaminated environmental surfaces, or contaminated air.   HCP might 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 healthcare 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 HCP and patients.”                       

Disclaimer: The material contained herein offers best practices with respect to immunization and cannot be considered medical advice.

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