Is anyone thinking about the adults who work in and around schools?
NEA HIN is—and so are thousands of NEA nurses and school health professionals. Nurses and other school health professionals lead the way in educating colleagues and families about how vaccines make a major difference in eliminating infectious disease and saving lives.
Some might say that taking on such advocacy adds more work to an over-full plate. But a healthy school community is less work in the long run—and more successful—than an unhealthy one. Immunizations, such as those for influenza (flu) and tetanus can help keep students and staff in school.
Research has shown that that two major factors influence adults in making immunization decisions. These are:
- Trust in the provider of the information
- Convenient access to vaccines
School nurses and allied health professionals are trusted sources of health information. They are seen as the experts and are well prepared to help develop and deliver messages that move people towards vaccination and help to dispel myths and fears.
And as we saw in 2009, when H1N1 broke out, schools are an ideal location for the delivery of immunization. Since then, many school nurses and allied health professionals have worked together and with their community partners to deliver influenza and other immunizations in school settings.
NEA HIN supports NEA nurses, allied health professionals, and leaders, along with NEA partners to improve school community health by advocating for the importance of immunizations. As we come to the end of August and National Immunization Awareness Month, I encourage NEA school nurses and allied health professionals to learn more about being a vaccine advocate by reading our new publication, Advocacy for Vaccines.
NEA HIN will be collaborating with NEA health professionals as they continue the important work of improving our nation’s immunization rates among children and adults.
And we hope you will share your ideas and experiences about how to advocate for immunizations and better health. Share those at:
Thanks for all you do. And get ready for a healthy, safe, and successful school year!
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