PICOT Statement: Parental Refusal of Childhood Vaccination

1 Picot Statement: Parental Refusal of Childhood Vaccination Registered nurses play a critical role in providing quality care to the patients besides establishing a healthcare environment on which patients are guaranteed of quality care outcomes.

Evidence-based principles and standards of care guide the actions of nurses. Unfortunately, nurses face potential dilemmas when dealing with certain populations. For instance, mothers are refusing to have their children vaccinated against certain diseases. The refusal of mothers to childhood vaccination is a major challenge for the nurses who have a clear understanding of the potential benefit of this medical activity.

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PICOT STATEMENT: PARENTAL REFUSAL OF CHILDHOOD VACCINATION

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Problem Statement Parental refusal of childhood vaccination is becoming a huge concern due to the risk of increased prevalence of vaccine-preventable diseases in children. Studies have revealed that a large number of parents rely on myths about vaccinations to make decisions regarding childhood vaccinations. Other parents are strict followers of religious and cultural values that restrict the vaccination of children (McKee & Bohannon, 2016). Furthermore, others argue that vaccines are not safe for children and therefore should not be administered. Nursing professionals are getting worried about the increasing trend of parental refusal to childhood vaccination. These professionals are aware that vaccinations provide children with long-term protection against diseases. Nurses are faced with the dilemma of whether to vaccinate children against the will of their parents or respect their rights to make medical decisions on behalf of their children (Parasidis & Opel, 2017).

Evidence-based Solution Increasing awareness of the benefits of vaccines is the best evidence-based solution to resolve the identified problem. Many parents make the wrong choices on the health of their children due to limited knowledge.

Nursing Intervention Education of parents concerning the potential benefits and side effects of vaccines is one of the evidence-based solutions for this dilemma. Studies have revealed that a significant proportion of parents rely on myths and misguided perceptions while making decisions on vaccinations (Parasidis & Opel, 2017). The parents have also shown a desire for more information concerning different health practices from healthcare providers. Nurses should,

PICOT STATEMENT: PARENTAL REFUSAL OF CHILDHOOD VACCINATION

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therefore, educate mothers on all aspects of vaccination to enable them to make practical decisions.

Healthcare Agency The importance of vaccination has been highlighted in the Healthy People 2020 objectives. The Healthy People 2020 goal on immunization and infectious diseases as indicated

by Healthypeople.gov (2018) is to increase the rates of immunization and reduce incidences of preventable infectious diseases. Conducting education sessions to promote childhood vaccination is in line with the Healthy People 2020 goals and objectives.

Picot Question The paper will use the PICOT format to address the issue of parental refusal of childhood vaccination. The purpose of the project is to find out if the education of parents can improve their willingness to have their children vaccinated. The PICOT question which will be used for this project is, “Can the education of mothers concerning the benefits of vaccines decrease incidences of parental refusal of childhood vaccination?”

P- Population- new mothers I- Intervention – education on the benefits of vaccines C- Comparison – no education O- Outcome - decreased incidences of parental refusal to childhood vaccination T- Time – not specified

PICOT STATEMENT: PARENTAL REFUSAL OF CHILDHOOD VACCINATION References Healthypeople.gov. (2018). Immunization and infectious diseases. Retrieved from https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/immunization-andinfectious-diseases McKee, C., & Bohannon, K. (2016). Exploring the reasons behind parental refusal of vaccines.

The Journal of Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics : JPPT, 21(2), 104–109. http://doi.org/10.5863/1551-6776-21.2.104 Parasidis, E., & Opel, D. J. (2017). Parental refusal of childhood vaccines and medical neglect laws. American Journal of Public Health, 107(1), 68-71.

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