Role of Nurses in Forming Parents‘ Attitudes Towards Child Vaccinations

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the influence of nurses on the formation of parents' attitudes towards childhood vaccinations. Objectives: To evaluate and compare the attitudes of parents who vaccinate their children towards children's vaccinations; Evaluate the influence of nurses in shaping parental attitudes; To determine what the most common cause nurses heard from parents refuse to vaccinate their children. From time immemorial, vaccines have been the most effective and safest way to prevent potentially dangerous diseases. Each vaccine is used to prevent a particular disease for a long time or a lifetime. Research methodology: The quantitative research method was chosen for the research. An original questionnaire was compiled on the basis of the analyzed literature (see Appendix No. 1). An anonymous survey was prepared and presented to respondents in a virtual apartment. Respondents were selected only from general practice nursing staff, and the confidentiality of their results was ensured. The study population consists of general practice nurses working in primary care centers and working with children under 18 years of age. Results of the empirical study: Of the 30 respondents, the majority say they work in a primary care center and the rest in an inpatient setting. Assessing the encounters of nurses with parents refusing to vaccinate their children, the majority of respondents surveyed said they did not encounter parents refusing to be vaccinated, while a small proportion said they encountered them frequently. It was important to find out the way nurses inform parents about immunoprophylaxis issues, almost all respondents answered that the easiest and most reliable way to convey information is direct contact in a health care institution, only a few participants believe that informing by phone is more effective. It is also important to find out the most common reasons for refusal, one part of the respondents stated that the refusal is due to lack of information in the field of immunoprophylaxis, another due to previous bad reactions to vaccines. Conclusions: An analysis of the literature revealed the parents' attitudes towards vaccination and the most common reasons for refusing vaccination. Comparing the answers received by the respondents, it was found that the nurses partially influence the parents' decision to vaccinate their children with the approved vaccination calendar of the Republic of Lithuania.