Relias Learning to Make Its Influenza Prevention and Preparedness Online Course Available at No Cost in Support of National Influenza Vaccination Week

Interactive course provides critical information for healthcare professionals

CARY, NC, December 5, 2016 – Relias Learning, the leader in online training solutions for the healthcare market, today announced that in conjunction with National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW), the company would make its Influenza Prevention and Preparedness course available for free, now through December 31^st. Created by the Center for Disease Control in 2005, NIVW 2016 is scheduled for December 4-10.

Influenza is a highly communicable acute respiratory virus that is responsible for annual outbreaks each year accounting for almost 80% of doctor’s visits during the months of October through May. In fact, the National Institutes of Health estimates that each year in the United States, seasonal influenza kills more than 36,000 people and hospitalizes 200,000. Despite its highly contagious nature, influenza is also largely preventable. Its prevalence can be attributed to lack of education about the virus and how to prevent the spread of infection.

After successfully completing the Influenza Prevention and Preparedness course, healthcare professionals will be able to:

• Describe the different strains of the influenza virus.
• Explain the primary strategies for preventing the spread of influenza.
• Describe the difference between vaccinations and treatment strategies.

Professionals who successfully complete the course can receive up to one hour credit towards a professional certificate. To sign up for the course, or for more information, including a list of certificates the course credit can be applied to, and course reviews, interested professionals should visit the Influenza Prevention and Preparedness course page.

The course instructor is Amy M. Johnson MSN, RN, CPN., Director of Nursing Accreditation and Director of Continuing Education, Relias Learning. Ms. Johnson has more than 12 years of nursing experience in the healthcare arena. Prior to joining Relias Learning, she worked for Vanderbilt University Medical Center as a Registered Nurse, Nursing Professional Development Specialist, and Designated Nurse Planner creating and implementing continuing education programs according to the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

“Influenza is a serious issue affecting all members of society, from infants to the elderly” said Jim Triandiflou, CEO of Relias Learning. “We’re making this course available for free at this critical time of the year to show our support for the CDC and the important work they do to help raise awareness for the importance of education in creating better healthcare outcomes for everyone.”

According to the CDC:

• Last season only about 40% of the US population recommended for a flu vaccination reported having been vaccinated by the end of November.

• People at high risk of serious flu complications include young children, pregnant women, people with certain chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes, heart disease or lung disease, and people aged 65 years and older.

For more information on the importance of vaccinations, see the Center for Disease Control’s website regarding NIVW.