PREVENTION OF HEALTHCARE-ASSOCIATED INFLUENZA (CE)

Course overview

HEALTHCARE WORKER VACCINATION IS THE SINGLE MOST EFFECTIVE METHOD FOR PREVENTING PATIENT MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY RESULTING FROM INFLUENZA INFECTION IN THE HOSPITAL SETTING. INCREASED RATES OF VACCINATION AMONG HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH A DECREASED INCIDENCE OF HEALTHCARE-ASSOCIATED INFLUENZA INFECTION AND PATIENT MORTALITY DURING INFLUENZA SEASON. HOWEVER, RATES OF HEALTHCARE PERSONNEL VACCINATION ARE CONSISTENTLY WELL BELOW NEW GOALS SET BY THE JOINT COMMISSION. HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS DECLINE THE INFLUENZA VACCINE FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, WITH MOST RESULTING FROM PROVIDER MISUNDERSTANDING OR MISINFORMATION ABOUT INFLUENZA AND THE SAFETY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE INFLUENZA VACCINE. THIS COURSE WILL PROVIDE THE LEARNER WITH BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE INFLUENZA VIRUS AND ITS TRANSMISSION IN THE HOSPITAL SETTING AS WELL AS ITS DIAGNOSIS AND IMPACT ON HEALTHCARE WORKER AND PATIENT SAFETY. INFORMATION ABOUT INFLUENZA VACCINATION WILL BE DETAILED. FINALLY, OTHER PREVENTION/CONTROL STRATEGIES FOR THE PREVENTION OF INFLUENZA INFECTION IN THE HOSPITAL SETTING WILL BE DISCUSSED.