Nurse volunteers in school-based hepatitis B immunization programs

School districts across the nation are implementing school-based hepatitis B virus vaccination programs. Because adolescents are at risk of contracting hepatitis B virus, these programs are important in preventing infections. Critical to the success of these programs is having qualified and cost-effective health professionals to administer the vaccine. This article describes the recruitment and training of professional nurse volunteers to administer vaccines in school-based clinics. During the 1998-1999 school year, approximately 60 nurses in Durham, North Carolina, volunteered 300 hours of time to the program. In the first year, the cost of recruiting and training volunteers exceeded the savings from salaried school nurse time. However, savings are expected in future years. Other benefits of recruiting volunteers to administer vaccine include allowing school nurses to remain in their usual assignments, increasing awareness of the health department's mission and school health in the community, and improving collaboration among local health agencies.