Statement of Barbara Blakeney, MS, APRN,BC, ANP
President, American Nurses Association
Regarding
National Network for Immunization Information (NNii)
Smallpox Vaccination Survey Findings
January 22, 2003

"The results of the National Network for Immunization Information (NNii) study on the president's smallpox vaccination plan point to a strong need for nurses to become educated regarding the smallpox vaccine and the role that nurses will likely play if mass vaccinations occur," said American Nurses Association President Barbara Blakeney, MS, APRN,BC, ANP. "It is essential that nurses across the nation know when the vaccine should and should not be administered, and that the vaccine, when administered within a few days of exposure to smallpox, prevents the disease. This knowledge is absolutely critical."

Blakeney further noted that the study results offer clear evidence that the many unresolved issues surrounding the vaccine should be addressed before it is administered to nurses and other health care workers on a voluntary basis. Implementation is scheduled to begin Jan. 24.

"ANA has asked the administration to delay implementation of its smallpox immunization plan, given the large number of unanswered questions that prevent nurses and other health care personnel from making an informed choice about vaccination," said Blakeney. "These survey findings underscore the need to answer key questions and educate workers on the front-lines of health care before launching an immunization effort that poses risks to people's health and livelihood."

The NNii survey, which was conducted in November 2002, found that while most nurses support the federal government's plan to vaccinate health care workers on a voluntary basis as part of a broader strategy to prepare the nation in the event of a bioterrorist attack, most nurses lack critical knowledge about when the vaccine can be administered. Specifically, the survey found that 69 percent of respondents favor the White House vaccination proposal (and only 9 percent oppose it); and nearly two-thirds (63 percent) said they would get vaccinated themselves while 13 percent said they would not get vaccinated and 24 percent were unsure. With regard to the effects of the vaccine, more than two thirds (69 percent) of respondents think the smallpox vaccine is "very effective" in preventing smallpox, while 22 percent think it is "somewhat effective," and less than 1 percent think it is not effective.

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NNii is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide the public, health professionals, policy makers and the media with up-to-date, scientifically valid information related to immunization to help them understand the issues and to make informed decisions. A partner organization of NNii, ANA is the only full-service professional organization representing the nation's 2.7 million registered nurses (RNs) through its constituent member state nurses associations. The ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.

2003 press releases

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