Nurse immunisers – approved client groups

Community immunisation information

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Approved client groups for immunisation by nurse immunisers are listed by disease (see Table 1).

Standard immunisation procedures must be followed according to the online edition of the Australian Immunisation Handbook.

Table 1: Approved client groups for nurse immunisers
Disease	Approval for nurses to vaccinate with vaccine(s) against this disease includes	Approval for nurses to vaccinate with vaccine(s) against this disease excludes
Diphtheria	vaccination of children and adults as per the National Immunisation Program (NIP) or as approved by the Victorian Chief Health Officer (CHO) vaccination of children and adults as per the catch-up vaccination and other variations to the schedule recommendations in the Australian Immunisation Handbook current at the time of administration	vaccination for travel purposes¹ vaccination of contacts in the event of a case of diphtheria, unless directed by the department² vaccination with diphtheria antitoxin³
Haemophilus influenzae type b	vaccination of children as per the NIP or as approved by the Victorian CHO vaccination of children and adults as per the catch-up vaccination and other variations to the schedule recommendations in the Australian Immunisation Handbook current at the time of administration
Hepatitis A	vaccination of children and adults as per the recommendations in the Australian Immunisation Handbook current at the time of administration or as approved by the Victorian CHO vaccination of children and adults as per the catch-up vaccination and other variations to the schedule recommendations in the Australian Immunisation Handbook current at the time of administration	vaccination for travel purposes¹ vaccination of contacts in the event of a case of hepatitis A, unless directed by the department² immunisation with normal human immunoglobulin for the prophylaxis of hepatitis A when in contact with a case³
Hepatitis B	vaccination of children as per the NIP or as approved by the Victorian CHO vaccination of children and adults as per the catch-up vaccination and other variations to the schedule recommendations in the Australian Immunisation Handbook current at the time of administration	vaccination for travel purposes¹ vaccination following acute exposure to potentially infected blood or body fluids⁷ immunisation with hepatitis B immunoglobulin following acute exposure to potentially infected blood or body fluids^3,7
Herpes zoster (shingles)	vaccination of adults as per the NIP or as approved by the Victorian CHO vaccination of adults as per the catch-up vaccination and other variations to the schedule recommendations in the Australian Immunisation Handbook current at the time of administration	vaccination for travel purposes¹ immunisation with zoster immunoglobulin for prophylaxis when in contact with a case³
Human papillomavirus	vaccination of children and adults as per the recommendations in the Australian Immunisation Handbook current at the time of administration vaccination of children and adults as per the catch-up vaccination and other variations to the schedule recommendations in the Australian Immunisation Handbook current at the time of administration	vaccination for travel purposes¹
Influenza	vaccination of children and adults as per the recommendations in the Australian Immunisation Handbook current at the time of administration, or as approved by the Victorian CHO	vaccination for travel purposes¹
Measles	vaccination of children as per the NIP or as approved by the Victorian CHO vaccination of children and adults as per the catch-up vaccination and other variations to the schedule recommendations in the Australian Immunisation Handbook current at the time of administration	vaccination for travel purposes¹ vaccination of contacts in the event of a case of measles, unless directed by the department² immunisation with normal human immunoglobulin for the prophylaxis of measles when in contact with a case³
Meningococcal	vaccination of children and adults as per the NIP or as approved by the Victorian CHO vaccination of children and adults as per the catch-up vaccination and other variations to the schedule recommendations in the Australian Immunisation Handbook current at the time of administration	vaccination for travel purposes¹ vaccination of contacts in the event of a case of meningococcal disease, unless directed by the department²
Mumps	vaccination of children as per the NIP or as approved by the Victorian CHO vaccination of children and adults as per the catch-up vaccination and other variations to the schedule recommendations in the Australian Immunisation Handbook current at the time of administration	vaccination for travel purposes¹ vaccination of contacts in the event of a case of mumps, unless directed by the department² immunisation with normal human immunoglobulin for the prophylaxis of mumps when in contact with a case³
Pertussis	vaccination of children as per the NIP or as approved by the Victorian CHO vaccination of children and adults as per the catch-up vaccination and other variations to the schedule recommendations in the Australian Immunisation handbook current at the time of administration, or as approved by the Victorian CHO	vaccination for travel purposes¹ vaccination of contacts in the event of a case of pertussis, unless directed by the department²
Pneumococcal	vaccination of children and adults as per the NIP or as approved by the Victorian CHO vaccination of children and adults as per the catch-up vaccination and other variations to the schedule recommendations in the Australian Immunisation Handbook current at the time of administration	vaccination for travel purposes¹
Poliomyelitis	vaccination of children as per the NIP or as approved by the Victorian CHO vaccination of children and adults as per the catch-up vaccination and other variations to the schedule recommendations in the Australian Immunisation Handbook current at the time of administration	vaccination for travel purposes¹ vaccination of immunocompromised persons⁶
Rotavirus	vaccination of infants as per the recommendations in the Australian Immunisation Handbook current at the time of administration
Rubella	vaccination of children as per the NIP or as approved by the Victorian CHO vaccination of non-pregnant seronegative women of childbearing age⁵ vaccination of children and adults as per the catch-up vaccination and other variations to the schedule recommendations in the Australian Immunisation Handbook current at the time of administration	vaccination for travel purposes¹ vaccination of contacts in the event of a case of rubella, unless directed by the department² immunisation with normal human immunoglobulin for the prophylaxis of rubella when in contact with a case³
Tetanus	vaccination of children and adults as per the NIP or as approved by the Victorian CHO vaccination of children and adults as per the catch-up vaccination and other variations to the schedule recommendations in the Australian immunisation handbook current at the time of administration	vaccination for travel purposes¹ vaccination for tetanus prophylaxis related to wound management⁴ immunisation with tetanus immunoglobulin³
Varicella (chickenpox)	vaccination of children and adults as per the NIP or as approved by the Victorian CHO vaccination of children and adults as per the catch-up vaccination and other variations to the schedule recommendations in the Australian Immunisation Handbook current at the time of administration	vaccination for travel purposes¹ vaccination of contacts in the event of a case of varicella (chickenpox), unless directed by the department² immunisation with varicella-zoster immunoglobulin (VZIG) when in contact with a case³
Japanese encephalitis (JE)	vaccination of people recommended for vaccination as listed on the Victorian Department of Health’s Japanese encephalitis webpage at the time of administration.	people not recommended for vaccination vaccination for travel purposes other than those persons recommended for vaccination as listed on the Victorian Department of Health’s Japanese encephalitis webpage¹ vaccination of people with contraindications defined in the current edition of the Australian Immunisation Handbook
Mpox (monkeypox)/ smallpox/ vaccinia virus	vaccination of people recommended for vaccination as listed on the Victorian Department of Health’s Mpox (monkeypox) webpage at the time of administration.	vaccination of people not recommended for vaccination vaccination for travel purposes other than those people recommended for vaccination as listed on the Department of Health’s Mpox (monkeypox) webpage¹ vaccination of people with contraindications defined in the current edition of the Australian Immunisation Handbook (or current recommendations issued by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI))
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)	vaccination of people recommended for immunisation as listed on the Victorian Department of Health’s Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunisation webpage at the time of administration.	vaccination of people not recommended for vaccination vaccination for travel purposes other than those people recommended for vaccination as listed on the Department of Health’s Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunisation webpage¹ administration of monoclonal antibodies vaccination of people with contraindications defined in the current edition of the Australian Immunisation Handbook (or current recommendations issued by the ATAGI)
SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)	vaccination of people included in the patient group for which that COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for by the Therapeutic Goods Administration, or the patient group as recommended by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI)⁸.	vaccination for travel purposes¹

