As the pandemic progressed in Australia, pharmacists were able to expand their vaccination capabilities and establish the profession as the community vaccination specialist.
Now as demand for COVID-19 vaccinations subsides, pharmacists are able to turn their attention to other immunisations, including administering children’s vaccines.
While the principles of vaccination between adults and children remain similar, some pharmacists may find the transition to children difficult, and their approach to vaccine clinics may need to change.
Establishing the service
Addressing child vaccinations in community pharmacy, each state and territory has differing legislation that is dynamic, meaning consumer expectations can vary regionally and may change given developments in the pharmacy vaccination space.
Parents and guardians may have questions regarding children’s vaccination at back-to-school time and during the flu season. Refer to your local health authority for the most up-to-date information to ensure you’re able to answer their queries and are placed to promote the pharmacy’s services appropriately.
Consider how your pharmacy would like to offer the service and how this will fit in with current workflows. Offering online bookings can assist with resource management and maximise efficiency to reduce the time between entering the pharmacy and immunisation.
Promotion of the service in the local community is also key to raising awareness. Speak with local doctors about how you can work together and how your services can complement each other.
Setting up the space
Pharmacies that are already vaccinating adults will have a clinic space established in line with their relevant state or territory legislation, but some further steps may be taken to make the room more approachable for children.
Ensure that the clinic has enough space for the child, vaccinator, parent or guardian as well as other children, such as siblings, who may come to the appointment but are not being vaccinated. While not ideal, sometimes it’s unavoidable that younger siblings attend the appointment, and it can be worthwhile ensuring that they have a space where they can be supervised by their guardian while remaining out of the way of the vaccination procedure.
Making the space more inviting for children and offering them some kind of visual distraction can help remove anxiety surrounding vaccines. Children’s educational posters – for example, those featuring dinosaurs or space, perhaps – and cartoon characters on the wall can be worthwhile. Seeing teary or upset children following immunisation can heighten anxiety and anticipation for those waiting for their turn, so where possible, keep children from seeing other patients before their vaccination.
Consent
In the case of vaccinating a minor, a parent or legal guardian has the authority to consent for the procedure. Some states and territories have specific legislation regarding the age of consent to medical treatment for children and adolescents, and vaccination falls under this category. Pharmacist immunisers should be aware of their jurisdiction’s specific legislation, and abide by these requirements.
Tips for approaching the service
- Stay calm and confident. Introduce yourself and use an icebreaker to keep the mood upbeat.
- It’s best to be honest with the child. Don’t tell them that the injection is painless, but that they will feel a pinch for a second or two that will pass
- Minimise time between entering the room and vaccinating. Develop a standard procedure to ensure you fulfil all necessary requirements before immunisation, but have doses pre-drawn and supplies such as cotton buds and tape ready at hand
- Offer the child choices in how the immunisation procedure will work, to allow them to feel more at ease. They can choose which arm they would prefer for the injection, and how involved their parent or guardian is (holding hands or sitting in their carers lap, for example).
For pharmacist immunisers, establishing a children’s vaccination clinic requires some additional effort, but it’s certainly worthwhile to expand the pharmacy’s services and can be most rewarding.
This feature was written by Jocelyn Morgan, Pharmacy Programs and Services Consultant, The Platform Alliance, and was originally published in the February issue of Retail Pharmacy magazine.
