Respirology

T. M. Zielonka, M. Szymańczak, J. Jakubiak, A. Nitsch-Osuch, K. Życińska, Zielonka, T. M., Szymańczak, M., Jakubiak, J., Nitsch-Osuch, A., Życińska, K.

Despite intensive recommendations, influenza vaccination rate in medical staff in Poland ranges from about 20 % in physicians to 10 % in nurses. The objective of this work was to assess the influence of hospital influenza vaccination campaign directed toward health care workers, combined with dispensing free of charge vaccine, on vaccination rate. The campaign was conducted by the Hospital Infection Control Team of the Czerniakowski Hospital in Warsaw, Poland, separately for physicians, nurses, and physiotherapists. Overall, 37 % of medical staff were vaccinated, including 55 % of physicians and 21 % of nurses. Concerning physicians, the greatest vaccination rate was in the orthopedic (80 %) and ophthalmology units (73 %), whereas the lowest rate was in the intensive care (22 %) and neurology units (20 %). Concerning nurses, the greatest vaccination rate was in those working in the outpatient (40 %) and emergency units (29 %), whereas the lowest rate was in the ophthalmology (6 %) and surgery units (11 %). We conclude that the professional knowledge campaign combined with the incentive of free of charge vaccine substantially raises the vaccination rate among medical staff.