The Importance of Vaccine Education Programs
There is no doubt that the public perception of vaccines has been tarnished in the last several years mostly due to misinformation spread in the public. This makes vaccine education more important than ever. Nurses who provide vaccine education programs can help change public opinion about the importance of vaccines.
What Nurses Know About Vaccines
Vaccines are effective ways to prevent serious illnesses in children and adults. Vaccine programs in the United States have been successful in reducing contagious diseases such as measles, mumps and polio. When nurses run vaccine education programs they ensure that children and adults receive the right information about the types of vaccines that can potentially save their lives.
What Is Taught in a Vaccine Education Program
Nurse educators let people know that vaccines work by stimulating the immune system to produce antibodies against certain illnesses and infections. They dispute the misinformation that vaccines cause people to become ill in order to develop these antibodies. Vaccine education programs promote the idea that vaccines protect both children and adults and that not vaccinating children can have far more potential risks than doing so.
Why Vaccinations Education Programs are so Important
Diseases that could cause lasting health issues or even be fatal such as diphtheria and measles were extremely common in the United States. Protective vaccinations helped to minimize the prevalence of these diseases. However, outbreaks do occur periodically, generally related to the lack of immunization. In many parts of the world, these diseases are still common and people who travel between countries may carry illnesses. These illnesses can be transmitted and when children or adults are not vaccinated they risk the chance of becoming ill.
If you are a registered nurse looking to promote the importance of vaccination, you may be someone who wants to build their career as a nursing educator. Start on that career path with the Master of Science in Nursing with an Emphasis in Nursing Education degree at Grand Canyon University.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.
