The Effect of an Immunization Training Program on the Willingness of Pharmacy Students to Receive, Administer, Recommend, and Counsel About Vaccinations: A retrospective, pre-post study

Abstract

Objectives: To determine whether pharmacy students were more willing to receive, administer, recommend and counsel patients about vaccinations after completing an immunization training program Methods: Anonymous and voluntary questionnaires administered on paper during a regularly scheduled class collected ratings of confidence on the willingness of first year pharmacy students to receive, administer, recommend and counsel about vaccinations prior to and after the completion of an immunization training program. Data on gender, age range, status of completion and source of the immunization training program completed was also collected. This study was approved by the University of Arizona Institutional Review Board (IRB). Results: Questionnaires were completed by 110 students at the Tucson and Phoenix campus. Students were equally willing (p=0.235) to receive all vaccinations, even if they were not required to by the UA COP, before and after the immunization training program.There was a statistically significant difference in the willingness to administer (p<0.001), to recommend (p=0.024) and to counsel (p<0.001) about vaccinations after completion of an immunization training program. Conclusions: Completing an immunization training program did not have influence on the willingness of pharmacy students to receive vaccinations. However, the results suggest pharmacy students are more willing to administer, recommend and counsel about vaccinations after the completion of an immunization training program.