title: Student nurses' intention to get the influenza vaccine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is no national or international recommendation for nursing students to receive the influenza vaccine. Nurses are among the group of health professionals who traditionally have a low uptake of the vaccine and who arguably have the closest contact with patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the uptake of influenza vaccination among student nurses, explore reasons for either declining or receiving it in the past, and establish if and to what extent the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) can explain vaccination behaviour.
  
  
  METHODS
  A quantitative, descriptive, correlational design was used. Data were collected with a researcher-developed questionnaire; 131 student nurses participated. Ethical approval was gained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  79% (n=104) had never received the vaccine. The most common reason was 'I don't need it as I rarely get ill'. Low mean 'intention' scores indicated that students were unlikely to get the vaccine once qualified. Past behaviour was significantly associated with future intentions. The TPB explained 41.9% of the variance in intention. Attitude emerged as the greatest predictor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Student nurses do not have strong intentions to get the vaccine. Results serve to guide future educational and occupational health initiatives, which would benefit from a framework based on TPB.
authors.affiliation: Research Support Officer, Clinical Research Nurse, Centre for Gerontology and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cornally
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ann Deasy
authors.forename: Geraldine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: McCarthey
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McAuley
authors.forename: Joe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Weathers
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McAuley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines