Flu Immunization: Risks, Benefits, and Strategies for Effective Communication

This article discusses the risks and benefits of flu immunization, as well as strategies for effective family-centered communication. It emphasizes the importance of flu vaccination for infants and highlights how it can protect not only the child but also those around them. The article also explores the significance of shared decision making and medical record sharing in promoting effective communication. It provides comprehensive information to help readers make informed decisions about flu immunization.

Running head: FLU IMMUNIZATION 1
Flu Immunization
Name
Institution

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FLU IMMUNIZATION
Introduction
Influenza remains an acute respiratory sickness caused by influenza B or A which occurs
in outbreaks global each year, mostly during winter. Among healthy infants, flu generally
remains a self-limited as well as uncomplicated disease. Seasonal influenza remains a significant
medical and public health problem. Vaccination against influenza remains accepted worldwide
as a critical strategy for control and prevention (Singh et al. 2019). This paper is divided into
different parts. The first part will discuss the risk and benefits of flu immunization. The second
part will discuss the risks linked with refusing flu immunization. Lastly, this paper will discuss
the two strategies which promote effective family-centred communication. The main purpose of
this paper is to discuss issues relating to flu vaccination.
Flu immunization is so crucial to infants because it helps us to reduce the number of flu
death and infection (Zhong et al. 2019). Flu vaccine will not only protect Beth against flu, the
vaccine will prevent the infection from spreading from the child to cares, family as well as wider
population. Beth is more at risk of contracting influenza and is entitled to free vaccination.
Therefore you should note that flu immunization shall reduce the risk of influenza to your child.
Also, influenza vaccination of infants is recommended to help in preventing diseases such as
measles (Blanchard-Rohner & Eberhardt, 2017). There remains no live virus that exists in the flu
shot, so the patient cannot acquire flu from the vaccine. Vaccine testing often takes many years,
and this makes it safe and effective for use. You should also note that vaccine which is licensed
by the government passed through different stages of inspections, and they are free from any
danger. The flu vaccine remains harmless and recommended for infants aged 12 months as well
as older who need to lessen the likelihood of getting sick with flu. Besides to all vaccines being

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monitored and registered by the TGA (Therapeutic Good Administration), NSW Health
appraisals all reports of possible adverse occasions following vaccination to ensure quick follow
up as required (Tinnion & Berrington, 2010). The flu vaccine for infants has a good safety
record. For instance, in United Kingdom, many children have been vaccinated successfully. So,
you should allow Beth to be vaccinated because the process of vaccination is safe. Additionally,
a national program that investigates unexpected events following vaccination and ensures quick
public health actions, known as AusVaxsafety, remains used. If you looked at the annual analysis
of feedback of parent via phone messages surveys last year has confirmed that flu vaccine is safe
for infants (Petousis-Harris, Poole, Turner & Reynolds, 2012). Research studies confirm that the
use of cocooning may inhibit seasonal influenza in Beth. When close contacts of Beth remain
protected from Influenza, it will reduce the chances of Beth of being infested with Influenza
(Hartley Li, Kunkel & Crowcroft, 2019). This method assumes that many infants Beth included
may contract influenza from other close contacts or caregivers. Researchers affirm that Flu is
caused by a virus that remains spread by contact with the fluids of other people sneezes and
coughs. Each year, this flu causes widespread sickness in society (Philpott, 2019). Many
researchers affirm that vaccinating children (infants) with pneumococcal conjugate vaccine may
lower the risk of contracting upper respiratory infections in children. This proofs that this
vaccination will benefit Beth because it shall protect Beth from contracting febrile respiratory
sickness. Another benefit of Flu vaccination is that it can lower the risk of flu-linked
hospitalization for Beth. Flu Vaccine indeed inhibits 10, 000 of hospitalizations every year. For
instance, during the year 2016, flu vaccination barred an approximate eighty-five thousand flu-
linked hospitalizations (Fisman & Bogoch, 2017). A study conducted by some researchers in
2016 also indicated that flu vaccine reduced infants' risk of flu-linked pediatric PICU (Pediatric

