Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 27, 2026
Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design
Published on: May 31, 2021
Evaluating a Tailored Quality Improvement Intervention to Improve Vaccination Coverage in Sydney Residential Aged
Courtney McGregor1, Lauren Tillman1, Lisa Maude1
1South Eastern Sydney Local Health District Public Health Unit, Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia.
Background/Objectives:
Aged care residents are highly vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases. Despite recommendations and funding under Australian programs, vaccination rates among residents for COVID-19, influenza, pneumococcal and shingles remain sub-optimal. The aim of this work was to assess if tailored quality improvement interventions would improve vaccination coverage in aged care residents.
Methods:
This was a quality improvement initiative evaluated using a quasi-experimental pre-post design. Building on previously identified barriers and enablers, a package of interventions and resources was developed to support consent processes, vaccination planning, and tracking. Pre- and post-intervention vaccination coverage was assessed using resident lists from participating aged care facilities and data extracted from the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) at two time points, 14 months apart. A process evaluation survey was distributed to RACF staff.
Results:
Of the 6964 residents listed, 5153 (74%) remained registered in AIR when data was extracted post-intervention. Shingles showed the greatest improvement in absolute difference (+23.4%), followed by pneumococcal (+14.2%) and influenza (+10.9%), despite a high baseline of 68.5%. COVID-19 coverage declined by 7.4% when applying a 6-month reporting interval. Twenty-five staff completed the process evaluation survey; 45% of respondents identified discrepancies between AIR data and internal records, indicating underreporting by external providers. Interventions including the consent template and vaccination tracker were reported as useful and were used to support local vaccination.
Conclusions:
This quality improvement initiative improved coverage for three of the four recommended and funded vaccines for RACF residents and demonstrated the value of tailored interventions informed by consumer and provider feedback. The approach potentially offers a scalable model for improving vaccination rates in aged care across Australia.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Community Based Intervention
Foundations of Community Mental Health Programs
Central to the success of community-based interventions is the...
01:15Nursing Implementation
The five steps to implementing effective nursing care include reassessing the patient, reviewing and revising the existing nursing care plan, organizing the resources and care delivery, anticipating and preventing complications, and implementing nursing interventions.
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
01:29Documentation in Long-Term and Home Healthcare Setting
Long-Term Care Facilities
01:15Nursing Evaluation
01:30Pneumonia V: Nursing management and Prevention
The nurse must practice strict medical asepsis and adhere to infection control guidelines to minimize healthcare-associated infections.
Enhance airway patency
Position the patient correctly to facilitate drainage of the affected lung segments. Manual or mechanical percussion and vibration can also be employed....