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Quality Improvement Project to Reduce Delayed Vaccinations in Preterm Infants
1Department of Pediatrics, Children's Mercy Kansas City and University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO (Dr Cuna); and Department of Pediatrics, Children's of Alabama and University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL (Dr Winter).
Summary
Vaccination delays in preterm infants are common. Implementing simple interventions using the Plan-Do-Study-Act model significantly improved on-time vaccinations for vulnerable infants, increasing rates from 36% to 82%.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Pediatric infectious diseases
- Quality improvement in healthcare
Background:
- Preterm infants face heightened vulnerability to infectious diseases.
- Vaccinations are crucial for protecting preterm infants from preventable illnesses.
- Delays in vaccination schedules for preterm infants are a recognized challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To enhance the timeliness of vaccinations for preterm infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit.
- To implement and evaluate quality improvement strategies for infant immunization.
Main Methods:
- The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model guided the development and testing of interventions.
- Interventions focused on improving the administration of vaccinations according to recommended schedules.
- On-time vaccination was defined as receiving immunizations within two weeks of the scheduled date.
Main Results:
- The baseline rate for on-time vaccinations among eligible preterm infants was 36%.
- Following multiple PDSA cycles, a substantial increase in timely vaccinations was observed.
- The project successfully established a new baseline rate of 82% for on-time vaccinations.
Conclusions:
- The Plan-Do-Study-Act model provides an effective framework for implementing interventions to improve vaccination rates in preterm infants.
- Simple, targeted interventions can significantly overcome barriers to timely infant immunization.
- Further research is recommended to solidify vaccine safety and efficacy data in preterm populations and explore dissemination strategies.