Common education questions

An authorised vaccinator is a registered or enrolled nurse, pharmacist or paramedic (or other health professional whose scope of practice allows for vaccinations), who has been authorised under regulation 44A(2) of the Medicines Regulations 1984 by the Director General of Health or a Medical Officer of Health to administer a vaccine for the purposes of an approved immunisation programme. Authorisation removes the need for standing orders or prescriptions.

Visit the Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora website for all details on getting authorised or refer to Regulated healthcare professionals on our website.

Pharmacist and intern pharmacist vaccinators are able to administer vaccines under the Medicines Classifications, which define specific conditions for each vaccine. They have the same training and clinical assessment requirements as an authorised vaccinator but are not required to apply for authorisation status to be able to administer vaccines that have been reclassified. Refer to Authorisation guide for pharmacist and intern pharmacist vaccinators on our website for more information.

Pharmacists and intern pharmacists are responsible for storing their training records, which may be required during Medsafe auditing.

1.      Successful completion of the Flexible learning vaccinator foundation course (FLVFC). This course involves self-paced online learning, followed by an online assessment and a 4-hour practical workshop

2.       Workplace learning guided by completion and sign-off of Vaccinator skills log to prepare for clinical assessment

3.      Successful completion of the clinical assessment

Also required:

4.      a current CPR certificate

5.      a current NZ Annual Practising Certificate (APC)

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With the introduction of national authorisation, pharmacists and intern pharmacists are strongly encouraged to follow the authorisation process, even if they are not intending to vaccinate children. This has several advantages:

·   wider scope of vaccines they can administer

·   standing orders or prescriptions are not required for workplace learning and clinical assessment

·   records are stored centrally, and they will be reminded when then need to complete update training

Note: an authorised pharmacist vaccinator currently has a slightly wider scope than other authorised vaccinators because Medicines Classifications allow them to also administer a selection of unfunded vaccines under their pharmacist scope.

If you have been working as a vaccinating pharmacist for two years or more, you will need to complete the Extending vaccinator skills online course prior to applying for authorisation.

Once national authorisation is available in your region, you can apply for authorisation if you can supply evidence of:

·   Flexible learning vaccinator foundation course (FLVFC) completion date (less than two years ago)

·   A clinical assessment completed less than one year from the date of your FLVFC

·   Completion of Vaccinator skills log

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You need to complete the 10 online learning modules and the online open-book assessment prior to attending your practical workshop. Once your attendance has been marked and you have passed the online assessment and paid your registration fee (if applicable), you will be able to download your certificate.

Flexible learning vaccinator foundation course (FLVFC)

The FLVFC covers the entire whole-of-life immunisation schedule. This provides you with broader knowledge and scope, and if you change career paths in the future, you shouldn’t need to repeat this foundational training (though you will need to complete a new age-appropriate clinical assessment).

Authorisation refers to the process of gaining approval to vaccinate from either a local (changing) or national Medical Officer of Health. Authorisation is confirmed by receipt of a letter confirming vaccinator authorisation, with any age restrictions listed.

The process of applying for authorisation is changing from locally managed systems to a national online portal, the Workforce requests portal. Visit the Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora website for further details on getting authorised.

This new process is phased in from 5 November 2025, with Northern and South Island regions being the first to use the national Workforce Requests Portal from 5 November 2025. Midland and Central regions will continue to use current processes until further notice early 2026. The table below identifies when vaccinators will start using the portal in each region.

Northern and South Island processing teams will be trained and go live at the same time.

‍Key steps for local authorisation processes:

Complete education requirements as set out in 'What training is needed to become an authorised or pharmacist vaccinator?' outlined in question above.

o  Standing orders or prescriptions are required for workplace learning and clinical assessment

o  Skills log completion recommended but not required to be submitted.

Applications for authorisation are submitted locally. Refer to Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora website or to Regional Advisors and immunisation coordinators for more details. Documentation required includes:

o  NZ APC, current CPR, FLVFC certificate, clinical assessment

Authorisation letter will be issued; age restrictions will apply unless the clinical assessment includes an infant under 2 years VL IM injection.

Key steps for national authorisation processes:

Complete education requirements as set out in 'What training is needed to become an authorised or pharmacist vaccinator?' outlined in question above.

Apply for authorisation with supervision via the Workforce Requests Portal (application process and forms)

o  NZ APC, current CPR, VFC certificate

Authorisation letter will be issued inside the Workforce Requests Portal allowing vaccinator to work under direct supervision of an experienced vaccinator, while completing workplace learning – evidenced in the Vaccinator skills log and clinical assessment

o  Standing orders or prescriptions are NOT required

o  Vaccinator skills log completion is required

Update authorisation via the Workforce Requests Portal. Documentation required:

o  Vaccinator skills log declaration/sign-off page and clinical assessment

Authorisation letter will be issued inside the portal; age restrictions will apply unless clinical assessment includes an infant under 2 years VL IM injection.

