Nurse: 'I was fired for refusing flu shot'

Nurses COVID

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Specializes in public health, immunizations.

Immunizations have been one of the biggest advancements in public health in the past century. I would encourage those not trusting of vaccines to educate yourself a little more...maybe sign up for a conference about immunizations. I attended one last month that had over 700 people attending and it was excellent. One speaker from the CDC, another from the Mayo clinic etc. One whole presentation was about healthcare workers who refuse flu vaccine for reasons other than allergy. It was excellent and might enlighten. In the meantime, I half wonder if this thread is real or maybe just someone flaming the fires. It is hard to believe that registered nurses would post all of these anti vaccine comments. Please rethink this and if you still do not believe in immunizations...at the very least transfer to a job that does not require direct patient care as you could be a vector to them.

I was forced to get the flu shot again today. Yes, I could have chosen another profession but that is not the point. The point is that I should be able to make my own healthcare decisions no matter what I choose to do for a living. Driving to the clinic for the shot was more dangerous for every one of us than a case of the actual flu, since other people are so keen to research and get educated mabye you should check out the stats on that.

lindy, it was the research that made me think once and then twice about getting a flu shot, lol. Have you researched vaccines yourself? Also, the CDC is the least credible source of information I can think of outide of a Pharmaceutical company. Do you have any idea that the same people work at both Pharm and CDC and sometimes even simutaneously? Conflict of interest much?

I was forced to get the flu shot again today. Yes, I could have chosen another profession but that is not the point. The point is that I should be able to make my own healthcare decisions no matter what I choose to do for a living. Driving to the clinic for the shot was more dangerous for every one of us than a case of the actual flu, since other people are so keen to research and get educated mabye you should check out the stats on that.

lindy, it was the research that made me think once and then twice about getting a flu shot, lol. Have you researched vaccines yourself? Also, the CDC is the least credible source of information I can think of outide of a Pharmaceutical company. Do you have any idea that the same people work at both Pharm and CDC and sometimes even simutaneously? Conflict of interest much?

So, you choose to do nothing to change a situation you don't want (since no one held a gun to anyone's head, or strapped anyone down to force a medical procedure there was no "forcing")....instead chose to just to gripe and complain.

Actions speak volumes!

Specializes in Geriatrics, Community Care Nursing, CCM.

Has anyone heard the latest news regarding flu shots? Last night on the national news it was reported that new scientific studies out now show the flu shot is basically ineffective for individuals 18 and up. The nasal spray is somewhat more effective than the injection in children, but still not as effective as the other immunizations we receive for MMR, Hib, and DtP, etc. Some percentages show that the injection is less than 50% effective, so I'm thinking why bother? If I had seen this new release two weeks earlier, I would not have paid 22$ for the shot I got and protect myself with proper nutrition, hand washing, exercise, and rest. All the natural things we should be doing to protect ourselves from all illnesses anyway. And as of two weeks ago, an elderly gentleman at our church started showing s/sx of Guillain-Barre syndrome. Turns out he was dx with pulmonary fibrosis and his pulmonologist told him NOT to take the flu vaccine because of the risk of side effects. He later had an apptmnt with his family doctor and the family doctor told the nurse to give the man a flu shot which she did without asking the man the proper screening questions that a nurse should ask. Within 24 hours the man was having such severe muscle weakness, he couldn't swallow. The family and the family doctor mistakenly believed the man had had a CVA. He was admitted to a Hospice House and left to die. During the course of the week, the man started recovering from the muscle weakness and was able to start swallowing and taking in food when the pulmonologist finally was brought to speed on the events that led up to the change in condition. The pulmo hit the ceiling when he found out the other doctor had given this man a flu shot AMA. The elderly man has since been transferred to a SNF for physical therapy and he is still there as of today. This is not sterile water we are injecting in to ppl but a drug. I do a thorough screening B4 I give anyone a flu shot. If they answer yes to latex allergies, chicken egg allergies, any acute illness or hx of Guillain Barre syndrome or if a doctor has advised them NOT to get a vaccine, I send them on down the road. They cann't get this shot from me. It isn't worth it.

Specializes in Geriatrics, Community Care Nursing, CCM.

