All vaccines must be documented on the patient’s permanent medical record. Providers who administer vaccines covered by the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, which includes all vaccines recommended on the child and adolescent vaccination schedules published by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, are required to document several pieces of information regarding the vaccination.
Vaccine information statements are required by federal law to be provided before administering a routinely recommended childhood vaccine.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends drawing up vaccines just before vaccine administration. A clean environment free from distractions should be used to prepare vaccines to prevent errors from occurring during vaccine preparation. Hand hygiene should be performed before preparing vaccines. Vaccines should be prepared for one patient at a time, and the manufacturer’s package insert should be consulted for product-specific directions on how to prepare the vaccine (CDC, 2021).
Studies have shown that approximately 12% of parents refuse to allow their child to have at least one recommended childhood vaccine, and over 30% of parents delay one or more childhood vaccines, putting their children at risk of vaccine-preventable diseases at a time when they are most vulnerable.Â
In addition, less than 45% of adults receive the recommended flu vaccine annually
