Information for Health Professionals

This section provides resources for healthcare personnel who provide immunization services.

It's Federal Law - You Must Use Vaccine Information Statements (CDC web site) every time you give a vaccine.
Instructions for the Use of Vaccine Information Statements (CDC web site 44k.pdf)

Recommended Immunization Schedules - United States 2013

• Schedule for Persons Birth through 18 years
• Catch-up Schedule
• Adult Schedule, by Vaccine and Age Group
• Recommended Vaccinations Indicated for Adults Based on Medical and Other Indications
• Adult Contraindications and Precautions

Oklahoma Immunization Updates

• May 2013 Oklahoma Immunization Update (88k.pdf) Pediarix® Allocation, Meningococcal Recommendations
• Past issues of Oklahoma Immunization Update 

ACIP Recommendations (CDC web site) 

• Meningococcal Recommendations (CDC web site) MMWR March 22, 2013
• Tdap vaccine recommended during every pregnancy (CDC website) MMWR Feb. 22,2013

Questions and Answers on the right are adapted from "Ask the Experts: CDC answers questions"  acquired on 2-28-2013.  We thank the Immunization Action Coalition.

Pentacel Shortage Continues
Guidance for Vaccinating Children during the Pentacel® and Daptacel® Shortage (CDC web site)

CE Credit for Physicians

• Building an Adult Immunization Practice: The Primary Care Physician's Role in Disease Prevention (National Foundation for Infectious Diseases - NFID web site)
• Adult Pneumococcal Disease: Know Your Options (NFID web site) Interactive Multimedia Portal with Online Practice Tools
• NFID Adult Immunization CME Learning Center on Medscape (Medscape web site)

CE Credit for Nurses

• Free Immunization Continuing Education Credit through Nip-It (Nursing Initiative Promoting Immunization Training web site)

School Requirements

• Guide to Immunization Requirements in Oklahoma 2012-13 School Year (55k.pdf)
• Guide to Immunization Requirements in Oklahoma 2013-14 School Year (57k.pdf)
• Key Information for Healthcare Providers on the Tdap Requirement for 7th Grade Students (25.6k.pdf)

Important Information

• General Recommendations on Immunization (CDC web site) Every office needs a copy!
  Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Recommendations (ACIP) (CDC web site)
  Need a printed copy? ACIP Recommendations can be ordered online at no charge (CDC web site) 
• Public Health Meaningful Use Exclusion Letter (32k.pdf)
• Vaccination Criteria for U.S. Immigration (CDC web site)
• Great Schedule to Give to Parents: Online Personalized Immunization Scheduler for Children Birth through Six Years (CDC web site)

For Vaccine Providers

• The Pink Book and Other Resources
• Standing Orders (Immunization Action Coalition web site)
• Free Online Immunization Training
• Vaccine Storage and Handling
• Clinic Operations
• Screening for Contraindications
• Vaccine Information Statements
• Vaccine Administration
• Vaccine Safety and Talking with Parents
• Clinical Information for Vaccines Used in the United States (CDC web site)

The Pink Book and other Resources

• Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases: Also known as the “Pink Book” (CDC web site)
• General Recommendations on Immunization (CDC web site)
• Summary of Recommendations for Childhood and Adolescent Immunization (Immunization Action Coalition web site)
• Summary of Recommendations for Adult Immunizations (Immunization Action Coalition web site)

Back to the top

Free Online Immunization Training

Competency Based Skills Checklist for Immunization (433k.pdf)

Satellite broadcasts and web casts - Available on DVD and as archived web casts. Continuing education available (CME, CNE, CEU, CECH for Health Educators).

• The Immunization Encounter: Critical Issues (CDC web site) 2-½ hours, view the archived web cast.
• Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (CDC web site)
• Adult Immunization Update (CDC web site) 2-½ hours; view the archived web cast from 2006
• Current Issues Netconferences (CDC web site)

Additional Free Online Continuing Education Resources for Vaccine Providers

• Teaching Immunization Delivery and Education (TIDE web site sponsored by the Medical University of South Carolina, the Ambulatory Pediatric Association and Society for Adolescent Medicine)
• Group on Immunization Education of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (web site)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “You Call the Shots” (CDC web site)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC web site): More self-study programs for CE units.

Back to the top 

Vaccine Storage and Handling

• Storage and Handling of Immunobiologics - pages 17 through 19 of General Recommendations (CDC web site)
• Vaccine Storage & Handling Toolkit (CDC website)
• Checklist for Vaccine Storage (Immunization Action Coalition web site)
• Don’t Be Guilty of These Errors in Vaccine Storage and Handling (55.3k.pdf - IAC web site))
• Temperature Logs (131k.pdf)

