Students understand what HPV is and how it can be prevented. Students will understand what happens on vaccination day; and the importance of parent/carer consent. Students discuss feelings about vaccinations and strategies to help any concerns.
Sub-strand: Healthy and active communities
Key concept 8.3 Understanding, recognising and reducing the risk of STIs, including HIV
Teaching tip: A group agreement must be established before any Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) program begins to ensure a safe learning environment. Read Essential Tool: Establishing a group agreement for tips on how to create one and what to include.
Many of you will be aware that the School Based Immunisation Program will be at the school soon. Who can tell me what this is all about?
Take answers
"Most of you will have had immunisations (vaccinations, needles, jabs, shots) in the past as babies and young children. Some of you may have had the flu shot last year and be intending to get it this year as well. It is really important to keep your vaccinations up to date. Some of your vaccinations need boosters (a follow-up) to remind the body to continue working to prevent a disease. One of the injections this year for you is a booster for Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (Whooping cough) and is called dTpa. You would have had the first lot of injections when you were a baby and a preschooler.
The other vaccination that we will be discussing in detail today is for HPV."
Ask:
Who knows what HPV stands for and what it is?
(Human papillomavirus, it causes a variety of genital warts and nearly all cervical cancers.)
"We are going to be watching videos that will help you complete the HPV vaccination activity sheet. I will be stopping the videos at various points to allow you time to answer each question. Some of the videos mention 2 does/needles for the vaccine - it is now only one dose."
OR
"About nine in ten people who have ever been sexually active will have HPV at some point in their lives. People of all genders and sexual identities can get HPV. There is no treatment or cure for HPV. That’s why it’s so important to have the HPV vaccination. The HPV vaccine used in Australia is called Gardasil ®9. It protects you against the most common types of HPV that can cause disease. Having the HPV vaccination at a young age can help protect you against most HPV-related cancers and illnesses in the future."
What were the forms/pieces of paper that you could see in the video about school immunisation day?
(Consent forms)
"These are extremely important forms - you cannot have a vaccination without them. Getting your parent/carer to sign the consent form is a really important part of this program."
Show an example of the consent form (electronic, printed or the VaccinateWA online form).
What does 'consent' mean?
(Agree to; say yes to; give permission for something)
"Your parent or carer must fill in the Consent form and sign it to say that they give permission for you to have the vaccination. They can do this online using the VaccinateWA website. If they are unable to access the online system, they can ask the school for a copy of the form or print it from the website. You have to return the completed print form to school within a week so that the Immunisation team know that they can give you the vaccination."
Teaching tip: If someone has written an answer they already agree with or were going to write themselves, they can place a tick next to the answer (this helps to give an indication of how many students are feeling the same way in the class without being too identifying)
Why do you think schools are chosen as the place to receive vaccinations?
(Most people of the best age for vaccinations go to schools so it is easy to access large numbers of the target group.)
What are the best part/worst parts about getting the HPV vaccine?
(Worst part: the needle; being sick/scared in front of peers; having a sore arm; having to remember to bring in the Consent form; etc.
Best part: being protected from cancers and genital warts; feeling safe that I am protected from getting HPV; feeling good that I will be protecting my future sexual partner/s from getting HPV; getting the vaccination for free; missing class to get the vaccination; not having to go the doctors/clinic to get the vaccination; etc).
How might someone feel about vaccines?
(Students may answer a range of feelings: nervous, scared, fine, happy, relieved, not bothered, indifferent, OK, scared about the needle but happy to have protection against HPV/cancer/genital warts, glad that they will be safe from some cancers, etc.)
Teaching tip: I t is important to acknowledge all feelings as valid and reassure students who might be feeling nervous or scared.
Why might some people be nervous about receiving the HPV vaccine?
(They don't like needles; they are afraid of fainting/getting sick/being nervous in front of their peers; afraid the needle will hurt)
Identify the most common concerns and ask students to suggest strategies to help with the concerns. For example:
NB: This is often the most fear of students. Be aware that students may not feel comfortable writing this down on the graffiti wall so it may need to be one that you add as an example
Strategies to help: staff to arrange for students who are feeling this way to go for their vaccination together; school community health nurse to visit the class prior to vaccination day to answer any concerns/questions; arrange for students to have a buddy system so that they can be with at least one friend; etc. Show empathy and support to people who are nervous.
Reassure students that while they may have a slightly sore arm or may feel sick because they are nervous about having a needle, the vaccination itself is extremely unlikely to make them ill.
Strategies to help: school community health nurse to visit the class prior to vaccination day to answer any questions or concerns; eat a healthy breakfast before coming to school on the day of vaccinations; talk to your parents/GP to see if you have ever had any side effects from vaccinations before; etc
Reassure students that the needle normally feels like a small scratch and the nurses try to be as gentle as possible.
Strategies to help: arrange for a buddy to come with you to help keep you calm; calming breathing techniques; let the vaccination nurse know so that they can reassure you and help keep you calm
Teaching tip: Some students may offer answers that are to do with misconceptions about vaccinations which should be addressed, for example:
What is the most important piece of information you are going to share with your parents/carers after this lesson? (Final question on HPV vaccine activity sheet)
Teaching tip: It is important to ask for volunteers to answer questions on sensitive topics such as this as some students will not feel comfortable sharing their answers to a whole group. See group agreement: right to pass.
Teaching tip: This strategy can also be used to allow students to write any concerns they have about the vaccinations. Offer the students the opportunity to write their name on the paper if they wish to have their concern addressed individually/privately. You may wish to engage with the school community health nurse or psychologist to help allay any concerns.
This activity provides students with an opportunity to research trustworthy websites and health promotion resources with key messages about HPV vaccination that are important for young people.
"Health promotion resources, like posters or social media content, are a great way to share important health information with different groups of people (target group). It's important for health promotion resources to include short, sharp, accurate key messages that will connect with the target group. Groups are going to create health promotion resources to share information HPV vaccination with other young people."
Provide students with links to reputable websites for research:
Teaching tip: You may give students a range of different topics they can research and develop a resource for to allow for variety when showing off the resource.
Background teacher note: Health promoting schools framework.
Family
School staff
