Offering flu shot to kids undergoing general anesthesia significantly increases uptake
A best practice alert when a child checked in for surgery led to an approximately 3,500% increase in the number of patients vaccinated against influenza at Children’s Hospital Colorado, according to a press release.
The CDC estimates that 58.2% of U.S. children received the influenza vaccine during the 2020-2021 season, a decrease of about 4.1 percentage points from the 2019-2020 season.
Tyler Morrissey, MD, an assistant professor of pediatric anesthesiology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora, and colleagues initiated the best practice alert in October 2020. The alert appeared on an intake nurse’s screen when a pediatric patient checked in for a procedure involving elective general anesthesia.
“If the patient did not have documented influenza vaccination for the season, this nurse would then determine, using a series of questions, if the patient was eligible for the vaccine and would obtain parental consent,” Morrissey told Healio Primary Care. “A standing order for the vaccine was dispensed and placed on the patient’s physical chart to be given under anesthesia.”
During the 2020-2021 influenza season, before the best practice alert was implemented, only 30 perioperative vaccines were administered to patients during a 6-week period, according to the press release. Twenty-five weeks into the intervention period, 1,063 vaccines were administered. No vaccine-related complications were reported.
“Surprisingly, patients and families had very few concerns about receiving the vaccine under anesthesia,” Morrissey said. “Our project demonstrated that, if offered, families would jump at the chance to have their child vaccinated under anesthesia.”
He added in a press release that the data show “that having a standardized process for getting children vaccinated for flu while under anesthesia during surgery provides a ‘teachable moment’ and opportunity to educate families on the importance of flu vaccination and may be a model for other childhood vaccinations while under anesthesia, including the COVID-19 vaccine.”
References:
CDC. 2020-21 Flu Season Summary FAQ. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/season/faq-flu-season-2020-2021.htm. Accessed Nov. 12, 2021.
Morrissey T, et al. A-2032. Presented at: The ANESTHESIOLOGY annual meeting; Oct. 8-12, 2021; (hybrid meeting).
Offering flu vaccinations to children having surgery significantly increases number vaccinated. Published Oct. 4, 2021. Accessed Nov. 12, 2021.