Boosting COVID-19 Vaccination Rates at a Pennsylvania Nursing Home

A nursing home in eastern Pennsylvania has discovered a creative way to engage staff and increase the percentage of employees up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccines.

New Guidance and the Challenge of Vaccine Fatigue

In the spring of 2023, the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DOH) issued guidance to long-term care facilities requiring facilities to offer the COVID-19 vaccine and provide education about the vaccine to its staff.

This guidance was issued soon after the Public Health Emergency expired on May 11, 2023. A few weeks prior, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also streamlined its recommendations to only require one shot of the bivalent vaccine to be up to date.

Despite the updated guidelines, many staff members at Morningstar Living, a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) in Nazareth, were experiencing vaccine fatigue.

“They were vaccined out. For a while there, nobody wanted to hear about any vaccines,” - Linnie Clark, Infection Control Coordinator at Morningstar Living

Only 18 percent had received the bivalent vaccine, although many had completed the primary series.

Creative Solutions: The Bee Safe for Summer Campaign

Their team decided to fight fatigue with fun.

Faced with the challenge, Morningstar Living's leaders brainstormed ways to boost vaccination rates. Infection control coordinator Linnie Clark proposed a bee-themed event called "Bee Safe for Summer" to combat vaccine fatigue with fun.

For several weeks leading up to the main event—a vaccine clinic on June 5—Linnie, director of nursing Wendy Hildenbrandt, and administrator Nancy Bullivant dressed as bees. They pushed a bee-themed cart filled with prizes and educational materials, visiting every department and shift to ensure all staff were informed, had their questions answered, and could sign up for the clinic.

Engaging Staff with Fun and Prizes

The bee theme was a hit. Staff members laughed at their colleagues' antennae headbands, bee wings, and yellow "Bee Safe" T-shirts. Prizes were also a significant draw. The grand prize was tickets to either Knoebels Amusement Resort or Dorney Park, and three beach-themed buckets, each containing a beach towel, sunglasses, sunscreen, pool toys, and a pail, were also up for grabs.

Understanding what excites their staff was key to the campaign's success. Many employees were thrilled about the amusement park tickets, which matched their summer interests.

Personal Interaction Made the Difference

Linnie emphasized that personal interaction made a significant difference in raising awareness about staff vaccinations. Many staff members responded positively when spoken to directly, often expressing enthusiasm and willingness to get vaccinated. This approach proved to be more effective than relying solely on written communications, as people preferred hearing the information firsthand.

"It was about getting out there and talking to them in person instead of just sending written material. They wanted to hear it directly from us.” - Infection Control Coordinator at Morningstar Living

Over 20 staff members signed up for the vaccine, increasing the percentage of up-to-date staff from 18 percent to nearly 30 percent. It wasn’t just the prizes and costumes that got people to participate – it was the education and talking face-to-face.

Previous Success: The COVID Busters Video

“Bee Safe for Summer” wasn’t the first time the team at Morningstar Living dressed in costume to raise vaccination rates. Years earlier, the team promoted the COVID-19 booster by making a “Ghost Busters”-themed informational video called “COVID Busters.”

Linnie, Wendy, and former Morningstar Living CEO Susan Drabic wore Ghost Busters-inspired coveralls with backpacks styled to look like the COVID-19 vaccines available at the time – Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. In the video, the three roll up to Moravian Hall Square in a white Subaru Outback with a COVID Busters logo on the side and leap out to fight COVID-19 in the facility.

The video played in the lobby at Morningstar Living to spread education about the virus and the benefits of the vaccines. While the video is now unlisted due to outdated information, it can be viewed by direct link here.

Future Plans

While no new events are currently planned, the Morningstar Living team may organize another fun-themed campaign in the fall. Their successful strategies demonstrate that making vaccination efforts engaging and enjoyable can significantly boost participation rates. 

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