Covid-19 vaccine confidence and hesitancy in nursing students and faculty at a large academic medical center

• Published in: Nursing outlook Vol. 70; no. 2; pp. 347 - 354
• Main Authors: Morris, Jonna L, Baniak, Lynn M., Luyster, Faith S., Dunbar-Jacob, Jacqueline
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.03.2022
• Subjects: Academic Medical Centers; Covid-19; COVID-19 - prevention & control; COVID-19 Vaccines; Faculty, Nursing; Humans; Nursing faculty; Nursing students; SARS-CoV-2; Students, Nursing; Vaccination; Vaccine hesitancy; Vaccines; Nursing students; Covid-19; Vaccine hesitancy; Nursing faculty
• ISSN: 0029-6554; 1528-3968; 1528-3968
• DOI: 10.1016/j.outlook.2021.10.010

•During the vaccine rollout in February 2021, > 87% of nursing students and faculty at a large medical academic center reported they were fairly or completely confident that the vaccine was safe and that it would effectively mitigate their risk•This represented a 52.6% decrease in vaccine hesitancy from 6 months prior to the survey and was due to access to increased vaccine research, vaccine education, and watching others successfully get the vaccine.•However, 22% of those who reported they intended to receive the vaccine also reported moderate to high concern about its side-effects and/or long-term efficacy•To encourage confidence in the vaccine, academic policies should promote infectious disease prevention throughout their programs of study with a focus on up-to-date and rigorous research on Covid-19.•We additionally recommend student testimonials from those who have gotten the vaccine, outreach to nursing student organizations, and targeted campaigns to all undergraduate students as another way to encourage vaccine uptake. Little is known about nursing faculty and nursing student's confidence or potential hesitancy to receive the Covid-19 vaccine once it was available. An anonymous electronic survey of nursing students and faculty was conducted at a large academic center in the eastern U.S. Both students and faculty reported they were fairly or completely confident that the vaccine was safe (n = 235, 89.4%) and that it would effectively mitigate their risk (n = 230, 87.5%). There was a 52.6% decrease in vaccine hesitancy from 6 months prior (p <.01); 22% (n = 58) of those currently willing to receive the vaccine reported moderate to high concern about its side-effects and/or long-term efficacy. Access to vaccine research, vaccine education, and watching others be inoculated, had mitigated their concerns from the previous six months. While both nursing students and faculty reported having high confidence in the efficacy and safety of the Covid-19 vaccine, concerns remained.