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ICU) admission by seventy-four during flu seasons (Prospero et al. 2019). It is good to allow
your child get vaccinated since it will also protect individuals around her, including those who
remain more susceptible to serious flu sicknesses, such as young children and babies, and people
with chronic health conditions (Blyth et al. 2014). Therefore this shows that flu vaccination will
not only protect Beth from contracting diseases; it will also protect other people around her. Flu
immunization has been revealed in some studies to reduce severity of sickness in infants who get
immunized but still get sick. Study conducted in 2017 reveled that flu vaccination reduced ICU
admissions, death, and length of stay in ICU.
The risk associated to refusing flu immunization is that your child who is Beth is at risk
of getting sick as well as suffering pain, disability, and it may even lead to the death of your
beloved child. This is because your child may develop other diseases like whooping cough and
measles. Researchers argue that influenza disease can happen among individuals of all ages.
Nevertheless, the risk for hospitalizations, death, and complications are higher among young
infants (Getahun et al. 2019). Therefore, it is true that without flue immunization, your child may
contract some disease like measles. For instance, in the US, the actual number of influenza-
linked deaths is high among infants because some parents are against flu immunization. .
According to the United State centers for disease prevention and control, each year, more than
two hundred thousand individuals in the US are hospitalized for heart and respiratory problems
linked to seasonal flu. Also, it causes forty-nine thousand deaths yearly. Statistically, the chances
of the infants who do not undergo flu immunization getting diseases, for example, pertussis,
measles, or other diseases being prevented by the vaccine are incredibly high. This is because the
vaccine prevents many dangerous diseases in the body. Also, we find that the vaccine
strengthens the immune system of the child, and without flu immunization, the immune system

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of the child will be weak. Vaccines mainly reduce the child's risk of infection via working with
her/his body's natural defenses to assist safety in creating immunity to disease. Therefore,
without flu immunization, the child may be at higher risk for infection.
Patient-centered communication remains a bidirectional as well as the collaborative
exchange of data or information between patients and other health professionals.(King, A., &
Hoppe, R. B. (2013)) Some of the strategies that the nurse might use to encourage effective
family-centered communication with parents include the following: Adoption of shared decision
making tools and techniques to support patients as well as their providers in engaging more so in
a dialogue regarding the disadvantages and advantages of potential treatment options such as
immunization and the personal effects of different decisions. The use of tools and technology
will encourage active collaboration and participation, as well as information sharing between the
patient and nurses. According to some researches, this strategy may improve communication,
thereby enabling most parents to go for immunization. Another strategy that the nurse should use
to promote effective family-centered communication with parents includes sharing the medical
record with parents. The nurse should invite parents not only to see their personal health
information and that of the child but also to give progress notes as well as alert caregivers of any
missing or inaccurate information. In this process, the nurse has the opportunity of informing the
patients of some of the benefits associated with flu immunization and the risk associated with
refusing flu immunization to, their children. This strategy shall also promote effective-centered
communication since it provides the patients with the opportunity of knowing their status and
that of their infants. Therefore, the nurse should use it to improve family-centered
communication.

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Conclusion
Seasonal influenza remains a critical public health issue at the excesses of ages as well as
in vulnerable groups. When you have an undesirable reaction to the vaccine, signs, and
symptoms typically occur within the first fifteen minutes after getting the vaccines. These
symptoms may include wheezing, difficulty breathing, rash or hives, feeling weak, swelling
around the mouth and eyes. It takes nearly two weeks after getting the vaccination for the body
to develop immunity. During this period, an individual may even get the flu. From this paper, we
found that Patient-centered communication refers to the collaborative exchange of data or
information between patients and other health professionals. The two strategies discussed in the
paper that can encourage effective family-centered communication are Adoption of shared
decision making tools and techniques and sharing the medical record with parents. These two
strategies will promote interaction between the nurses and parents.

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