As we enter another flu season, it is reasonable to reflect on whether acute care pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs) can do anything to increase vaccination rates. A small but increasing number of children in the United States are not receiving some or any recommended vaccinations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the percentage of unvaccinated children younger than 2 years has quadrupled since 2001.1  In 2017, 1.3% of infants born did not receive any vaccinations, compared with 1.3% in 2015 and 0.3% in 2001.1  These children were primarily from rural areas and were not insured. The rate of unvaccinated children is thought to be due to the rise in skepticism about vaccine safety and parental refusal to vaccinate, creating communities of children who are susceptible to disease and thus pose a threat to public health. The Associated Press recently reported the results of a...

You do not currently have access to this content.