For the union, in addition to the increased workload for staff, the complexity of the appointment scheduling and registration processes, “which generate numerous incidents,” forces these professionals to devote a large part of their time to administrative tasks. It has therefore stressed that these professionals “are not limited to administering vaccines,” but also receive and store doses, manage vaccination schedules, record administered vaccines and monitor possible side effects or adverse reactions.
“All these duties are added to their daily schedule, which includes the care and monitoring of chronic patients, scheduled care and health promotion and prevention activities,” they said. They also recalled that during the previous campaign, due to the increase in flu cases, “it was necessary to implement extraordinary measures, such as setting up a walk-in vaccination facility at Nuestra Señora de Gracia Hospital.”
VACCINATION IN SCHOOLS
Regarding the vaccination campaign in schools announced by the Government of Aragon, Satse has requested information to learn more about how it will be carried out and which nurses will be responsible for vaccinating schoolchildren. “It is essential to reinforce the staffing of these professionals so that the campaign can be carried out with every guarantee,” they said.
Satse has warned that nurses at health centers cannot take on the additional workload involved in traveling to schools to vaccinate without staffing levels being reinforced beforehand. “It must be ensured that the children have their parents’ authorization. We are talking about administering a vaccine and, in addition, nurses must travel with all the necessary equipment to respond to any possible adverse reaction.”