Perhaps we should all refresh on Florence Nightingales theory of nursing. In the BSN programs, nursing theory is a requirement. Why study the past if we don't learn from it. Nursing 101-what is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of infection? The new evidence that just aired on CBS last night is the flu vaccine is NOT effective in adults 18 and up. We've had hardly no one even taking a flu shot from our clinic this year. Our shot totals are so low this year that it would not surprise me if the company I work for doesn't scrap the entire program. If I have to get out of nursing, it won't because of a shot but because of the wear and tear it's taking on my joints. Arthritis will end up killing us all before the flu does, that's a given when 70% of all older adults are suffering with it. It's the number one disease state in elders.

Specializes in Geriatrics, Community Care Nursing, CCM.

Even with 3 strains in the vaccine, the new science that just aired on CBS this week says the vaccine is NOT effective in adults. The nasal spray is only somewhat more effective in children. Look up the piece on CBS. It was interesting to watch. I'm sure the CDC and pharmaceutical companies that capitalize on everyone's infirmities were not too happy to see this come out on the national news.

Specializes in Geriatrics, Community Care Nursing, CCM.

Can immunicompromised patients catch warts from us? Those are caused by viruses too, but we don't hear any hoorah about warts or pimples, only the flu. None of this addresses the common cold, which if an immunocompromised patient catches a common cold, that can very easily turn in to pneumonia or ARDS. Several years I took the flu shot and still ended up catching the flu. Handwashing-clean your equipment like you should-stay home from work if you are sick if your employer will allow you to do so. Fortunately, I am an independent contractor and wouldn't have it any other way. I am in control of my schedule. If I'm sick, I call all of my clients and reschedule for when I am feeling better. I also ask my clients to call me. I won't see them if they are sick.

Specializes in Geriatrics, Community Care Nursing, CCM.

Not in nursing school-we were not forced to take the HepB series or the flu vaccine. You signed a delination form understanding the risks to yourself for not taking the HEBB vaccine. It had nothing to do with the risk to the patient. The flu vaccine was never mandated at our nursing school. Varicella was not mandated either in nursing school.

Even with 3 strains in the vaccine, the new science that just aired on CBS this week says the vaccine is NOT effective in adults. The nasal spray is only somewhat more effective in children. Look up the piece on CBS. It was interesting to watch. I'm sure the CDC and pharmaceutical companies that capitalize on everyone's infirmities were not too happy to see this come out on the national news.

I don't know what CBS said, but last I checked they are not a peer reviewed scholarly source (not sure if the CDC was an approved source for scholarly research in your BSN program or not...).

What was reported in the Lancet Infectious Diseases article (doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(11)70295-X) was the following:

"Efficacy of trivalent inactivated vaccine (TIV) was shown in eight (67%) of the 12 seasons analysed in ten randomised controlled trials (pooled efficacy 59% [95% CI 51--67] in adults aged 18--65 years)."

That doesn't say it doesn't work....it says that it seems it might not works as well as we previously thought and that we need to work to improve the efficacy of these vaccines.

Why is it either/or...why make the case that instead of vaccinating we can use good nutrition and standard precautions? Why not protect by vaccinating and use nutrition/standard precautions?

. . . Also, the CDC is the least credible source of information I can think of outide of a Pharmaceutical company. . . .

I don't agree. The least credible source of information that I know of is forum posters spouting unsubstantiated claims about vaccinations.

It's so sad to see Americans give up personal choices, freedom. I take care of patients everyday that still have bullets lodged in them from fighting to give us the freedom to choose what goes in our own bodies, for Gods sake. Reguardless of benefit we should all be outraged that Americans care so little for freedom that they are yet again trying to allow another institution to dictate to us what medications or vac. we will be required to take. This is a slippery slope allowing this to happen. You may agree to force people to take this little shot but one day when you are required to have your tonsils removed because you are told to by your employer because it lowers respiritaory infections, insurance claims, sick days and of course is safer for our patients, you will have to sleep in the bed you are making today. Why don't we require patients to have the flu shot regaurdless of what they would like? Because if they don't take it then the other patients and even myself will be put at the same risk. The answer is because it is their freedom to refuse. Yet because I work as a Nurse I loose that freedom, like magic it's just gone. Living life has inherent risk, the flu is one of them. I fear the day when we pass so many laws and serender so many rights that we are completely safe from all harm. P.S. if you want to fight for infectious risk for our patients why don't you start with housekeeping, I've have never worked at any hospital that didn't just smear the germs around and call it clean.

. . . Living life has inherent risk . . .

Like losing your job because you fail to comply with your employer's rules.

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