Nurse and midwife immunisers

Registered nurses and midwives who have successfully completed a training course that meets the National Immunisation Education Framework for Health Professionals can administer certain vaccines without a prescription or standing order.

Conditions for the administration of vaccines by authorised nurse and midwife immunisers are set out in the ACT Registered Nurse and Midwife Vaccination Standards.

Enrolled nurses are not permitted to administer a vaccine without a prescription.

Find out more about the education framework on the Australian Government Department of Health website.

Training

You can take any of the following recognised courses. These courses met the National Education Framework as described in the standards.

• University of Melbourne – Nurse Immunisation Program
• La Trobe University – Nurse Immuniser Program
• University of Tasmania – Immunisation Education for Registered Nurses
• Australian College of Nursing – Immunisation for Health Practitioners
• South Australia Health – Understanding Vaccines and the National Immunisation Program
• Queensland Health/Cunningham Centre – Registered Nurse Health (Drugs and Poisons) Regulation 1996 course.

Refresher courses

You don't need specific refresher training. However, you must make sure you continue to self-educate to make sure you are professionally competent to practise as an immunisation service provider.

Self-education can include attending seminars on current practices or annually reviewing immunisation best practice policy.

Employer responsibilities

Employers should establish clinical governance structures, documented policies and procedures to ensure authorised nurses or midwives they employ are able to provide vaccination services under ACT regulatory requirements.

This can include:

• processes for checking registration and qualifications of employed nurses and midwives
• patient assessment and post vaccination monitoring
• anaphylaxis management
• vaccine cold chain management
• record keeping and reporting of adverse events
• provision and maintenance of equipment
• checking professional indemnity cover for employees.

Vaccines you can administer

You can administer any Australian registered vaccine without a prescription or standing order including in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods, with the exception of:

• immunisation for tetanus prophylaxis related to wound management
• immunisation for travel purposes
• immunisation of contacts of a case with a notifiable condition, unless directed by the Chief Health Officer (CHO) or their delegate
• immunoglobulin preparations, unless directed by the CHO or their delegate
• immunisation for tuberculosis
• immunisation for Q fever (Coxiella burnetii)
• immunisation for rabies and other lyssaviruses
• immunisation for Japanese encephalitis.

General conditions

As an authorised nurse or midwife immuniser, you must meet the following conditions when administering a vaccine without a prescription or standing order:

• Conduct vaccinations in accordance with the Australian Immunisation Handbook.
• Store vaccines in accordance with the current version of the National Vaccine Storage Guidelines: Strive for 5
• Maintain appropriate records of each vaccination event. Each vaccination event should be recorded on the Australian Immunisation Register.
• Ensure a complete and in-date anaphylaxis response kit is readily available at the premises at which the vaccine is given.
• Adverse events following immunisation (AEFIs) are Notifiable Conditions under the ACT Public Health Act 1997 and must be reported to the Public Health Response Unit.
• Hold a current certificate for the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) anaphylaxis e-training for health professionals.
• Have successfully obtained a statement of proficiency in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, such as Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation - HLTAID001 or equivalent) within the last 12 months.
• Be covered by appropriate professional indemnity insurance for providing vaccinations. Generally, this insurance will be held by the employer.