Preventing transmission of influenza in healthcare settings requires a multifaceted approach that includes rapid identification of patients with influenza and institution of precautions, using masks where appropriate, keeping ill visitors away, emphasizing hand hygiene to prevent the spread of influenza, and using respiratory etiquette. In addition, all health care workers should be vaccinated against influenza virus.
Who is a Health Care Worker?
Health Care Workers (HCW) are personnel who work in acute care hospitals, nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities, physician offices, urgent care centers, outpatient clinics, and home health care agencies. Those working in clinical settings within non-health care institutions, such as school nurses or those staffing clinics in correctional facilities are also considered HCW.
HCW include all people whose occupational activities involve contact with patients or contaminated material in health care settings, including home health care or clinical laboratory settings. This includes those who do not provide direct patient care, but have patient contact, such as personnel involved in dietary and housekeeping services. HCW include all contractors, clinicians, volunteers, students, trainees, clergy, and others who come in contact with patients.
Why should Health Care Workers get vaccinated against the flu?
HCW have a special role in the fight against influenza.
- By getting vaccinated themselves, HCW can protect their health, their families’ health, and the health of their patients.
- Encouraging vaccination of vulnerable patients can protect them from the flu.
- High rates of vaccination among HCW have been linked to improved patient outcomes and reduced absenteeism and flu infection among staff.
US CDC, Maine CDC, and other professional groups recommend that all HCW get annual influenza vaccine. However, fewer than half of HCW nationwide get the flu vaccine. With the emergence of the pandemic H1N1 flu in 2009, Maine CDC required health care facilities to report the rate of their workers vaccinated against H1N1. The rates for hospitals, home health, long-term care facilities, and other providers are listed in the following tables.
| Hospital Vaccination 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccination Rates | |
| Rate | Facility |
| Vaccination rate between 75% and 100% | Calais Regional Hospital (76%) |
| Cary Medical Center (80%) | |
| MaineGeneral - Augusta Campus (76%) | |
| MaineGeneral - Waterville Campus (81%) | |
| Northern Maine Medical Center (75%) | |
| Penobscot Valley Hospital (97%) | |
| Sebasticook Valley Hospital (93%) | |
| Vaccination rate between 50% and 74% | Blue Hill Memorial Hospital (55%) |
| Bridgton Hospital (69%) | |
| Down East Community Hospital (58%) | |
| Eastern Maine Medical Center (65%) | |
| Houlton Regional Hospital (70%) | |
| Inland Hospital (50%) | |
| Maine Coast Memorial Hospital (63%) | |
| Maine Medical Center (66%) | |
| Mayo Regional Hospital (60%) | |
| Mercy Hospital (59%) | |
| Mid Coast Hospital (69%) | |
| Millinocket Regional Hospital (73%) | |
| Parkview Adventist Medical Center (63%) | |
| Redington Fairview General Hospital (60%) | |
| Rumford Hospital (72%) | |
| Southern Maine Medical Center (64%) | |
| St. Joseph Health Care (70%) | |
| St. Mary's Health System (52%) | |
| The Aroostook Medical Center (50%) | |
| Waldo County General Hospital (57%) | |
| York Hospital (54%) | |
| Vaccination rate less than 50% or no reported rate | Central Maine Medical Center (NR) |
| Charles A. Dean (25%) | |
| Franklin Memorial Hospital (NR) | |
| Goodall Hospital (0%) | |
| Miles Memorial Hospital (NR) | |
| Penobscot Bay Medical Center (NR) | |
| Spring Harbor Hospital (48%) | |
| St. Andrews Hospital (NR) | |
| Non-Hospital Health Care Facility 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccination Rates | |
| Rate | Facility |
| Vaccination rate between 75% and 100% | Bridgton Health Care Center (89%) |
| Calais Regional Hospital Home Health (83%) | |
| HealthReach Network (79%) | |
| KVCAP Family Planning (80%) | |
| MaineGeneral – Glenridge (75%) | |
| MaineGeneral - Gray Birch (76%) | |
| MaineGeneral - Inn @ City Hall (90%) | |
| MaineGeneral Rehab & Nursing Care (77%) | |
| Professional Home Nursing (89%) | |
| Vaccination rate between 50% and 74% | Acadia Hospital (50%) |
| Ash Street (73%) | |
| Clover Manor Inc (55%) | |
| Downeast Health Services (58%) | |
| Family Planning Association of Maine (55%) | |
| Fryeburg Health Care & Residential Center (61%) | |
| Home Health Visiting Nurses (62%) | |
| Jackman Region Health Center (67%) | |
| Katherine Brown Home (56%) | |
| Klearview Manor (59%) | |
| Lincoln County Health Care (59%) | |
| Madigan Estates N.H. (53%) | |
| Madigan Home Health Care (67%) | |
| Maine Veteran's Home- Caribou (56%) | |
| Mount Desert Nursing Association (67%) | |
| Pine Point Center (51%) | |
| Riverview Psychiatric Center (61%) | |
| Sanfield Rehab & Living Center (73%) | |
