ABSTRACT

Regine Salud R Benipayo, Emerald G. Badar, Rhecy F. Espineda and Noel M. Salcedo, "THE LEVEL OF IMPLEMENTATON OF HANDLING VACCINES ON EXPANDED PROGRAM OF IMMUNIZATION IN LEGAZPI CITY,” (An Unpublished Undergraduate Thesis Presented to the Faculty of College of Nursing and Health Sciences Aquinas University of Legazpi 2010),

The study was conducted to determine the level of implementation of handling vaccines on expanded program on immunization in Legazpi City. Specifically, it sought answers to the following sub-problems:(a) demographic data of the respondents in terms of Age, Civil Status, Years in service; (b) the level of implementation in handling vaccines; (c) problems encountered in the implementation of handling vaccines; (d) nursing measures that may be proposed to address the problems encountered. These four sub-problems were answered by the chosen respondents through selecting the appropriate answers in the survey questionnaire provided by the researchers. The descriptive type of research was used in the study utilizing the questionnaire as the main instrument in data gathering. The respondents of the study were the 23 barangay midwives of Legazpi City. The data gathered were statistically treated using the mean, frequency, and percentage.

The following were the salient findings of the study in terms of the computed mean, frequency, and percentage: a. The demographic data of the respondents in terms of Age, Civil Status, and Years in Service The highest age group of the respondents is between 53-58 with a frequency of 8 and a percentage of 35%, and the lowest age group was between 30-35 with a frequency of 2 and percentage of 9%. All the Barangay Midwives in Legazpi City are married, therefore 23 was the frequency and 100% is the percentage. The highest frequency that was gathered is 10 with a percentage of 43% in terms of the number of years in service, while the lowest frequency and percentage is 2 and 9% with number of years in service of 15-19 years and 20-24 year b. The level of implementation of handling vaccines in terms of vaccines storage Vaccines are stored in a dedicated vaccine fridge has a mean of 4.13; Vaccine fridge is opened only twice during immunization dayupon getting the vaccines from the fridge and returning it back to the fridge after immunization has a mean of 4.08. Sticker on the fridge door indicating minimum time of opening the fridge has a mean of 3.73; it represents the lowest computed mean. Vaccines are stored in the middle and upper
shelves of the fridge has a mean of 4.17; Lower drawers of the fridge are filled with bottles of salt water to stabilize fridge temperature got 3.34. Space is maintained between vaccine packages and the evaporation plate has a computed mean of 3.95. The fridge is not over filled; space is left around the vaccine to allow cool air to circulate has 4.26. There is a practice protocol to follow if vaccines have been exposed to temperatures beyond 2°C-8°C- 2.8 has the highest computed mean of 4.39. c. The level of implementation of handling vaccines in terms of vaccines temperature monitoring The fridge has a maximum/minimum thermometer has a mean of 3.43 and it is the lowest computed mean. The temperature of the vaccines are monitored and recorded regularly has a mean of 3.52. The reset button of the thermometer is pressed after recording the temperature of the vaccines got 3.78; Any adjustments to the refrigerator control is always documented in the logbook by the nominated staff got 3.91 and it is the highest computed mean and interpreted as often implemented. d. The level of implementation of handling vaccines in terms of vaccines fridge maintenance The fridge is placed in an area where it does not receive direct sunlight has a mean of 4.47. There is 10cm space around the fridge to allow ventilation has a mean of 4.43; Vaccines fridge power source is labeled to ensure that it is never turned off has a computed mean of 4.43; The fridge is defrosted regularly to prevent ice from building up has a mean of 4.30; Vaccines are stored in alternative insulated container with ice when defrosting the vaccine fridge has a mean of 4.39. e. The level of implementation of handling vaccines in terms of vaccines delivery Cold chain monitors are checked when vaccines are delivered has a mean of 4.17; Expiry date of stock are checked has a mean of 4.21; Vaccines are transferred to fridge immediately upon delivery has a computed mean of 3.39; Vaccines are stored in the fridge in their original packaging has a mean of 4.17. f. Factors that may contribute to the problems encountered in handling vaccines Lack of support personnel (ex. BHW) has a mean of 3.65; Lack or Delay in the supply of vaccines has a mean of 3.69; insufficient instructions or demonstration from the CHU regarding the importance of cold chain method has a mean of 3.73.Indifferent staff in the city health unit has a mean of 3.78; hard headed parents who do not follow the schedule of immunization has a computed mean of 4; Parents who do not believe in immunization has a mean of 4.04; Uncooperative parents has a mean of 4.08. The midwives of Legazpi City belong to an older age group, all were married and have almost three decades in their chosen career. Encouraging the midwives to improve or maintain the positive or good strategies that are being utilized to maintain the proper implementation of handling vaccines is one of the most important solutions to offer Giving seminars and lectures on how to optimize and continuously render the good strategies to maintain the proper handling of vaccines is a very important action plan in order to improve or maintain the level of handling vaccines among midwives of Legazpi City. All the strategies mentioned in the research instrument are rated as excellent or implemented often times. Informing or giving insights among midwives of Legazpi about the importance of proper or maintaining the vaccine storage, vaccine temperature monitoring, fridge maintenance and vaccine delivery would be very helpful for the improvement or maintaining the level of handling vaccines. Encouraging the midwives to use alternative strategies such as putting bottles with salt and water inside the fridge to stabilize the fridge temperature might be helpful in improving the strategies being utilize in handling vaccines. Most of the problems in different health care settings are
insufficient or delay in the supply of different health care necessities, and eradicating this kind of problem might be difficult since this involves all the level of government health agencies in encouraging them to increase the fund or budget for the improvement of the delivery of heath care services and specifically in the maintenance and improvement of the level of implementation in handling vaccines.

Based on the findings, the following were the conclusions of the study: Most of the midwives in Legazpi City are in late adulthood, and it may affect their work performance due to age related factors or family conflict; Most of the midwives have almost ten years in service making them competent enough with their skills; The level of implementation of handling vaccines in terms of vaccines storage were excellent, all the said strategies to maintain vaccines temperature were often implemented; The level of implementation of handling vaccines in terms of vaccines temperature monitoring were also excellent, all the strategies were rated as often implemented; The level of implementation of handling vaccines in terms of vaccines fridge maintenance were excellent, almost all the strategies were often implemented; The level of implementation of handling vaccines in terms of vaccines delivery were also excellent, almost all the strategies in delivering vaccines were often implemented; Along the factors that may contribute to the problems encountered in handling vaccines, the respondents had problems with the lack or delay in the supply of vaccines, they also had problems on the lack of support personnel and hard headed parents who do not follow the schedule of immunization; Encouraging the midwives to improve or maintain the positive or good strategies that are being utilized to maintain the proper implementation of handling vaccines is one of the most important solutions to offer; Giving seminars and lectures on how to optimize and continuously render their good strategies to maintain the proper handling of vaccines is a very important action plan in order to improve or maintain the level of handling vaccines among midwives of Legazpi City; Informing or giving insights among midwives of Legazpi about the importance of proper or maintaining the vaccine storage, vaccine temperature monitoring, fridge maintenance and vaccine delivery would be very helpful for the improvement or maintaining the level of handling vaccines; Encouraging the government to increase the fund or budget in order to maintain and improve the level of implementation in handling vaccines is a solution that may offer to improve the level of handling vaccine