Loretta Newsom, RN, MSN, NCSN
DSNA President
The fall of 2009 will always be remembered as the year that the H1N1 Flu Vaccine Clinics came to school. As the Swine Flu became a worldwide health concern changes were made in its name and classification. The pandemic status of the H1N1 brought international recognition of a highly contagious and potentially lethal sickness that would target high-risk groups that included school-aged children.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention established guidelines for state and local health care agencies to provide H1N1 vaccines to at-risk populations. The Delaware Division of Public Health and the Department of Education partnered with all the Delaware schools to establish School-Located Influenza Vaccination Clinics. The goal was to vaccinate large numbers of children in a timely and efficient manner.
History has proven that mass immunizations, such as the midcentury polio vaccines can eradicate infectious disease. The school clinics, a form of retro-health care have the greatest potential to eliminate the H1N1 virus.
There have been numerous challenges and lessons learned form Delaware’s first School-Located Influenza Vaccination Clinics. To a greater extent there have been many positive outcomes that have emerged from this experience. The camaraderie of school nurses grew stronger through communication via the school nurse yahoo site; sharing positive and negative clinic experiences. School district nurses chatted daily through email offering needed clinic supplies. The school community became aware of flu prevention and interventions.
The role of the school nurse was vital in the preparation and implementation of the clinic setting. Students, parents, and staff depended on the school nurse for health education, guidance and support to understand and feel comfortable with a new immunization. Under the leadership of the school nurse, the school community pulled together as a multidisciplinary team (nurses, guidance counselors, interventionists, custodians, PTA members, teachers, students, administrators) with a common goal, to help keep students healthy and ready to learn.
As of February 1, 2010, 66,000 Delaware children have received the H1N1 vaccine. The Delaware incidences of the H1N1 morbidity and mortality have greatly decreased. It has been through the dedication and countless hours of service that Delaware school nurses have given over the past several months that have contributed to an extremely successful statewide flu vaccine clinics.
The majority of the Delaware Public Schools have completed their clinics. Private schools will continue with the H1N1 vaccination clinics into the New Year. The Delaware School Nurse Association will continue to be a source of information and guidance to school nurses and the community that we serve.
Resources