| South Portland Nursing (72%) | |
| Stephen's Memorial Hospital (74%) | |
| Vaccination rate less than 50% | Accent HealthCare Services (0%) |
| Accomplished Professionals (0%) | |
| Anytime Servies for Seniors Inc. (0%) | |
| Apria Healthcare (18%) | |
| Aroostook Home Health Services – Caribou (23%) | |
| Aroostook Home Health Services - Fort Kent (10%) | |
| Aroostook Home Health Services Houlton (22%) | |
| Ask for Home Care (12%) | |
| Assistance Plus (0%) | |
| Atlantic Home Health Inc. (0%) | |
| Atlantic Rehab Nursing Center (0%) | |
| Augusta Rehab Center (20%) | |
| Bangor Nursing Rehab Center (16%) | |
| Beacon Hospice (0%) | |
| Borderview Rehab & Living Center (16%) | |
| Brewer Rehab & Living Center (0%) | |
| Caribou Rehab and Nursing (45%) | |
| Caring Way Inc. (0%) | |
| Casa ICF (35%) | |
| Coastal Manor (2%) | |
| Community Health & Counseling Services (8%) | |
| Courtland Rehab & Living Center (15%) | |
| Cummings Health Care Facility (0%) | |
| Danforth Habilitation Association (9%) | |
| Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Center (45%) | |
| Durgin Pines (0%) | |
| Eastern Maine Home Care (3%) | |
| Eastern Maine Home Care/ VNA (3%) | |
| Eastside Rehab & Living Center (0%) | |
| Falmouth By The Sea (15%) | |
| Forest Springs (0%) | |
| Forest Springs Community Living Assoc. (9%) | |
| Freeport Nursing & Rehab Center (7%) | |
| Genesis Healthcare- Marshwood Center (43%) | |
| Gentiva Health Services (22%) | |
| Gentiva Home Health (29%) | |
| Gorham House (0%) | |
| Granite Hill Estates (49%) | |
| Greenwood Center (0%) | |
| Harmony (0%) | |
| Harmony Community Living Association (13%) | |
| Harris House (24%) | |
| Hibbard Nursing Home Inc. (2%) | |
| Highview Rehab & Living Center (0%) | |
| Home, Hope, and Healing Inc. (0%) | |
| Independent Health Care Services (0%) | |
| Katahdin Nursing Home (0%) | |
| Kennebec Nursing & Rehab Center (0%) | |
| Ledgeview Living Center (5%) | |
| Maine Medical Partners (34%) | |
| Maine Veteran’s Home – Augusta (36%) | |
| Maine Veteran’s Home – Bangor (0%) | |
| Maine Veteran’s Home – Machias (0%) | |
| Maine Veteran’s Home – Scarborough (0%) | |
| Maine Veteran's Home - South Paris (33%) | |
| Market Square Nursing Facility (44%) | |
| Marsh River Group Home (0%) | |
| Marshall HealthCare (0%) | |
| Maxim Healthcare Services (15%) | |
| Mount Desert Island Hospital (46%) | |
| Mount St. Joseph (35%) | |
| MSMF (39%) | |
| Narraguagus Bay Health Care (0%) | |
| New England Rehab Hospital (46%) | |
| Oak Grove Center (0%) | |
| Oceanview Nursing Home & Res Care (0%) | |
| Odd Fellows HCC (27%) | |
| Orchard Park Rehab & Living Center (33%) | |
| Orono Commons (41%) | |
| Piper Shores (0%) | |
| Presque Isle Rehab & Nursing Center (33%) | |
| Professional Relief Nurses (0%) | |
| River Ridge (0%) | |
| Rumford Community Home (2%) | |
| Schooner Retirement Community Inc. (21%) | |
| Sedgewood Commons (0%) | |
| SMMC Visiting Nurses (28%) | |
| Somerset Rehab & Living Center (0%) | |
| Sonogee Rehab & Living Center (0%) | |
| Springbrook Center (0%) | |
| St. Andre Health Care (47%) | |
| St. Joseph Nursing Home (0%) | |
| St. Jospeh's Manor (26%) | |
| Sunrise Care Facility (25%) | |
| Tall Pines Rehab & Living Center (0%) | |
| Teakwood (29%) | |
| Tebolt & Bolduc Inc. (0%) | |
| The Cedars (0%) | |
| Treat Falls House (2%) | |
| Valley Home Health Services – Caribou (31%) | |
| Valley Home Health Services – Fort Kent (10%) | |
| Valley Home Health Services – Houlton (10%) | |
| Varney Crossing Nursing Care Center (0%) | |
| Westgate Manor (36%) | |
| Windward Gardens (32%) | |
| Winthrop Manor Inc. (0%) | |
| No reported rate | Amenity Manor |
| Barron Center | |
| Brentwood Rehab & Nursing Center | |
| Cedar Ridge Center | |
| Cedars Nursing Care Center | |
| Collier's Rehab & Nursing Center | |
| Colonial Health Care | |
| Country Manor Nursing Home | |
| Cove's Edge | |
| Dexter Health Care | |
| Eastport Memorial Nursing Home | |
| Edgewood Rehab & Living Center | |
| Evergreen Manor | |
| Forest Hill Manor | |
| Gardiner Health Care Facility | |
| Gregory Wing of St. Andrews Village | |
| Harbor Hill Center | |
| Hawthorne House | |
| Heritage Rehab & Living Center | |
| Island Nursing Home | |
| Knox Center for Long Term Care | |
| Lakewood | |
| Ledgewood Manor | |
| Maplecrest Rehab & Living Center | |
| Marshwood Center | |
| Mercy Home | |
| Mid Coast Senior Health Center | |
| Montello Manor | |
| Mountain Heights Health Care Facility | |
| Norway Rehab & Living Center | |
| Penobscot Nursing Home | |
| Ross Manor | |
| Russell Park Rehab & Living Center | |
| Sandy River Center | |
| Seal Rock Health Care | |
| Seaside Rehab & Health Care | |
| Sebasticook Valley Health Care | |
| St. Mary's D'Youville Pavilion | |
| Stillwater Health Care | |
| The Commons at Tall Pines | |
| The Gardens | |
| The Newton Center for Rehab & Nursing Care | |
| Victorian Villa | |
| Winship Green Nursing Center | |
| Woodlawn Rehab & Nursing Center | |
