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Winneshiek Medical Center – Decorah Success Story
At a meeting of our Medical Staff in March of 2006, I had reported that 67% of our healthcare workers had been vaccinated during the fall of 2005. Although this % was very good compared to the national average, we had a few physicians that wanted it higher. As a result, our Medical Staff recommended all employees of Winneshiek Medical Center (WMC) be required to receive the influenza vaccination in the fall of 2006.
I felt encouraged to have the support of the medical staff, but was also concerned about my approach to the employees without a specific mandate from either CDC or IDPH. After discussion with the Eastern Iowa APIC group, the HR Manager and the Chief Nursing Officer, I went back to a Medical Staff meeting in September of 2006 asking for a revision in the recommendation given in March.
After much discussion regarding concern for the patients we care for and our employees, the revised recommendation was put in to place. The new recommendation was that anyone giving direct patient care or working in a direct patient care department would be required to receive an influenza vaccination or sign a declination form.
The declination form required them to acknowledge facts about the influenza vaccination as well as report their reason for refusal of the vaccination. The declination form was completed in my office in a one-on-one visit with the employee. This gave me a great opportunity to provide further education and to answer any questions. Dr Brian Dougan requested that he be able to present his Infuenza Risk power point and question and answer time for anyone wanting to sign the declination. Dr. Dougan's information and power point were very good and he presented in such a way that it was humorous and , light but very serious. He did a great job!
As a facility, we provided many opportunities.
- Employees could receive a vaccination in any of the patient care areas at any time of day.
- Influenza vaccination clinics were available in the cafeteria and overlapped with lunch and shift changes.
- Each person receiving the influenza vaccination got a keychain with our logo on one side and the CDC logo on the other side that had the triangle with the "I got my flu vaccine" words.
- Each person got a sticker that said, "I got my flu vaccine." It worked like a billboard for others and was a good reminder when someone would see them wearing the sticker.
- Each department that reached 100% participation (if there was an allergy or doctor's excuse it did not count against them) was put in a drawing for a pizza party. (Housekeeping won!)
- All department managers were sent letters outlining expectations and the rules for the pizza party contest.
- Information was readily available about how we can protect our patients by getting the influenza vaccine, where and when the vaccine is available, etc.
- Posters were hung in all departments.
- All department managers were given weekly updates on their numbers (did not include specific names of employees although some tried to get it out of me).
- We had a big poster in the cafeteria where I recorded, on a weekly basis, the number of employees receiving the vaccination and our percentage. The public was allowed to see this also.
- WMC's marketing department ran an article in the local newspapers about the importance of influenza vaccination and what our expectations were for our employees.
- We ran an article at the end of the campaign that reported our 96% stat and how much our employees care about our patients.
Our final result was that 247 out of 257 direct patient care givers received the influenza vaccination for a total rate of 96% of healthcare workers. 91% of all WMC employees received the vaccination.
Dr Dougan wants mandatory vaccination to be a requirement of employment for the direct patient care worker. However, we are not quite there yet. Dr. Dougan says, "If we are going to protect our employees from Hep B, Measles, Mumps, and Rubella, chicken pox, why would we not want to protect them from influenza?" He has a point.
Key Factors:
- Education for employees
- Providing vaccinations everywhere for the employees
- Medical Staff involvement
- Physician Champion
- Competition-pizza party
I am proud of our accomplishments here at WMC! It took the support of many people, Medical Staff, Administration, Board of Trustees, Dept. Managers, HR etc. Dixie Kramer from Waverly Health Center was my mentor in the process and a great help to me especially in the time between March 2006 and September 2006. In the past years, I had been out there by myself promoting this but this year the pressure was off because our employees knew it was the right thing to do. It really was easier this year once we were up and running - they all knew the expectations.
Brenda Schwan BSN
Winneshiek Medical Center
Infection Control and Prevention
Employee Health
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