Do perinatal nurses still check for blood return when administering the hepatitis B vaccine?

OBJECTIVE

To describe how changes in recommendations regarding aspirating for blood return prior to intramuscular immunization have diffused into perinatal nurses' practice using the diffusions of innovations theory as a framework and to explore what factors influenced decisions to adopt new administration techniques.

DESIGN &

SETTING

This descriptive study used a survey design with a convenience sample of hospital-based perinatal nurses. A link to an online survey regarding injection knowledge and practices surrounding administering the hepatitis B vaccine to newborns was distributed to nurse managers in Indiana, and they were asked to forward the link to their staffs.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 72 nurses participated in the survey.

RESULTS

The majority of respondents (90%) continued to aspirate with the vaccination. Only 13% knew this practice was no longer recommended.

CONCLUSIONS

For the most part, participants were still in the knowledge phase regarding changes in vaccination administration practices. Lack of knowledge, considered a characteristic of the potential adopter, was the primary barrier to change. More research is needed to understand how communication, organizational factors, and the actual innovation factored into the change process. Additional research is needed to examine the practice of aspirating with other injectables.