The nurse is performing a pre-college health assessment on an adolescent client. The nurse will prepare to administer what immunization?

A. Hepatitis A vaccine is incorrect. The Hepatitis A vaccine is typically recommended for children at 12–23 months of age, travelers to endemic areas, or populations at increased risk. It is not universally required for college entry, so it would not be the primary immunization administered during a pre-college health assessment. B. Varicella vaccine is incorrect. Most adolescents have already completed the two-dose varicella series in childhood. Only adolescents who are non-immune or unvaccinated require this vaccine. Routine administration for pre-college students is uncommon unless immunity is uncertain. C. Pneumococcal vaccine is incorrect. Pneumococcal vaccines are primarily indicated for infants, older adults, and individuals with specific chronic health conditions (e.g., sickle cell disease, immunocompromised states). Healthy adolescents do not typically require pneumococcal vaccination prior to college. D. Meningococcal (MenACWY) vaccine is correct. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY) for all adolescents at 11–12 years of age with a booster at 16 years, particularly for those entering college or living in dormitories, due to the high risk of meningococcal disease outbreaks in close living environments. MenACWY protects against serogroups A, C, W, and Y, which are associated with bacterial meningitis and septicemia—conditions that can rapidly progress and become life-threatening.