Precision Protection: Vaccine Guidance for Elderly and Immune-Compromised Populations
July 23, 2026 1:00pm – 1:45pm (ET) Live Webinar
CE: 0.75 contact hours
Includes 0.25 hours of pharmacology
This webinar equips nurse practitioners (NPs) with the clinical knowledge and patient communication strategies needed to close the gap between what evidence supports and what patients accept when it comes to vaccine protection for elderly and immune-compromised patients. Faculty will examine the biological underpinnings of immunosenescence and immunocompromise; review current expert consensus from AAFP, CDC ACIP and IDSA; and explore evidence-based approaches to individualized vaccine decision-making across a range of antigens — including influenza, COVID-19, RSV, zoster, varicella and pneumococcal vaccines.
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Webinar Details
When: July 23, 2026, 1-1:45 p.m. ET (12-12:45 p.m. CT).
Where: Live webinar.
Cost: Free for AANP members and non-members.
About the Webinar:
As the U.S. population ages and the prevalence of immunosuppression continues to rise, optimizing vaccine protection for elderly and immune-compromised patients has become one of the most pressing priorities in primary care. Yet vaccine hesitancy among older adults is simultaneously on the rise, driven by misinformation and a pervasive underestimation of clinical need — creating a widening gap between what evidence supports and what patients accept.
This webinar equips NPs with the clinical knowledge and patient communication strategies needed to close that gap. Faculty will examine the biological underpinnings of immunosenescence and immunocompromise; review current expert consensus from AAFP, CDC ACIP and IDSA; and explore evidence-based approaches to individualized vaccine decision-making across a range of antigens — including influenza, COVID-19, RSV, zoster, varicella and pneumococcal vaccines. The session concludes with a practical focus on the NP's frontline role in vaccine advocacy, integrating immunization into clinical workflows and deploying communication frameworks such as the 3Cs and 5As models to address hesitancy with confidence.
A live faculty Q&A follows the didactic presentation. The OnDemand recording will be available the week after the live program.
Objectives:
- Describe existing and emerging data, available vaccine products and best practice parameters for achieving evidence-driven immunization of elderly and/or immunocompromised patients.
- Recognize the sentinel role of the NP at the patient interface, with emphasis on communication strategies designed to defuse misinformation and overcome vaccine hesitancy.
- Apply current evidence and guideline recommendations when selecting and monitoring vaccine therapies for elderly and immunocompromised populations.
This webinar is made available to NPs at no cost, thanks to independent medical education grants from GSK, Merck & Co., Inc., and Sanofi US.
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Speakers
Ruth Carrico, PhD, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, CIC, FSHEA, FNAP, FAAN
Ruth Carrico is a senior consultant with Carrico & Ramirez, PLLC, focused on infectious diseases; infection prevention and control; and vaccinology. She is also a family nurse practitioner based in Louisville, Kentucky. In addition, Dr. Carrico is a professor, adjunct faculty, with the University of Louisville School Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases. Dr. Carrico has received training specific for health care epidemiology at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in conjunction with the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University in Atlanta and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA). Dr. Carrico has worked in the field of infectious diseases and infection control for more than 30 years. She continues to serve on numerous advisory boards focused on vaccines and vaccinology and has continued to conceptualize and implement novel approaches, such as simulation, to training and competence development for health care workers.
Debra Kosko, DNP, MN, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN
Dr. Debra Kosko is an associate professor and assistant dean for evaluation and outcomes at Georgetown University School of Nursing and is affiliate faculty in the Department of Global Health, School of Health. An expert family NP in infectious diseases, HIV/AIDS and global health, her career has been dedicated to the care of vulnerable populations. Dr. Kosko served as a consultant for the Department of Defense in the redesign of their global immunization program. She is past chair of the North Carolina Immunization Coalition, where she was awarded a grant to provide COVID information events for low-income communities in eastern North Carolina. She was appointed by the governor to serve on the North Carolina COVID Immunization Task Force. Dr. Kosko is a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and has held academic and medical appointments at Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland and Duke University. Dr. Kosko received a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of Texas, a Master’s in nursing from UCLA and a doctor of nursing practice from The George Washington University.