The call is going out for registered nurses to help vaccinate Wairarapa's school children against meningococcal B disease.
In Wairarapa the first stage of the immunisation programme will begin in May 2005 and the District Health Board needs all the nurses and community workers it can get to help with the exercise.
There will be four teams of around 11 people working across the district, in schools, at any one time. Each team will include vaccinating nurses, a registered nurse working in the observation area, community health workers, and an administrator who will enter patient details on the National Immunisation Register.
Project Manager for the meningitis vaccination programme at Wairarapa DHB, Debi Lodge-Schnellenberg, said the planning has already started and about 30 additional registered nurses will be needed to administer the vaccines.
"We need vaccinators to help with the school based programme, to assist the GP practices in the South Wairarapa, and to provide Outreach services throughout the region. We also need additional staff to observe children and young people after the vaccination.
"We are looking for registered nurses with current practising certificates and recent working experience as well as community health workers, caregivers or volunteers wanting to work with children over the campaign period."
"There are 7800 Wairarapa school students who need to be vaccinated, so having adequate nursing staff will be crucial for ensuring the programme's success," Mrs. Lodge-Schnellenberg said.
Anyone interested can ring Nicky Poona, Project Administrator, on 06 946 9800 ext 5863."
The immunisation programme requires three injections to be given at six week intervals to protect against the strain of meningococcal B disease that is causing New Zealand's epidemic.
New Zealand is now in its 13th year of a group B meningococcal epidemic. Over this period there have been over 5000 cases and more than 200 deaths. Up to 20 per cent of those affected are left with serious disabilities including deafness, intellectual impairment, permanent skin damage and loss of limbs.
There have been 291 cases recorded nationally this year, including one in Wairarapa, and five deaths.
Nurses needed in Wairarapa to vaccinate for meningococcal
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