TOPLINE: 

A nurse practitioner (NP)-driven quality improvement initiative led to a 103% increase in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations during the first 4 months of 2024 compared with rates in previous years at a women's health practice; however, the uptake among women aged 27-45 years remained lower than expected.

METHODOLOGY: 

• This study included 445 adult women aged 27-45 years at a large women's health practice in a suburban setting in the Midwestern United States.
• Healthcare professionals and administrative staff collected demographic information including age, ethnicity, educational level, and vaccination status through designated paper forms during patient intake.
• Healthcare providers, including NPs, physician assistants, and physicians, offered verbal education about HPV vaccination and encouraged eligible patients to receive same-day vaccination.
• Educational materials were distributed across all practice locations, and the staff underwent comprehensive training with pre- and posttest evaluations to enhance their knowledge and confidence in promoting vaccination.

TAKEAWAY:

• Nursing and back-office staff provided verbal education on HPV to 385 patients; 395 patients were offered HPV vaccination, and 46 patients received the vaccine at the point of care during their visit.
• Analysis of HPV vaccination data for 2020-2024 showed a 103% increase in vaccinations during the first 4 months of 2024 compared with rates in previous years; however, vaccination rates for women aged 27-45 years remained lower than anticipated.
• Staff education initiatives were highly effective, with all participants achieving high scores on post-test evaluations.

IN PRACTICE:

“The project demonstrated that although the specific target population of women aged 27 to 45 years showed lower-than-expected inoculation rates, the broader HPV educational initiative led to a substantial increase in overall HPV vaccinations at the private practice,” the authors wrote, adding that “these insights suggest thatfuture initiatives should focus on personalized communication approaches to address misconceptions and underscore the broader benefits of vaccination, potentially increasing acceptance in this demographic group.”

SOURCE:

The study was led by Michelle Wakefield, DNP, FNP-C, University of Southern Indiana, Evansville, Indiana. It was published online in September 2025 in The Journal for Nurse Practitioners.

LIMITATIONS: 

Although the collection of demographic data was successful for most patients, the provision of verbal education fell short of initial goals. Fewer than expected patients indicated a substantial increase in knowledge from educational interventions. Additionally, scheduling conflicts during holidays affected full staff participation in educational sessions, and the single-center design limited generalizability. 

DISCLOSURES:

This study did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. The authors reported having no relevant conflicts of interest.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.