Your clinical assessment can be completed once you have received your Flexible learning vaccinator foundation course certificate. It is recommended that you complete the clinical assessment within 6 months of completing the course.

Once you have completed your workplace supervised learning, evidenced by a completed Vaccinator skills log, you are ready. Please email your immunisation coordinator to organise a clinical assessment. You will need to arrange to carry out the vaccination of two patients (of appropriate ages) at a suitable venue (e.g. a general practice or pharmacy with cold chain accreditation). You will also need to have organised a prescription or have a standing order that covers you to administer the vaccinations.

It is recommended that you complete the authorisation process within 6 months. If your clinical assessment is delayed for more than 12 months, you are required to complete the Vaccinator update course prior to the clinical assessment.

If your clinical assessment is delayed for more than 2 years, you will be required to complete a further online Flexible learning vaccinator foundation course.

Contact information can be found on the Health New Zealand| Te Whatu Ora website.

If you  require further assistance, you can check with your local immunisation coordinator.

Requirements differ between the public health areas.

Find your regional and local coordinators here.

Funded places available on FLVFC

This course is currently fully funded by Health NZ to support new vaccinators in the workforce. To be eligible to complete this course you will need to be employed in a vaccinating role, or moving to a vaccinating role and have (or can arrange) a clinical placement to ensure course completion.

Note: if you are not currently employed in an area that offers vaccination services, it can be very difficult to complete the full authorisation process, particularly the clinical assessment. Neither IMAC nor the local immunisation coordinators are responsible for arranging a clinical placement where you can undertake a clinical assessment.

It is recommended that you complete the clinical assessment within 6 months of completing the course.

This is a Health NZ/Te Whatu Ora resource online only, available here.

Prior to attending a VFC or vaccinator update course, it is important to have read the following sections of the Immunisation Handbook: Introduction, General immunisation principles and Appendices 3 & 4. The Immunisation Handbook can be downloaded as an eBook onto your device from the Health NZ | Te Whatu Ora website. Ideally do not print the online version as it is updated regularly.

You need an appropriate CPR certificate to apply for authorisation or to be a pharmacist vaccinator. The course must cover the following as per section A4.4 in the Immunisation Handbook:

1.      infant, child and adult CPR, including mouth-to-mouth, mouth-to-mask and the management of choking

2.      administration of IM adrenaline for treatment of anaphylaxis

3.      use of an automated external defibrillator

4.      one-and two-person bag valve mask ventilation and mouth-to-mask technique.

Resuscitation training for vaccinators should cover the specific skills outlined above. The use of oxygen, sizing of airways, insertion of intravenous lines and the preparation of emergency medications(except for intramuscular adrenaline) are not skills specifically required of a vaccinator.

Yes. You can still administer vaccinations without being authorised as long as the vaccines are prescribed by a medical doctor or nurse practitioner, or you are linked to a valid standing order (you are required to read and sign a copy of the standing order). You will need a prescription or standing order for the vaccines you will administer during your clinical assessment. When you are first vaccinating, before you are authorised, ideally you will be supervised by an authorised vaccinator. This is to support you to provide a safe immunisation event. However, their vaccinator status does not cover you to administer the vaccines. You will need a prescription or standing order to do this.

IMAC has a recognition of prior learning process, please email Jane Morphet, Programme Manager j.morphet@auckland.ac.nz with copies of your overseas certificates, copies of the course learning outcomes and a summary of your overseas vaccination experience.

All authorised vaccinators and pharmacist vaccinators must complete an approved update (renewal) every 2 years to maintain their status. The IMAC update course is online and covers the whole-of-life vaccination programme.

Authorised vaccinators must renew authorisation via the national authorisation portal, or to the local Medical Officer of Health if national authorisation is not yet available in their region, supplying evidence of APC, current CPR and updated education.

Pharmacist vaccinators are responsible for storing and providing evidence of APC, FLVFC, clinical assessment, current CPR and 2 yearly updates, for audits.

Payment for courses and events is by credit card. Some courses are free of charge and require no payment, just registration.  

Following successful payment, a tax invoice/receipt is emailed to the recipient and can be used for reimbursement if required.  

If your organisation has requested a bulk enrolment on invoice for an event or course (for 5 or more participants to attend a professional development event), please email imaceducation@auckland.ac.nz with your request.  

For bulk enrolments, successful registration will not be confirmed until payment is received.  

Coupons are provided after payment has been received and participants use these to enrol on their event or course.

Yes, you can complete the Flexible learning vaccinator foundation course (FLVFC) and once the Workforce requests portal is available in your region you can apply for authorisation. Some, but not all, local regions will also accept paramedics for authorisation. Contact your local Medical Officer of Health to confirm.

Paramedics can administer vaccines under a standing order and apply for authorisation once national authorisation is available in their region. If there is a delay in being able to apply for authorisation, paramedics can work under a standing order.

