Background: A nurse case management model has been implemented to track and follow high risk infants born in Orange County, Florida in order to improve immunization coverage levels. The Orange County Immunization Coalition has been successful in reaching out to motivate and empower parents to have their infants fully immunized.
Methods: Focus on high-risk infants, collect comprehensive data on their immunization status, and follow through with friendly reminder cards, phone calls, and home visits to educate, motivate, and facilitate full immunization of these children.
Results: During the first five months of this program, and average of 427 parents per month have received immunization reminder postcards (designed for 6,12 and 15 months of age). An average of 64 infants or 16% of the high-risk births per month are behind in their immunization series. Their patents receive phone follow up and/or home visits from their public health nurse to facilitate timely immunizations. The outcome measure of this program's effectiveness was evaluated using a birth cohort post intervention survey. Conclusions that were drawn included the need to refocuse nursing activities into the community and to provide positive reinforment/support to parents to encourage immunization compliance.
Conclusion: Ensuring that children are fully immunized by two years of age requires a collaborative community health nursing model that effectively reaches out to parents of all at risk infants.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to describe methods of raising parental awareness and improving community immunization levels through expanded immunization data collection, tracking, and follow up of high-risk infants
Keywords: Case Management, High Risk Infants
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Florida Department of Health, Orange County Health Department
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.