What You Need to Do and Not to Do While Storing Vaccines

You have to store vaccines in refrigerators carefully. There are some things to do and other things not to do. Know all about those.

Properly storing vaccines can be more challenging than you have ever imagined. Apart from challenges, it can be confusing as well. 

If you run a medical facility, you must go through many resources containing regulations from different bodies, such as the CDC, the VFC Program, County Health Departments, etc. And in response, you cannot escape spending some time doing a bit of hard work in understanding the nitty-gritty of vaccine storage handling.

It will help if you know the do's and do-not's respect the implied context. Here is the list

Do's

Track With a Data Logger

Monitor refrigerator temperatures with a data logger instead of a mercury thermometer. A data logger is a digital device to take temperature readings. With a digital logger, you can also set alarms to send an alert signal when temperatures go out of range. A data logger provides more accurate temperature readings than a mercury thermometer or chart recorder. 

Use a Temperature Probe Buffer

It is a good idea to use a remote probe and temperature buffer for vaccine temperature monitoring. You should insert the remote probe into a temperature buffer to allow the probe to read vaccines' temperatures.

Restrict Refrigerators from Unplugging

Never allow your staff to unplug the vaccine storage refrigerator even by accident, as that will lead to disastrous consequences. Let everyone who comes near the refrigerator know that it should never be unplugged to cut off electricity. Use signs and protective plug cases to let people near the refrigerator know that they should not touch the electric plug connected to the refrigerator. 

If your refrigerator loses electricity, its internal temperature will rise, damaging the stored vaccines. In that way, you will have to throw away the costly vaccines. 

It will help if you put signs like "Don't Unplug" at your refrigerator electrical outlet, buy secure plug cases, and alert your staff (including the cleaning crew) not to unplug the refrigerator.

Do Not's

Monitor Temperature With a Chart Recorder

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that data loggers and NOT chart recorders be used to monitor vaccine storage temperature. And the reason is straightforward: chart recorders cannot accurately read a vaccine's storage temperature conditions.

Use a Dorm Style Refridgerator

Avoid using dorm-style refrigerators for storing vaccines. Such units cannot maintain temperatures within the 35-46 degrees F range. Besides, the CDC ruled these refrigerators out years ago.

Use Non-Calibrated Data Loggers

Get a NIST Traceable Calibration performed by an A2LA or similarly accredited laboratory for your data logger to ensure its accuracy. Also, make sure the data logger you buy comes with a Certificate of Calibration.

Conclusion

Therefore, you need to avoid the do-not's and adhere to the do's for the simple reason--storing vaccines properly.