Midwives

Vaccination sits within midwifery scope of practice. Midwives can administer funded vaccines to pregnant women and postpartum to 6 weeks, and Hep b and immunoglobulin to infants at the time of birth. To administer these, midwives do not need to complete further training beyond their pre-registration programme.

Currently midwives can also administer COVID-19 vaccines to any eligible person once they have completed the COVID-19 vaccinator education. Administering any other vaccines is outside of scope of practice. Midwives who are also registered nurses can complete a Flexible learning vaccinator foundation course and become authorised vaccinators in order to administer vaccines to other groups.

Nurse practitioners

If vaccination sits within scope of practice as deemed by the Nursing Council of NZ, nurse practitioners do not need to complete a Flexible learning vaccinator foundation course to administer vaccines. We recommend that all vaccinators keep up to date by completing appropriate vaccinator courses including two-yearly updates.

RN Prescribers in Primary Health and Specialty Teams

Do not need to apply for authorisation but they must meet and maintain all the requirements to be an authorised vaccinator, including completion of a Flexible learning vaccinator foundation course and two-yearly Vaccinator updates, hold a current CPR and APC. Vaccines are included in the list of medications they can prescribe.

RN Prescribers in Community Health

Do need to meet vaccinator educational requirements and become authorised vaccinators if they were to vaccinate (without standing orders or prescription) because they do not have vaccines on the limited list of medications they can prescribe within their collaborative team.  

Yes

There are a range of COVID-19 courses available depending on your role and workforce.

See Courses and events for available courses.

This online course is available to any health professional who wishes to complete it for their own learning, even if they are not going to administer the BCG vaccine. The clinical component, supervised BCG vaccination and BCG clinical assessment, are only for vaccinators employed in a public health unit or some specialist travel clinics.

These vaccinators will need to apply via the Workforce Requests Portal or local Medical Officer of Health (region dependent) for BCG endorsement after successful completion of all the requirements. Other vaccinators who would like to administer BCG vaccines should discuss this with their local Medical Officer of Health to determine whether they are eligible for endorsement or not, prior to enrolling on the course.

BCG update course

In addition to the completion of the two-yearly Vaccinator update course, you will also be required to complete the two-yearly BCG update and apply via the Workforce Requests Portal or local Medical Officer of Health (region dependent) for BCG reauthorisation.

All HCP’s are recommended to complete a vaccinator course appropriate to their professional qualification, this allows them to practice at the top of their vaccinator scope. A non-regulated HCP that has completed the VHW pathway and has since become a regulated HCP will, once qualified as a pharmacist or authorised vaccinator, be able to complete the full vaccination process including gaining consent which is not included in the VHW role.

For more information, please refer to the Immunisation Workforce Vaccinating Health Workers (VHWs) page

Flexible learning vaccinator foundation courses

This course is currently fully funded by Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora to support new vaccinators in the workforce. There are a limited number of spaces on these courses, and we often have waiting lists.

We understand that for various reasons you may no longer be able to attend the Flexible learning vaccinator course practical workshop that you have registered for. We will transfer you to another workshop date within the same year but would appreciate at least 2 weeks’ notice of transfer if you can’t make the original date that you have chosen. Please advise imaceducation@auckland.ac.nz. if this is the case and we will transfer you to another date.  

As course places are limited, we are only able to transfer twice within the same calendar year. On enquiring about a course transfer, participants are advised not to register for another course via the website, the education office will transfer the registration unless otherwise directed.

If a course is cancelled due to low registration numbers, we will be in contact with further options.

Withdrawal

If you choose to withdraw from a course completely, please let us know ASAP by emailing imaceducation@auckland.ac.nz.

Refunds for paid courses

IMAC provides a mix of education courses – some are free of charge; others incur a course registration fee. Where a course transfer is not an option, we may be able to provide a refund.

We would provide a refund if you are unable to attend another course date during the same calendar year or transfer your registration to a colleague. A 25% administration fee applies. The administration fee will be deducted from the registration fee at the time of refund.  

We do not provide refunds for change of mind purchases including:  

• No longer wishing to pursue vaccinator pathway.  
• Wanting to transfer from a paid course to a free of charge course. If spaces are available, we will transfer to this course type but will not refund the course fee.
• Non-attendance on the day of the course.
• Online only courses.

Certificates for current courses (2023 onwards) are found in the ‘Awards’ section on the LMS home page. For older certificates, please email us at imaceducation@auckland.ac.nz.

Your contact details may be forwarded to the Immunisation Coordinator, and used for reporting purposes.

IMAC offers the following private-purchase courses for groups of 10 or more: 

• 2-day Vaccinator foundation course
• Maternal immunisation essentials (in-person)
• Resuscitation for vaccinators

We are able to provide a quote for your organisation on request. Course delivery and administration charges may apply. Please email IMAC Administration Manager s.dingle@auckland.ac.nz for more information.

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