Award for nurses after success of flu vaccine
SCHOOL nurses are celebrating after winning an award for their efforts to protect the local community from influenza.
The team of 41 ABMU Health Board nurses, who are based in the community and look after pupils in 218 schools, won a Public Health Wales Beat Flu award for their work increasing the number of eligible children vaccinated against the ‘flu.
In 2016/17 the nurses vaccinated more than 17,000 children, an increase of 12% on the previous year.
The influenza vaccination for children and teenagers (Fluenz) comes in the form of a safe and effective spray which is squirted up the nose.
Having the flu vaccination is very important for children explained ABMU lead for school nursing, Susan Anne Jones.
She said: “It’s important for any child or young person with a chronic condition that puts them in a high-risk group to be vaccinated as flu is likely to be more debilitating for them.
“It is important for children in the primary school programme themselves to avoid ‘flu, but evidence also shows this age group is the one which spreads the ‘flu bug in the community. So being vaccinated helps to protect the whole community and especially the older generation who can be very poorly if they are infected. “
Last season, school nurses were concerned by the lower than expected uptake in the vaccination the previous year, and realised the main problem was with the returning of signed consent forms giving permission for vaccination.
Operational team leader Vicky Bailey, along with the team, embarked on a campaign raising awareness of the vaccination; handing out information and talking directly to pupils, parents and guardians.
“We realised the signed consent forms weren’t being returned for a number of reasons. Some parents weren’t aware the vaccination was available and why it’s important pupils have the vaccination.
“On other occasions pupils had either forgotten to give the form to their parent / guardian or to bring the signed form with them.
“By talking directly to parents and guardians we were able to explain how this simple, safe and effective spray could not only protect their child but also others members of the family. We also found it helped pupils to relax when they realised it isn’t