Is Your Site Prepared for Flu Season?
by Robin Stern, RN & WI Regional Director, National Director of MDS
Are you prepared for Flu Season?
Per CMS all residents must be offered the influenza vaccine and is tracked on the MDS.
This is also a good time to offer other vaccinations such as Pneumococcal, COVID, and Shingles; if previously declined or unavailable upon initial offering.
By offering vaccines you can avoid citation and decrease risk for the spread of illness in your facility.
Vaccination is recommended by the end of October however Flu season can vary
2 cases of lab confirmed influenza are reported within 72 hours of one another on the same unit, outbreak control measures will need to be implemented.
Review and Plan
Review your policies and procedures for influenza with clinical team
Ensure plans are in place for Flu Shot Clinic / (Standard or high dose)
Ensure an Epi pen(s) are available (check expiration date)
Obtain and document consent from resident or representative
Document reason for declination from resident or representative if applicable
Add one time order in EMR for date of clinic and monitoring for side effects
Plan for who will document and update EMR and vaccine reporting site if applicable
Re-educate staff on influenza prevention and infection control
Plan for outbreak with action steps
Obtain testing supplies from lab (these do expire)
Review antiviral plan with medical director / MD / NPs
Obtain baseline labs if needed within the window / calculate creatine clearance for renal dosing (you do not want to have to do this the day of the outbreak)
PPE readily available for droplet precautions
IP nurse ready for daily surveillance & prepare for co-circulation of Influenza and COVID
For residents with adverse events from vaccine you must report to VAERS
NEED EXTRA HANDS? AHI IS HAPPY TO HELP!