Assessing Nurse’s Attitudes and Practice After participating in a Vaccination Training Program: A Quantitative Study

Sadia Munir (1),
Jessie Johnson (1),
Amber Smith (2),
Robyn O’Dwyer (3),
Arlene Masaba (1),
Khalid Elawad (4),
Samya Ahmad (4),
Ebtesam Abdulla (3),
M.M Al Qudah (4)

(1) Faculty of Nursing University of Calgary Qatar
(2) Program Consultant Primary Health Care
(3) Subject Matter Expert Primary Health Care Corporation
(4) Physician Primary Health Care Corporation

Corresponding author
Sadia Munir MSc, M.Phil, PhD,
Faculty of Nursing University of Calgary
Qatar
Email: munirs@ucalgary.ca

Received: May 2022; Accepted: June 2022; Published: July 2022
Citation: Sadia Munir et al. Assessing Nurse’s Attitudes and Practice After participating in a Vaccination Training Program: A Quantitative Study. Middle East Journal of Nursing 2022; 16(2): 3-15 DOI: 10.5742/MEJN2021.9378022

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ABSTRACT

Background: Primary healthcare nurses are pivotal to the successful uptake of immunization worldwide. Central to this, is the attitude and practice nurses may have toward vaccines during administration. It is postulated that altering knowledge towards immunization may impact both attitude and practice towards successful immunization uptake. The aim of this research was to assess nurses’ knowledge, attitude and practice after the delivery of a three-day continuing professional development program regarding administration, safe handling and delivery of vaccines.

Method: This research consisted of a quantitative cross-sectional study, utilizing a self-administered survey. The survey contained questions related to immunization knowledge, attitude, and practice. Before and after attendance of an immunization program for continuing professional development, the survey was administered to nurses working in well-baby clinics, communicable diseases clinics, travel clinics and school nurses. Specific areas identified gaps in knowledge, attitude, and practice among participating nurses.

Results: Results from our study suggest that attitudes and practices of participants identified a significant difference after receiving an immunization educational program that focused on administration and delivery of immunization skills.

Conclusion: Continuous professional development activities such as this have shown a marked increase in the attitude and practices of nurses making it tantamount to the success of vaccine uptake.

Implications for Practice: Nurses are poised to be frontline advocates for the uptake of immunization; therefore education and training needs to be provided in order for them to understand and further affect change.

Keywords: Vaccine, Immunization, Knowledge, Attitude, Practice