Drop Your Assumptions and Pick Up the Evidence

Strategies for Communication with Parents about Vaccines

This free, hour-long course is designed for physicians, physician assistants, advanced registered nurse practitioners, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, medical assistants and other health care providers who encounter parents with concerns regarding vaccines. This course describes several characteristics of vaccine-hesitant parents, the importance and role of providers in parental vaccine decision-making and reviews communication strategies to address concerns of vaccine hesitant parents.

Earn 1 free continuing education credit and learn strategies for addressing parental vaccine hesitancy. This course has been approved for continuing education credit through September 24, 2027. Certificates of completion are still available after this date. 

This course was originally developed by Dr. Douglas Opel, professor of Pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine and Director of Pediatric Bioethics at the Seattle Children’s Research Institute.  Dr. Opel’s research and insights into vaccine hesitancy have laid the foundation for the evidence-based strategies to promote vaccine acceptance shared in this course. WithinReach is grateful to Dr. Opel for his contributions.

Special thanks to Washington State Department of Health, VaxNorthwest, & Cardea Services for their support of this e-course.