Ask AI
Back Back
RSV Questions and Answers
Highlights from the RSV “Podcast Corner” Question and Answer Session

Released: July 23, 2025

Expiration: July 22, 2026

Ruth Carrico
Ruth Carrico, PhD, DNP, APRN, FAAN
Audrey Stevenson
Audrey Stevenson, PhD, MPH, MSN, FNP-BC
Activity Information

Activity

Vaccination for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) prevents severe lower respiratory tract disease, reducing the risks for severe disease and death in older adults and those with comorbidities. To understand more about the current vaccine landscape, here are our answers to learner questions from our recent “Podcast Corner” question and answer session. 

What are some key counseling points you share with patients when recommending RSV vaccines?
Ruth Carrico, PhD, DNP, APRN, FAAN: When we think about RSV, we know that the disease primarily has its worst outcomes on both ends of the lifetime spectrum. We know that children who are infected, especially within the first 3 months of life, experience the worst outcomes. On the other end of that longevity timeline, in older adults the immune system typically weakens, making it harder to fight infection quickly or effectively. This can lead to an increased risk for severe infection and worsen outcomes.

Audrey Stevenson, PhD, MPH, MSN, FNP-BC: A lot of people are unaware that there are now multiple RSV vaccine options for older adults. We need to start talking to individuals about the burden of RSV and how we can prevent the disease by vaccinating them.

How have you incorporated these counseling points into your practice?
Audrey Stevenson, PhD, MPH, MSN, FNP-BC: We should be thinking about vaccines with every patient encounter, taking the opportunity to talk about the importance of vaccination and reviewing this important vaccine with them.  Especially between the months of October and April when we see the highest burden of disease, we can offer to coadminister the RSV vaccine along with vaccines for influenza, COVID, or any other adult vaccine.

Ruth Carrico, PhD, DNP, APRN, FAAN: I agree completely, and I think many of our patients want to know how effective the vaccines are. Fortunately, we have 2 excellent RSV vaccines that have a great deal of effectiveness in preventing disease, and we have some durability data that show the benefits of the vaccine last at least through 2 (and possibly up to 3) years.

If you can't verify a patient’s vaccination history, what's your decision-making process for deciding if you're going to recommend the RSV vaccine?
Ruth Carrico, PhD, DNP, APRN, FAAN: The RSV vaccine is currently recommended for all adults aged 75 years and older and for adults aged 50-74 years who are at increased risk of developing severe RSV disease. If a patient meets these criteria, but I can't verify their vaccination status, I assume they have not been vaccinated.

In a such a patient, the next question is, “Will the vaccine cause harm if we vaccinate someone who has previously had the vaccine?” Currently, we do not have any evidence that a second dose of the RSV vaccine causes harm. So, I would go ahead and vaccinate them.

All of our approaches always weigh risk vs benefit, so it’s a matter of weighing the benefits of the vaccine with the risk of side effects or revaccinating. In this case, if I withhold a vaccine from a patient, they have zero opportunity to prevent infection. The potential benefits of protection from infection outweigh the small amount of risk.

In addition, I've learned over time that my patients are generally not very good at remembering what vaccines they’ve had. I’m the same way—I can barely remember what vaccines I’ve had myself! So, if we put the burden on the patient to remember whether or not they’ve had a vaccine, or if they’re eligible for a vaccine, then I don’t think we're being good healthcare advocates. It’s up to us to make strong, appropriate recommendations so patients feel confident in getting vaccinated.

Have you seen an increase in vaccine hesitancy with the changing political landscape?
Ruth Carrico, PhD, DNP, APRN, FAAN: Let me start off by saying that I'm a glass half full kind of girl. So, regardless of what the political landscape is, my focus is always on the actions that I, myself, can take to engage my patient and yield the best outcomes for them.

My initial approach is always the same, irrespective of whether the patient is any particular religion or political persuasion, or from a red or blue state. To open up the conversation, I use what I learned in the very beginning of my training as a nurse. That is, I go to where the patient is. I ask them what their concerns are, and I talk with them to understand what their values are.

Then, together, we develop a vaccination plan based on what the patient wants out of life. Of most importance, I'm always going to respect their decisions. I may not always agree with them, and I'll tell them that, but I want to help each patient come up with a plan that makes sense to them and that recognizes their ability to drive their own healthcare decisions. But I want to make sure that those decisions are based on accurate information and not TikTok!

Audrey Stevenson, PhD, MPH, MSN, FNP-BC: I would echo the same sentiment. I think we have a real opportunity to provide patient education, clarity in the recommendations, and advocacy. I think, as nurses and nurse practitioners, we have a responsibility to ensure that we're doing the best by the patient, and that includes the provision of vaccines.

Your Thoughts
What do you find most challenging about recommending RSV vaccines to your patients? What strategies to you use broach the topic of vaccines to patients in general? Leave a comment to join the discussion!