Finland plans to extend the right to administer vaccines to dentists and pharmacists, among others. The move is aimed at streamlining the country’s vaccination process to meet future needs.
In Finland, vaccinations are currently administered only by physicians or by nurses, public health nurses and midwives who have undergone vaccination training. The government is now proposing to extend this right to dentists, pharmacists, community nurses, laboratory nurses and primary care nurses. In the future, these professionals will no longer be required to undergo the specific vaccination training that is otherwise mandatory after graduation.
The reason for this change is the shortage of health care workers in Finland, which affects vaccination rates. The aim is to improve the efficiency of covid-19 and influenza vaccinations in particular.
– Our goal with the change is to make it easier and faster to get vaccines. We also want to address the workforce shortage. The change is also a way to prepare for future epidemics, says Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen in a press release.
However, the new professionals will not be allowed to vaccinate children, as the vaccination of minors requires special skills. This also applies to covid-19 vaccinations.
A special additional training under the guidance of the responsible physician will be introduced for these professionals in order to prepare them for future vaccination tasks.
