CHALLENGES OF CHILDHOOD VACCINATION COVERAGE: AN EXPERIENCE REPORT OF A NURSING STUDENT IN PRIMARY CARE

Abstract

This article aims to reflect on the factors associated with the decline in childhood vaccination coverage in Brazil, relating vaccine hesitancy, misinformation, and scientific denialism to Primary Health Care practice, based on the experience of a nursing student. This is a descriptive experience report, constructed from the practice of an undergraduate nursing student during a practical activity of the Collective Health IV course, carried out at a Basic Family Health Unit in a municipality in the interior of Minas Gerais, in June 2025. The experience involved identifying a child with delayed vaccination, planning active case-finding, and conducting a home visit to update the immunization schedule, including reception/welcoming actions, health education, and joint record-keeping with the healthcare team. The results highlighted the need to intensify educational actions focused on immunization, as well as the influence of misinformation on vaccination rates. It is concluded that this experience contributed significantly to the student's technical and critical training, underscoring the nurse's role in leading health management and education, and reinforcing the importance of expanding such practices throughout undergraduate education.