Warning about vaccine administration errors

Recent reports of whooping cough outbreaks leading to newborn deaths are causing serious concern within the medical community. In August 2006 and again in July 2010, the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) issued a warning regarding confusion between Adacel and Daptacel, vaccines used to forestall tetanus, pertussis, and diphtheria. ISMP explained how giving infants the unsuitable vaccine can lead to an ineffective vaccine, leaving children vulnerable to infections. The IMSP Medicines Safety Alert of 1 July 2010 stated that “Part of the issue is that the official product names are very similar, although listed in a unique order on the labels. One of them is diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine (DTaP). ), is sold under the brand names DAPTACEL and TRIPEDIA (Sanofi Pasteur) and INFANRIX (GlaxoSmithKline). This figure is meant for kids aged 6 weeks to six years. The second vaccine is tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid and acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap) is sold under the names BOOSTRIX (GlaxoSmithKline) and ADACEL (Sanofi Pasteur) and is meant to be used as an injection for older children, adolescents and adults.

It’s back to high school season, and fogeys, school nurses, pediatric nurses and NPs are desirous about vaccines. This is a superb time to review our procedures for prescribing and administering childhood vaccines to make sure the right vaccine is ordered and administered each time. More information in regards to the really useful vaccination schedule may be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/.

Post via Karen Innocent, MS, RN, CRNP, ANP-BC, CMSRN