Educational Module to Improve Vaccine Storage and Handling in Private Practices

1
Educational Module to Improve Vaccine Storage and
Handling in Private Practices

• Gillian Milne1, Heather Martin1,
• Jo Ann Nelson1, Julie Boom M.D.1,2
• 1Texas Childrens Hospital
• 2Baylor College of Medicine
• Houston, Texas

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Background

• Immunization Project has developed Immunization
  Action Plan (IAP)
• Clinic assessment and feedback
• Standardized education
• Automated reminder system
• Development of registry

3
Background

• Texas Childrens Hospital Integrated Delivery
  System (TCHIDS)
• 43 private provider offices
• 3 health centers
• 110 physicians

4
Background

• IAP Education Focus
• Educational module for nursing personnel
• Implementation of standardized materials
• Storage and handling of vaccines

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Objective

• To evaluate the effectiveness of an educational
  module focusing on improvement of vaccine storage
  and handling

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Methods

• Develop assessment tool (checklist)
• Project personnel
• TCH pharmacy
• Houston Department of Health and Human Services
  Vaccines for Children Program

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Storage and Handling Checklist
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Methods

• Baseline practice evaluation
• 43 pediatricians offices, 3 health centers
• Introduction of educational materials
• Video Ice, Champagne and Roses
• Storage and handling guidelines
• Re-evaluation
• Thirteen months after introduction of educational
  materials

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Results

• Baseline
• 21/46 ? 80
• Range 50 - 89
• Mean 79
• Post implementation
• 36/44 ? 80
• Range 71 - 100
• Mean 89 (plt0.01)

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Results

• Most Improved Areas
• Personnel knowledge of power outage emergency
  plan (plt0.01)
• Correct warning signs on storage units (plt0.01)
• Temperature log maintenance (plt0.01)
• Correct temperature range maintenance (plt0.013)

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Results

• Areas Needing Improvement
• Items other than vaccines in units
• Vaccines out of original containers
• Open tuberculin test kits not dated
• No evidence of stock rotation

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Follow-up

• Activities to Acknowledge Participants
• Announcement in monthly newsletter
• Practices scoring 100
• Top 3 most improved practices
• Certificates and cookies for most improved
  practices

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Future Plans

• Reassess practices annually
• Update guidelines as necessary
• Serve as resource for all practices
• Train Health Plan personnel on storage and
  handling evaluations

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Conclusions

• Vaccine storage and handling can be significantly
  improved through simple interventions
• In an integrated health care delivery system,
  such as TCHIDS, it is relatively easy to
  implement standardized education