Nurses Tackle Vaccine Hesitancy

However, task force member Blima Marcus, RN, DNP, ANP-BC, OCN, a nurse practitioner at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, says the group has found it more effective to address parents directly in face-to-face neighborhood meetings that allow for questions and discussion.

Some local pediatricians have begun attending these events to learn more about recent anti-vaxx propaganda. Anti-vaccine arguments can be a moving target, sometimes putting providers in the awkward position of trying to refute a claim they’ve never heard before. Nurse-led educational sessions like these give physicians an opportunity to arm themselves with appropriate responses and talking points.

Listening With Respect

Although her group’s current efforts focus on Orthodox Jewish communities, Marcus doesn’t see this as a religious issue. “I think that being a member of the community is helpful,” she recently told MPR, “but the most helpful part is that I’m a nurse.”

She says what’s most important is to engage in a nonjudgmental dialogue that respects parental concerns; offers clear, evidence-based responses; and helps caregivers separate facts from myths, scams and half-truths.

“I listen carefully, answer questions and use actual science to try to dispel conspiracy theories and paranoia about financial gain by doctors, the CDC and others involved in the vaccination process,” Marcus explains.

In this Article: Public Health, Vaccination