General notes

Contraindications must be observed as in the Australian Immunisation Handbook current at the time of administration. Due to the nature of some medical conditions especially involving immunosuppression, the final decision that immunisation is indicated should be made by the individual’s treating doctor due to the specialist nature of the condition. If you are ever unsure if you should be administering a vaccine to a person, you should not proceed with immunisation, and instead refer them to their GP for advice.

Valid consent must be obtained for each immunisation in accordance with the protocol listed in the Australian Immunisation Handbook that is current at the time of administration. The process of establishing if contraindications exist and valid consent given must include the use of a Pre-Immunisation Checklist** given to the parent/person to be immunised.

Cold chain must be maintained as per the recommendations of the National Vaccine Storage Guidelines Strive for 5, which is current at the time of administration.

Notification that a vaccine has been given must be sent to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).

A reasonable check of the client’s immunisation history must be undertaken before immunisation.

The client should be advised a record of the immunisation(s) given will be available on the AIR and the Child Health Record if applicable.

Travel medicine is a specialist area that should include a medical consultation.
A case of this vaccine-preventable disease is notifiable to the Department of Health under the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2019. The Department of Health will advise on management of the case and contacts.
Approval to immunise does not include the administration of immunoglobulin preparations.
Tetanus prone wounds should be reviewed in a medical consultation.
Seronegative women of childbearing age who are being immunised with rubella containing vaccine should be advised to have rubella serology performed two months after immunisation to check immune status.
Although immunisation is indicated, the final decision that immunisation is indicated should be made by the individual’s treating doctor due to the specialist nature of the condition.
Should require consultation with infection control specialist.
For further information, resources and training and competency information, please see the COVID-19 vaccine webpage.

Resources available at the downloadable immunisation resources page.

Reviewed 14 January 2025

Nurse immunisers – approved client groups

Community immunisation information

General notes

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Nurse immunisers – approved client groups

Community immunisation information

General notes

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