Practices can have thousands of dollars in vaccine inventory sitting in refrigerators. No matter how good storage equipment is, exposure to high or low temperatures can happen. You can limit the damage by knowing what to do.
• Investigate and determine how long the vaccine temperatures have been out of range.
• Investigate whether or not the temperature data logger and notification system work.
• Pay attention to whether or not the refrigerator door was ajar or is making an unusual noise.
• Inventory the vaccine affected currently in the refrigerator.
• Inventory any temperature stabilizing items in the refrigerator (water bottles, coolant packs)
• Find out if there are other documented temperature excursions with the current refrigerator.
• Contact the vaccine manufactures to determine the status of the vaccine.
• Document the incident, results and actions taken to prevent another temperature excursion.