[Durgical](https://durgical.com/en/) › [DurgiPedia](https://durgical.com/en/durgipedia/) › [Nursing](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/) › [Maternal and child nursing](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/areas/maternal-child/) › Giving vaccines safely and Colombia's PAI schedule # Giving vaccines safely and Colombia's PAI schedule - Safe practice Before vaccinating, check the card and the true contraindications; then give it safely, observe, record it in PAIWEB and watch for ESAVI. Updated Nov 5, 2026 ## Key points - True contraindication: a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to a previous dose or to a vaccine component. - Live vaccines are not given in severe immunosuppression nor, in general, during pregnancy. - False contraindications: mild illness with or without fever, antibiotics, convalescence, prematurity, breastfeeding and recent exposure to an infection. - A moderate or severe acute illness is a precaution: the vaccine is usually deferred. - Every dose is recorded in PAIWEB, the PAI's nominal information system, and on the person's card. ## What it is This page covers vaccination from the nursing side: what is checked before, during and after giving a vaccine. The schedule by age is on the PAI schedule page, and the programme and the cold chain have their own pages. The principle is to miss no opportunity: every contact with the service is a chance to check the card and complete the schedule, and most mild illnesses do not prevent vaccination. ## What it requires - At birth, the PAI gives BCG and hepatitis B; the other ages are on the PAI schedule page. - Intramuscular site: anterolateral thigh under 12 months; thigh or deltoid from 12 months to 2 years; deltoid from 3 years. - Angle: 90° for intramuscular and 45° for subcutaneous injection; aspiration is not needed. - Several vaccines at one visit: each at a different site, at least 2.5 cm apart, recording the site of each. - Vaccines stay in the refrigerator at 2 to 8 °C until the moment they are given. ## Components - The vaccination card and the person's history in PAIWEB. - Screening questions: current illness, allergies, previous reactions, immunosuppression, pregnancy and recent vaccines. - A cold box or refrigerator with the temperature recorded. - A new syringe and needle for each injection, a sharps container and equipment to treat a severe allergic reaction. ## How it is applied (and why) - Check the card and PAIWEB to see which vaccines are due — avoids missed opportunities and repeat doses. - Ask the screening questions and separate true from false contraindications — do not defer a vaccine without reason. - Check the right vaccine, the expiry date and the cold box temperature — a damaged vaccine can look normal. - Clean your hands and use a new syringe and needle for each injection — prevents infection. - Choose the site by age and inject at the correct angle — the vaccine reaches the intended tissue. - If there are several, use different sites and record which went where — lets a local reaction be traced. - Comfort the child during the injection, for example by breastfeeding or holding — reduces pain. - Observe the person after vaccination per protocol — allows an immediate reaction to be treated in time. - Record in PAIWEB and on the card and explain which reactions to expect and when to seek care — the nominal record follows each person. ## In nursing practice - ESAVI: an event supposedly attributable to vaccination or immunisation; any unfavourable health event after vaccination, not necessarily caused by the vaccine. - Non-serious ESAVI: usually appears at 24 or 48 hours, does not threaten life and resolves without treatment. - Serious ESAVI: causes death, threatens life, needs hospital admission, leaves disability or is suspected to be linked to a congenital anomaly, fetal death or miscarriage; reported per protocol. - If a person has no record of a vaccine on the card or in PAIWEB, they are considered susceptible and caught up for their age. - Never mix vaccines in one syringe or combine vials to make up a dose. ## Common mistakes - Deferring a vaccine for a cold or a low fever. - Giving two vaccines in the same site or not recording the site of each. - Leaving the vaccine outside the cold box during the session. - Not recording the dose in PAIWEB or not handing over the card. ## Test yourself Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it. ## Which contraindication applies to every vaccine? A severe allergic reaction, such as anaphylaxis, to a previous dose or to a vaccine component. ## Can a child with a cold and a low fever be vaccinated? Yes. Mild illness, with or without fever, is not a contraindication; the vaccine is given on time. ## Where is an intramuscular vaccine given in an infant under 12 months? In the anterolateral thigh. ## What is PAIWEB? The nominal information system of Colombia's PAI, where each person's vaccinations are recorded. ## What does ESAVI mean? An event supposedly attributable to vaccination or immunisation: an event after vaccination that was not necessarily caused by the vaccine. [Add to my cards (5)](https://durgical.app/estudiar/?add=/en/nursing/giving-vaccines-safely-and-colombia-s-pai-schedule/) ## Elsewhere in DurgiPedia - [Colombia's PAI schedule (which vaccines, at what age)](https://durgical.com/en/immunology/colombia-s-pai-schedule/) - [The PAI as a public health programme](https://durgical.com/en/epidemiology/the-pai-as-a-public-health-programme/) - [The cold chain](https://durgical.com/en/immunology/the-cold-chain/) ## Connections ## Related 5 - [Growth and development monitoring in children](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/growth-and-development-monitoring-in-children/) - [Immediate care of the newborn](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/immediate-care-of-the-newborn/) - [Prenatal care: the nursing visit and warning signs](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/prenatal-care-the-nursing-visit-and-warning-signs/) - [Intramuscular injection: sites and technique](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/intramuscular-injection-sites-and-technique/) - [Hand hygiene: the five moments and the technique](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/hand-hygiene-the-five-moments-and-the-technique/) [← All of nursing](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/) Educational content for students; it does not replace your institution's protocols, supervised clinical training or a prescriber's order. Dose-calculation examples use made-up numbers: they are educational, not a clinical order. Sources: [Contraindications and Precautions (General Best Practice Guidelines for Immunization)](https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/imz-best-practices/contraindications-precautions.html) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2024); [Vaccine Administration (General Best Practice Guidelines for Immunization)](https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/imz-best-practices/vaccine-administration.html) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2024); [Registro de vacunación](https://vacunacion.minsalud.gov.co/Vacunas/Paginas/registro-de-la-vacunacion.aspx) (Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social de Colombia (PAI), 2026); [Vigilancia en vacunación EAPV/ESAVI](https://vacunacion.minsalud.gov.co/Vacunas/Paginas/vigilancia-en-vacunacion-esavi.aspx) (Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social de Colombia (PAI), 2026). ## **Spotted a mistake?** We are always improving for the community. Tell us what is wrong and our team will review it. Report a mistake Representative model, for educational purposes only. --- Source: https://durgical.com/en/nursing/giving-vaccines-safely-and-colombia-s-pai-schedule/ License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Cite as: DurgiPedia (durgical.com), https://durgical.com/en/nursing/giving-vaccines-safely-and-colombia-s-pai-schedule/