Immunity Flashcards
What is active immunity?
Immune system stimulated to produce antibodies
— exposure to antigens produces active immunity
— Vaccines boost antibody production; produce active immunity
What are the 7 general rules of immunization?
1) The more similar a vaccine is to the natural disease, the better the immune response to the vaccine
2) Vaccine types: - Inactivated vaccines - live attenuated vaccines
3) There is no contraindication to the simultaneous administration of any vaccines
4) Live attenuated vaccines generally produce long-lasting immunity with a single dose while inactivated vaccines require multiple doses and may require periodic boosting to maintain immunity
5) Increasing the interval between doses of a multidose vaccine does not diminish the effectiveness of the vaccine - BUT - decreasing the interval between doses of a multidose vaccine may interfere with antibody response and production.
6) Adverse reactions following live attenuated vaccines are similar to a mild form of the natural disease while adverse reactions following inactivated vaccines are mostly local and may occur with or without fever.
7) Contraindication vs precaution:
– Precaution: recipient – chance of reaction or compromise ability of vaccine to produce immunity
– Contraindication – Recipient – severe reaction if give
—– 2 true contraindications
—– —– 1) Severe allergic reaction to a vaccine component or after a prior dose of vaccine
—– —– 2) Encephalopathy without a known cause occurring within 7 days of a dose.
What is passive immunity?
Preformed antibodies transferred from one individual to another
— Maternal antibodies cross the placenta
— Immune globulin
— Treatment for botulism, tetanus, and rabies
Fast onset, lasts 3-6 months
Nursing interventions for immunization agents?
– Assess for risk-based precautions: pregnancy, diabetes, heart disease, renal failure
– Provide education on importance of receiving vaccinations
– Answer questions and concerns regarding risks and benefits of vaccines
– Instruct on recommended immunization schedule and follow-up vaccines.
Amelia is 31 years old and is pregnant with the couple’s third child. She is 20 weeks pregnant. Is Amelia able to receive vaccinations? If so, which ones can she receive?
She can receive any inactivated vaccines after 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Influenza and pneumococcal are recommended especially if she has a chronic lung illness.
TDap between 27 weeks-36 weeks of pregnancy. No live attenuated vaccines while pregnant.
Thomas is now 60 years old. What vaccinations might his health care provider recommend to him?
Zoster, pneumococcal, TDap if not within 10 years.
Joan is a 34 year old female. She has never received the hepatitis B vaccine. Her brother who is chronically ill and cared for at home by their parents and occasionally Joan has contracted hepatitis B. Her health care provider recommends that Joan receive the HB immune globulin. What would the nurse teach Joan about this medication?
This medication is given to boost the person’s own immune system to fight off the illness. This injection is specific to Hep B. It is given within 24 hours of exposure, but no later than 7 days. It works very quickly and the effects last 3 - 6 months.
Possible side effects include local reactions at the injection site (pain, erythema, myalgia), flu-like symptoms (malaise, fever, chills) and headache.
A second dose is required 28 - 30 days after exposure.
