Department of Health

Nurse immunisers – approved client groups

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 HandbookExternal Link .

Table 1: Approved client groups for nurse immunisers
DiseaseApproval for nurses to vaccinate with vaccine(s) against this disease includesApproval 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 fluids6
  • immunisation with hepatitis B immunoglobulin following acute exposure to potentially infected blood or body fluids3,6
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)
  • 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 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) webpage
  • 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
Respiratory
syncytial
virus (RSV)
  • vaccination of infants, children and adults as per the NIP, as recommended in the Australian Immunisation Handbook current at the time of administration (or current recommendations issued by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI)), or as approved by the Victorian CHO
  • vaccination for travel purposes1
  • 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)

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 contra-indications 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 Chief Health Officer has approved in the defined local government area of the City of Greater Dandenong within the scope of the Program for Refugee Immunisation Monitoring and Education (PRIME), nurse immunisers employed or contracted by this council, to administer the childhood formulation six-valent Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis | Polio | Hepatitis B | Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine (DTPa-IPV-Hep B-Hib) and the combination Measles-Mumps-Rubella-Varicella (MMRV) vaccines to adolescents up to the age of 18 years. This is a time-limited activity until 31 March 2024.

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.

  1. Travel medicine is a specialist area that should include a medical consultation.
  2. 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.
  3. Approval to immunise does not include the administration of immunoglobulin preparations.
  4. Tetanus prone wounds should be reviewed in a medical consultation.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. Should require consultation with infection control specialist.

**Resources available at Immunisation resources order form.

Reviewed 27 March 2024

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Contact details

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Immunisation Unit Department of Health

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