1. DIANE GOULD HCA FLU UPDATE SEPT/OCT 2016
THE COLD CHAIN
DIANE GOULD HCA FLU UPDATE SEPT/OCT 2016

2. LEARNING OUTCOMES
DESCRIBE THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING THE COLD CHAIN
IDENTIFY A BREAK IN THE COLD CHAIN.
DESCRIBE THE STEPS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN WHEN THERE IS A BREAK IN THE COLD CHAIN.
CONFIDENCE THAT YOU ARE ADMINISTERING A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE VACCINE.

3. WHAT IS THE COLD CHAIN
VACCINES NEED TO BE KEPT AT A CONSTANT TEMPERATURE TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE EFFECTIVE.
VACCINES NEED TO BE KEPT AT TEMPERATURE BETWEEN 2 AND 8 C
A MID RANGE OF 5 C IS GOOD PRACTICE.
THE COLD CHAIN NEEDS TO BE MAINTAINED FROM THE FACTORY TO THE POINT OF INJECTION.

4. THE VACCINE FRIDGE
NEEDS TO BE A SPECIALISED VACCINE FRIDGE (£600-£1200)
ONLY VACCINES SHOULD BE KEPT IN THE VACCINE FRIDGE
VACCINES MUST BE KEPT IN THEIR ORIGINAL BOXES
LABEL THE PLUG “DO NOT UNPLUG”
DO NOT PUT ITEMS ON TOP OF THE FRIDGE
ROTATE STOCK
DO NOT OVERLOAD THE FRIDGE
KEEP VACCINES AWAY FROM THE BACK OF THE FRIDGE – THEY MAY FREEZE.

5. MEASURING THE FRIDGE TEMPERATURE

6. OBSERVE THE FOUR Rs
READ
RECORD
RESET
REACT

7. TEMPERATURE OUT OF RANGE
REMEMBER THE FOUR Rs
PUT A BIG POSTER ON THE FRIDGE “DO NOT USE VACCINES”
INFORM LEAD NURSE/PRACTICE MANAGER ACCORDING TO YOUR PROTOCOL
INCIDENTS NOW NEED TO BE REPORTED TO NHS ENGLAND.

8. WHAT GOES WRONG IN FLU SEASON ?

9. VACCINES ARE LEFT ON DESKS
NOT ALL USED
THEN PUT BACK IN THE FRIDGE
THEN THIS IS REPEATED.
HOW CAN THIS BE AVOIDED?

10. VACCINES CAN BE DELIVERED TO RECEPTION AND THEN NOT PUT IN THE FRIDGE
WHAT IS YOUR PRACTICE POLICY TO AVOID THIS ?

11. NO ROOM IN THE FRIDGES FOR EXTRA VACCINE STOCK
WHAT DOES YOUR PRACTICE DO ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ?

12. REMEMBER
WE ARE ALL RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING PATIENTS RECEIVE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE VACCINES

13. MORE INFORMATION
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ads/system/uploads/attachment_dat a/file/326417/Vaccine_Incident_Guid ance.pdf
ads/system/uploads/attachment_dat a/file/300304/Protocol_for_ordering__s toring_and_handling_vaccines_March _2014.pdf