Flu vaccination rate for caregivers on rise
Those who care for patients have the highest flu vaccination rates at Vanderbilt, said Melanie Swift, M.D., medical director of the Vanderbilt Occupational Health Clinic.
The flu vaccination rate among the clinical house staff is 83 percent, while attending physicians have a 68 percent rate and nurses have a 67 percent rate.
The Medical Center’s overall rate is 62 percent, which is an improvement over the 57 percent figure achieved last year.
In October, Vanderbilt sponsored Flulapalooza, a mass-vaccine event that broke the Guinness World Record for most people immunized in an eight-hour period.
“Physician and nursing leaders have sent a strong message that getting your flu vaccine each year is an expectation,” Swift said.
“It is especially encouraging that our young physicians-in-training have led the pack in protecting themselves with the flu shot. Patients rely upon these caregivers to be healthy and productive, especially during flu season.”
For information on when and where to receive the flu vaccine, go to http://Occupationalhealth.vanderbilt.edu.