A Multicomponent Intervention to Improve Pneumococcal Vaccination Knowledge Among Internal Medicine Residents

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices updated its pneumococcal vaccination guidelines in September 2014 and provided an additional recommendation in February 2016. We perceived a knowledge gap related to these guidelines among residents who serve as primary care physicians during postgraduate training. Our research team confirmed the presence of this knowledge gap and designed a curriculum focused on the current guidelines for pneumococcal vaccination.

This curriculum consists of a preeducation quiz and survey, as well as an educational video, pocket card, and poster. The educational materials were then disseminated over a 7-week period and included a short video, handouts (laminated pocket cards), and summaries of guideline recommendations in electronic format.

The quiz, which includes eight clinical vignette selected-response items, revealed a knowledge deficiency. For example, only a minority of residents (31.2%) correctly chose the appropriate pneumococcal vaccination schedule for an elderly patient with multiple comorbid and chronic medical ailments. A postintervention survey showed that a majority of residents (87.5%) found the educational tools effective in improving understanding and implementation of vaccine guidelines.

This novel educational strategy is designed to increase resident knowledge of pneumococcal vaccination guidelines with eventual translation to actual clinical practice.