What influences Registered Nurses to have the influenza vaccine?

Influenza is a viral infection that can be spread from person to person by coming into contact with infected persons or objects that have been contaminated with the virus. The infection begins and the virus replicates in the ciliated columnar epithelial cells of the upper and lower respiratory tract with incubation ranging from one day to a week. Influenza vaccination of health care workers has been identified as the primary method of preventing influenza transmission to at-risk groups that, by virtue of illness, congregate in and around hospitals. Annual vaccination is also attributed to the reduction in upper respiratory tract infection, in physician visits and in sick days off work for staff. The aim of this research was to explore what influences Registered Nurses to have the annual influenza vaccine. The research design for this thesis was a quantitative, cross-sectional survey, utilizing a questionnaire as the data collection tool. The sample group for this study was randomly selected from four hospital wards and two community settings. The questionnaire was used to explore the attitudes of Registered Nurses working for a local District Health Board, both in the hospital and community, to the annual influenza vaccine program. Twenty five percent of the 224 nurses working in these six areas responded. Findings from this study show that 43 (77%) of the nurses state that they found the District Health Board vaccination program effective in reminding them to be vaccinated, but only 22 were vaccinated in 2006, 20 in 2007, and 16 in 2008. The results also highlight the fact that 35 (63%) of the respondents indicated that they sometimes work when they are sick as they do not wish to let their colleagues down, and 18 (32%) sometimes work when they are sick as they do not want to let their patients down.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Nursing

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Grantor

Eastern Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2009

Author dc:creator

• Hedley, Catherine

• New Zealand
• registered nurses
• vaccinations
• influenza
• influences
• surveys

Statement dc:rights

• All rights reserved

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10652/6589

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:null:10652/6589