Immunisations

Nurses have a major role in advising and promoting immunisation. This includes administering vaccinations included in the childhood immunisation programme and those recommended for adults, including travel vaccines and the annual influenza vaccination.

Policy guiding immunisations is available in the Green Book, this includes the rationale for the policy, all health care professionals involved in immunising should have access to the online version.

School based immunisation programmes are recognised as an effective way of delivery however in some areas this is no longer provided by the school health service. Immunisations provide the practitioner with an opportunity to promote health, identify young people who may be self-harming and to make every contact count.