The month of August has been designated as National Immunization Awareness Month. As a partnering organization, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) is helping to promote the importance of immunization in keeping our communities healthy.
As healthcare professionals, you know the importance of good health before, during, and after pregnancy. Just like exercise and healthy eating, your strong recommendation for vaccines plays a vital role in ensuring the overall health of your patients.
Patients trust you to provide the best advice on how to protect their health and the health of their babies. You know that immunization is an important preventive measure – but getting vaccinated may not be on the radar for your patients. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that pregnant women get a Tdap vaccine, as well as an influenza vaccine, during each pregnancy.
There are several things you can do to help your patients stay on track with recommended vaccinations:
- Emphasize the ease and benefit of getting vaccinated during the current visit
- Provide educational materials/reliable websites for them to review
- Send reminders about recommended vaccines prior to the visit
- Document the conversation and continue the discussion at the next visit as needed.
To assist you in keeping your patients informed, NFID has developed an online Family Vaccines Resource Center, as a collection of resources to help inform your patients – especially expecting or new mothers/parents – about the benefits of vaccination for the whole family, at all stages of life. The Resource Center provides tools and information compiled from trusted sources to answer your patients’ questions about vaccines.
Vaccines are a vital part of a healthy life – from pregnancy, through childhood and adolescence, into adulthood. Tell your patients that it’s never too early to start … don’t hesitate, vaccinate!
To join the conversation, follow us on Twitter (@nfidvaccines) and use the hashtag #NIAM14, like us on Facebook, and join the NFID Linkedin Group.
