Ask the Experts: Drawing Up Vaccine Doses in Advance

Is it okay to draw up vaccines at the beginning of the shift? If it isn’t, how much in advance can this be done?
Answer:
The ACIP discourages the practice of prefilling vaccine into syringes, primarily because of the increased possibility of administration and dosing errors. An exception may be considered when only a single type of vaccine is to be administered during a clinic (e.g., influenza). Another reason to discourage the practice in general is that some vaccines have a very limited shelf life after reconstitution. If the reconstituted vaccine is not used within the designated time period, it must be discarded. A chart of the time allowed between reconstitution and use, "Vaccines with Diluents: How to Use Them," is available at www.immunize.org/catg.d/p3040.pdf. For more information on prefilling syringes, please read www.immunize.org/technically-s....
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Immunize.org established Ask the Experts to provide practical answers to clinical questions about vaccines and vaccine administration. Our Immunize.org experts have answered more than 1,200 clinical questions like this one based on ACIP recommendations. You can find all of these questions and answers on our "Ask the Experts" page at www.immunize.org/askexperts.
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