The infection of influenza virus is substantially related to the aging population with persons who are 65 years and above considered to be at high risk of contracting the virus. The problem of influenza is of particular interest in nursing practice because the Flu remains the primary source of irresistible demise among old individuals, generally due to declining strong ability with age. In healthy elderly patients, does getting the Flu Shot to change the likelihood of being diagnosed with influenza infection compared to healthy elderly non-vaccinated patients?
PICO: Influenza vaccinate patients vs. Non-vaccinated patients (65 years and old)
Population: elderly 65 years and older
Intervention: influenza vaccinated
Comparison: influenza not vaccinated
Outcome: reduced cases of influenza virus from vaccinated
From the articles reviewed, the authors seem to share a voice on a number of crucial issues that are related to influenza and its vaccines among elderly individuals aged 65v years and above. De Bekker-Grob et al. (2018) argue that vaccination among elders reduces the flu prevalence among adults by a specific percentage. De Bekker and colleagues argue vaccination is one of the useful strategies that should be employed to have the flu virus prevalence among the adults controlled. Petrie et al. (2016) also support this idea. In a study aimed at determining the effectiveness of the influenza vaccines, the authors noted that there was a significant increase in numbers of those who tested negative at the end of the study, meaning that the vaccines were effective.
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The results obtained by Arriola et al. (2017) support the idea that when exposed to flu virus vaccines, the patients’ severity condition reduces to some degree. These authors deal with the issue of whether various flu vaccinations can reduce the disease severity among elderly patient who is already suffering from the condition. While analyzing data from the influenza season 2013 and 2014, the authors noted that among the elders sixty-five years old and above, there were some changes from the lab results. The article concludes that the vaccines reduce the hospital length of stay as well as the severity of the condition among these individuals.
According to Wilkinson et al. (2017) the situation of the older adults suffering from influenza is made better when clinicians vaccinate them in a full high dose. According to them, although there have been arguments on whether this population can withstand a high dose of the influenza virus vaccines, their results showed that individuals aged 65 years and above have the ability to withstand the high doses which appear to be more effective as compared to lower doses. On their side of argument from the results gathered, Heins et al. (2018), states that this vaccine is vital since it reduces hospitalization and also gives a high chance of survival for the elders.
Although the authors differ about the side effects associated with the vaccine in the population, one thing is common from the results, vaccines are important and effective in influenza among people aged 65 years and above. A research conducted by Petrie and colleagues, vaccines are effective in influenza among patients aged 65 years and above. The study was conducted at South East Michigan hospitals targeting the hospitalized individual to achieve their objective. A logistic regression model was used to compare those who tested positive and those who tested negative for the virus among a variety of patients. From the result, the authors noted that there was a significant increase in numbers of those who tested negative at the end of the study, meaning that the vaccines were effective.
Another study conducted by Arriola et al. (2017), evidence that support the idea that when exposed to flu virus vaccines, the patients’ severity condition reduces to some degree is presented. The authors deal with the issue of whether various flu vaccinations can reduce the disease severity among elderly patient who is already suffering from the condition. While analyzing data from the influenza season 2013 and 2014, the authors noted that among the elders sixty-five years old and above, there were some changes from the lab results. After using multivariable logistic regression, they conclude that the vaccines reduce the hospital length of stay as well as the severity of the condition among these individuals.
Flu vaccines are a better preventive way that aims at preventing the disease from attacking such adults and thus expose them less to the condition. Influenza vaccination in elderly individuals is associated with reduced flu illness, decreased likelihood of developing the flu, reduced complications for those suffering from the illness, reduced hospitalization and prevention of death in older people. According to Heins et al. (2018), this vaccine is vital since it reduces hospitalization and also gives a high chance of survival for the elders. Elderly people who are not vaccinated have an increased likelihood of developing the flu due to the decreased immunity associated with old age. In addition, the complications associated with the flu are likely to become adverse in elderly patients who do not receive the vaccine and likely to cause death that could be prevented.
The practice of vaccinating elderly patients above 65 years with influenza vaccine can be communicated to colleagues by discussing with them the importance of the practice. Discussion using research evidence can help in making them understand the importance of the practice in saving lives, preventive strategies and improving patient outcomes. In addition, seeking for audience with the organization administration can be helpful in disseminating the information.
Implementation of the practice would involve approval of the practice by the organization. After approval, discussing the importance of the practice with patients aged 65 years and above, those at risk and the ones suffering from the flu would be done in order to ensure that they understand the importance of the practice and give consent. Concerns and opposition related to the implementation of the practice can be addressed by doing prior communication of the practice to all the relevant stakeholders before implementation. This is helpful in preventing opposition.
Reference
Arriola, C., Garg, S., Anderson, E. J., Ryan, P. A., George, A., Zansky, S. M., ... & Yousey-Hindes, K. (2017). Influenza vaccination modifies disease severity among community-dwelling adults hospitalized with influenza. Clinical Infectious Diseases , 65 (8), 1289-1297.
De Bekker-Grob, E. W., Veldwijk, J., Jonker, M., Donkers, B., Huisman, J., Buis, S., ... & Bindels, P. (2018). The impact of vaccination and patient characteristics on influenza vaccination uptake of older adults: A discrete choice experiment. Vaccine , 36 (11), 1467-1476.
Heins, M. J., Hooiveld, M., & Korevaar, J. C. (2018). Healthy elderly and influenza vaccination. Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics , 14 (12), 2987-2989.
Petrie, J. G., Ohmit, S. E., Cheng, C. K., Martin, E. T., Malosh, R. E., Lauring, A. S., ... & Monto, A. S. (2016). Influenza vaccine effectiveness against antigenically drifted influenza higher than expected in hospitalized adults: 2014–2015. Clinical Infectious Diseases , 63 (8), 1017-1025.
