Nursing Faculty Publishes in International Journal of Evidence Based Healthcare
by aliviawachsmuth
Pam Strohfus, associate professor and coordinator of DNP program for the School of Nursing, published an article in the International Journal of Evidence Based Healthcare in September. Sharon Brown, Central District Health Department, and Paige Potratz, student in the School of Nursing, coauthored the article.
The article, titled, “Effective and Sustainable Advice Line Promotes Safe Vaccine Practices” analyzed the SHOT LINE Telephone Assistance Resource effectiveness in providing health care providers with timely and consistent information on immunization administration.
SHOT LINE was created to advise healthcare personnel with immunization questions. Strohfus analyzed ten years of SHOT LINE call data through categorizing types of calls, types of personnel calling, facility type, information needed, and education provided. She found that SHOT LINE had provided timely education to healthcare personnel whose primary responsibilities were immunization practice management, administration, and vaccine handling.
Strohfus’ findings revealed a significant need for timely advice in immunization practice management and error reporting was an unexpected outcome of the advice line. She also found the line users had grown to include parents, school nurses, child care providers, and emergency personnel. Strohfus concluded that SHOT LINE prevents errors, increases accuracy of vaccine management, and provides timely education.
Over the last 11 years, Strohfus’ research focus has been threefold: one, insure effective vaccine delivery, two, influence immunization policy changes, and three, increase immunization rates in Idaho. Prior to coming to Boise State, she spent 20 years at Kaiser Permanente in Colorado and California working in nursing, quality programs, management and administration. Prior to her career at Kaiser Permanente, her nursing background included medical/surgical, neonatal intensive care, pediatrics and primary care. Strohfus currently serves on the Board of the Idaho Immunization Coalition as Past Chair and the Immunization Advisory Board at CDHD.