Date of Award

2013

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Nursing (MAN)

Department

Nursing

First Advisor

Joyce P. Miller DNP,RN

Abstract

The seasonal influenza virus continues to have a significant impact on the health of hundreds of thousands of individuals in the United States each year, despite the availability of a vaccine shown to be effective at reducing both illness and death. All Health Care Workers (HCWs) at a large Midwestern medical center must make a choice whether to receive the yearly influenza vaccine or not, and approximately 5,000 HCWs chose to decline the vaccine in 20l2. Reasons given for these declinations included fears about vaccine safety and effectiveness, as well as misperceptions about vaccine side effects and the intended recipients. While Occupational Health Nurses (OHNs) offer the influenza vaccine to all HCWs, there is an identified need to provide fuither education about the vaccine and the important role it plays in the health promotion of HCWs to those who may choose to decline the vaccine. An educational module, based on Nola Pender's Health Promotion Model, and formatted as a video for HCWs to view before they are able to decline the influenza vaccine, is proposed in this project. This educational module would allow OHNs an opportunity to influence a positive change in HCWs' future decision making about receiving an influenza vacsination. If successful, the overall health of both the HCWs and the patients cared for in the medical center could be improved.

Identifier

SC 11.MAN.2013.Hogan.LA

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