Staff Requirements
It is essential for all staff to be trained and equipped in A cloud based temperature logging system is the second tier of protection for the vaccines. It ensures that users are IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED of a temperature breach as well as providing a fully automated temperature audit.
Essential features
ALL of the following features must be followed by the ENTIRE staff
Vaccine management protocol
An effective vaccine management protocol will ensure that you are ready before an emergency occurs. Ensure that the following are in place and included in your protocol:
- A trained, designated person is responsible for vaccine storage and implementation of protocols.
- A trained back-up person is available to relieve the designated person when required.
- All staff are trained to manage vaccine storage and the cold chain effectively, to ensure that all cold chain issues are identified and addressed in a timely manner. This includes non-medical staff such as cleaners.
- Contact names and numbers are readily available for reporting
- cold chain breaches
- refrigerator and/or data logger maintenance issues
- power failures.
- Back-up vaccine storage options are documented and tested.
Equipment instructions
Include instructions for:
- correctly using the vaccine fridge, including
- stocking it correctly
- efficiently removing vaccines to minimise door open times
- reading the current temperature
- reading the minimum and maximum temperatures, and resetting them
- equipment maintenance, including
- servicing the refrigerator and data logger
- changing the data logger batteries
- cleaning the refrigerator
- freezer storage for ice packs and gel packs (in case of power failure, or mobile or outreach immunisation sessions).
Vaccine instructions
Include instructions for:
- ordering and receiving vaccines; for ordering procedures, contact your state or territory health department (see contact details on the last page of these guidelines)
- rotating stock so that vaccines with the shortest expiry date are used first
- calculating vaccine storage requirements (see Section 5.5)
- storing vaccines and diluents.
Vaccine transport
Include instructions for:
- packing a cooler
- conditioning the ice packs and gel packs
- temperature-monitoring equipment and documentation
Breach procedure
Include instructions for:
- reporting a cold chain breach (see Appendix 3 ‘Cold chain breach protocol’)
- action to take if the refrigerator temperature goes outside the recommended range (including what to do and how to prevent it happening again)
- communication channels with other staff who handle vaccines (if any interventions are taken to maintain the cold chain)