With the 2017-2018 flu season approaching, it is vital for healthcare organizations to have an Influenza vaccination policy in place. According to the CDC, 68.5% of healthcare workers reported receiving their flu shot by November for the 2016-2017 season, which was a slight increase of approximately 2% from the 2015-2016 season. This, however, still leaves 31.5% of your staff vulnerable to contracting and spreading the flu; leaving your organization understaffed during the busy fall and winter season.
Employer Policies Have a Positive Impact on Increased Vaccination Rates
Since healthcare workers are working directly with sick patients daily, their risk of contracting the flu is greatly increased. A growing number of healthcare employers have started enforcing a policy requiring their staff to get an annual flu vaccination to help reduce its spread. According to the CDC, nearly 2-1/2 times more healthcare workers will get their Influenza vaccination if it is simply recommended by their employer, and when required by their employer, nearly 3-times the number of healthcare workers report receiving their vaccination. It is important to educate and encourage your staff on the benefits of receiving an annual vaccination before the flu season starts, to protect not only your staff, but high-risk patients as well.
Flu Shot Stickers Can Help Support Your Organization’s Flu Vaccination Policy
PDC Healthcare’s flu shot stickers help your facility improve compliance rates, as well as identify and recognize personnel in compliance. Flu shot stickers are a great way to help keep track of staff that have and have not been vaccinated. They are highly visible, and can be worn on employee badges to remind and encourage not only their peers, but patients, to get their annual flu shot.