 Clinic Operations

• Clinic Supplies Checklist (59.1k.pdf)
• US Licensed Vaccines (CDC web site)
• Emergency Protocols – CPR: Clinical staff should receive annual CPR certification.
  • The American Heart Association online is a resource.
• Emergency Protocols - Anaphylaxis: Clinics should have a protocol in place for emergencies.
  • Medical Management of Vaccine Reactions in Children & Teens (78.3k.pdf - Immunization Action Coalition web site)
  • Medical Management of Vaccine Reactions in Adult Patients (64.5k.pdf - Immunization Action Coalition web site )
• Vaccination Records: See page 30 in the General Recommendations (CDC web site)
  • Provider Records: 
    • For Children and Teens (Immunization Action Coalition web site) and 
    • For Adults (Immunization Action Coalition web site).
  • Personal Immunization Record: Patients or parents should always be given a personal immunization record. All vaccine providers may order a supply of Oklahoma’s Official Immunization Record Card (OSDH Form No. 218B) by calling the Oklahoma State Dept. of Health Shipping and Receiving Department at (405) 271-4330.
• Immunization Registry: The Oklahoma State Immunization Information System (OSIIS) is available to all providers who have Internet access.  Find out more about OSIIS in the Oklahoma State Immunization Information System section of this web site.
• Vaccines for Children Program Information  (CDC web site)

Back to the top

Screening for Contraindications

Every person who administers vaccines should screen every patient for contraindications and precautions before giving vaccines.  

Effective screening is key to preventing serious adverse events and is not difficult or complicated. Screening can be accomplished with just a few questions (See the screening forms which follow).

The "Contraindications and Precautions" section in the General Recommendations (CDC web site), pages 40 through 43, describes valid and invalid contraindications and precautions.

• Screening Questionnaire – Children and Teens (Immunization Action Coalition - IAC - web site): Child and teen immunization screening tool, developed by the IAC, includes rationale for screening questions.
• Screening Questionnaire for Adults (IAC web site): Adult immunization screening tool, developed by the IAC, includes rationale for the screening questions.
• Quick Guide to Contraindications to Vaccinations (IAC web site): Designed to help vaccine providers determine what common and uncommon symptoms and conditions are contraindications and which ones are not.

More specific information on contraindications and precautions is available in vaccine-specific ACIP recommendations.

Vaccine Information Statements – Required by Federal Regulation

• Mandatory Instructions for the Use of Vaccine Information Statements (44k.pdf - CDC web site)
• Vaccine Information Statements (VIS) (Immunization Action Coalition web site) 

Back to the top 

Vaccine Administration - Essential Resources for Your Clinic

• Comforting Restraint (116k.pdf)
• Immunization Site Maps (951k.pdf): Where to give multiple doses.
• Administering Vaccines: Dose, Route, Site, and Needle Size (187k.pdf)
• The "Vaccine Administration" section in the General Recommendations (CDC web site), pages 13 through 16. 

Back to the top 
 

Vaccine Safety - Healthcare Personnel Responsibilities to Ensure Vaccine Safety

• Store vaccines properly.
• Distribute Vaccine Information Statements (CDC web site) to parents or vaccine recipients prior to administration of each dose of vaccine and answer all patient and parent questions.
• Administer vaccines correctly including proper dose, route, site, and needle size (187k.pdf).
• Screen patients for and observe valid precautions and contraindications.
• Follow current recommended immunization schedules (CDC web site) for children, adolescents and adults, including proper timing and spacing of vaccine doses.
• Manage vaccine side effects using your best clinical judgment.
• Have procedures in place and be prepared for emergency care of a person who experiences an anaphylactic reaction.
• Report suspected side effects to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) (VAERS web site).
• Follow federal requirements for recording vaccines administered.

Resources for Conversations with Parents 

• Talking with Parents about Vaccines for Infants (CDC web site downloads)
• Understanding MMR Vaccine Safety (CDC web site downloads)
• If You Choose Not to Vaccinate Your Child Understand the Risks and Responsibilities (CDC web site downloads)
• Diseases and the Vaccines that Prevent Them (CDC web site downloads)

Back to the top

Oklahoma Immunization Update

2013 Editions
January 2013 Oklahoma Immunization Update (64k.pdf)
February 2013 Oklahoma Immunization Update (85k.pdf)
March 2013 Oklahoma Immunization Update (63k.pdf)
April 2013 Oklahoma Immunization Update (78k.pdf)

2012 Editions
January 2012 Oklahoma Immunization Update (133k.pdf)
February 2012 Oklahoma Immunization Update (108k.pdf)
March 2012 Oklahoma Immunization Update (384k.pdf)
April 2012 Oklahoma Immunization Update (98.7k.pdf)
May 2012 Oklahoma Immunization Update (47k.pdf)
June 2012 Oklahoma Immunization Update (47k.pdf) 
July 2012 Oklahoma Immunization Update (46k.pdf)
August 2012 Oklahoma Immunization Update (48k.pdf)
September 2012 Oklahoma Immunization Update (117k.pdf)
October 2012 Oklahoma Immunization Update (145k.pdf)
November 2012 Oklahoma immunization Update (65.4k.pdf)
December 2012 Oklahoma Immunization Update (202k.pdf)

For copies of the Oklahoma Immunization Update prior to 2012, contact the Immunization Service at (405) 271-4073.

Back to the top