Question

Ma and Pa's nursing facility was just informed that it needs to offer its residents the pneumococcal vaccine. Which residents does it need to offer this vaccine to?

a) Residents over 60
b) Residents over 65
c) All residents
d) Residents with a specific medical condition

Answer 1

The pneumococcal vaccine should be offered to residents over 65 years of age in a nursing facility. Additionally, residents with certain medical conditions could also benefit from this vaccination due to their increased risk for complications.

Step-by-step explanation:

The pneumococcal vaccine should be offered to certain groups within Ma and Pa's nursing facility to help prevent diseases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. Based on the information provided, the residents who should be offered the vaccine are adults older than 65 years, which corresponds to option "b) Residents over 65". The pneumococcal vaccines, which include the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) and the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23), are typically given to individuals considered most vulnerable, including very young children and older adults.

It is also important to note that residents with specific medical conditions, such as chronic lung diseases, diabetes, or those in conditions of chronic stress, may benefit from vaccines due to their increased risk for complications. Therefore, while the primary recommendation for the pneumococcal vaccine targets residents over 65, offering the vaccine to residents with specific medical conditions is a crucial consideration as well.