Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations

Proposed standards for immunization of staff, students, volunteers,
and licensed independent practitioners against influenza

Standard IC X.X. The risk of influenza infection and transmission is reduced throughout the organization.
Rationale
Transmission of influenza from staff, students, volunteers, and licensed independent practitioners to patients, clients, or residents can create serious health care problems, especially among those who are at high risk for complications related to influenza. In addition, influenza among those in the work force, especially during an epidemic, can compromise the ability of an organization to provide care for its patients, clients, or residents. Annual vaccination is an important method for preventing influenza and its severe complications. Only 34%-36% of staff and licensed independent practitioners are immunized against influenza each year (unpublished National Health Interview Survey data, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2003).
Elements of Performance
1. The organization identifies the kinds of patients, clients, or residents that are at high risk for influenza-related     complications.
2. The organization identifies staff, students, volunteers, and licensed independent practitioners who work with or     near these patients, clients, or residents.
3. The organization establishes an influenza immunization program for these staff, students, volunteers, and     licensed independent practitioners.
This program:
4. provides access to influenza immunization at the work site and at no cost to these staff, students, volunteers,     and licensed independent practitioners;
5. educates these staff, students, volunteers, and licensed independent practitioners about the value of flu     vaccination, nonvaccine-related control, and the epidemiology, transmission, and diagnosis of influenza;
6. maintains records of staff, students, volunteers, and licensed independent practitioners who have received     vaccination;
7. monitors influenza vaccination rates among staff, students, volunteers, and licensed independent practitioners     who work with patients, clients, or residents that are at high risk for influenza;
8. implements enhancements to improve those rates.


Source: Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, Oakbrook Terrace, IL.