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Adult RSV Vaccine Uptake
Easy as A-B-C: NPs’ and PAs’ Role in Increasing Adult RSV Vaccine Uptake

Released: April 24, 2025

Expiration: April 23, 2026

Sarah McQueen
Sarah McQueen, DMS, PA-C
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Key Takeaways
  • Nurse practitioners and physician associates are strategically positioned to help increase uptake of the adult RSV vaccine.
  • Healthcare professionals can promote vaccination by treating every patient visit like a vaccine visit and train nursing staff to facilitate vaccine discussion.

“I thought only kids got RSV. That knocked me on my butt!” one of my long-term care facility residents exclaimed, as I followed up after a recent emergency department visit for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Approximately 1 year prior, this adult had been diagnosed with an asymptomatic COVID-19 infection (after vaccinations and boosters) and remarked how horrible the RSV infection felt in comparison. The facility resident with RSV had severe shortness of breath, a cough that caused nausea, and oxygen saturations hovering at approximately 88% at rest, requiring supplemental oxygen. There was no history of pulmonary disease, but the patient was thankful for supportive therapies such as the recommended albuterol treatment. 

RSV Isn’t Just a Childhood Illness
So many of our patients—and even some of our colleagues—are just now discovering the prevalence and potential severity of RSV infections in adults, especially those in at-risk groups. This highlights the need for more widespread uptake of the RSV vaccine. As testing increases inside hospital systems and clinics, the disease will be better understood, and adult RSV vaccination will become more commonplace. But for now, physician associates (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) are strategically positioned to help increase uptake of the adult RSV vaccine.

As PAs and NPs, we can make small but important changes to our practices that can have a huge community impact. RSV vaccines can be given with other vaccines and should only be delayed in those experiencing moderate or severe acute illness. 

I advise all HCPs to recommend the RSV vaccine at every opportunity and to train nursing staff to check and ask about vaccine status. The CDC and Immunize.org offer templates for standing orders so that nursing staff can schedule patients for their needed vaccines without healthcare professionals having to see the patient or prescribe the vaccine. This is a great time-saver for everyone, with the added benefit of empowering nursing staff.

Using Conversational Tools
When talking with patients about vaccines, take the time to discuss their concerns and risk factors and share anecdotal stories that relate to either receiving the vaccine or getting sick. Look for teaching moments but also know when to try again during another visit. Make sure your patients see the compassion you have for them and the community, as it motivates your recommendations.

Like the patient I described above, some of our adults will delay the vaccination until they themselves or someone they know becomes ill. We need to recommend the RSV vaccine to our adult patients to make sure they understand that this vaccine can prevent the severe RSV-related complications such as hospitalization and death. The RSV vaccine should receive as much energy and attention as the influenza vaccine receives each year.

Learn More
To learn more about the RSV vaccine and the latest vaccination recommendations, and to better understand the disease burden on our patients and hospital systems, join me and Laura P. Hurley, MD, MPH, and Carina Marquez, MD, MPH, at our live symposium at American Academy of Physician Associates 2025 meeting in Denver, Colorado. You can participate in person or via live simulcast.

Your Thoughts
How do you initiate conversations about the RSV vaccine with your patients? Leave a comment to join the discussion.