Mandated Flu vaccine?

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Oct 24, 2011

Last month when MunroRN wrote that statement, the link above did indeed lead to a CDC statement that flu vaccine (when well-matched) reduced influenza disease by 70-90% (in healthy adults under 65).
However, CDC updated that link on October 12 2011. If you click on it now (October 24 2011), the same link has been greatly revised. It now states (among many other changes):

HI doc Very interesting........ :smokin:

xtxrn, ASN, RN · Oct 24, 2011

Mine's mandating the vaccine. I've been getting them for years, so I don't really care. I just wish we could give each other our vax instead of going to the set up times which aren't the most convenient for us night shifters.

The employee health nurse used to come around starting about 4 am, to ambush the night shift - LOL. :) She was great !! She had the consents, asked the questions, and basically shot us while we were working She had one of those metal carts with consents, sharps container, pre filled syringes w/vaccine (she drew them all up), alcohol pads, etc.... mobile flu shooter :up: She dragged her assistant with her, and she got all of the staff (who wasn't allergic to eggs, other issue) bopped in a few days.

She was cool. Actually, it was she who discovered I was diabetic during pre-employment lab work. Called me out of orientation (I'd worked there before, so knew the stuff they were covering) and set up diabetic teaching (a LOT different than what we learn as nurses; no "standard" sliding scale at home :)).

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Oct 25, 2011

Mine's mandating the vaccine. I've been getting them for years, so I don't really care. I just wish we could give each other our vax instead of going to the set up times which aren't the most convenient for us night shifters.

We used to give each other our flu shots on the unit (not mandatory, though). Eventually, they changed the policy to one which required you to get it at employee health if you wanted a free one. Once that happened, compliance with the recommendation nose dived because employee health was several buildings away and most nurses I knew weren't willing to make the trek after a long 12 hour shift.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Oct 25, 2011

wearing a mask at all times? ridiculous - what type of mask? regular surgical masks are not effective, so unless everyone has to wear the fitted masks, there is no protection for the patient. ask your facility to show the documentation that the masks provided prevent transmission.
also, isn't it like making you wear a scarlet letter - a breach of your confidentiality because everyone knows why you are wearing a mask? could this be a hippa violation?

no, it's not a hipaa violation.

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Oct 25, 2011

I don't take any drug that hasn't been out for more than five years, hence no flu shot.

The patients coming to the ER get the preservative free vaccination. Common health care workers get the thimerisol/mercury laden type.

They "encourage" the vaccination but require us to show up in employee health, miss our breaks, instead of allowing the manager or charge nurse to pick up supplies and do it on the unit.

Night shifters have to come in during the day (but that's not news.)

Every doc I've talked to about the pros and cons has said you can either get the flu, or get the flu symptoms after the vaccination. I'd rather go with maybe getting flu instead of definitely getting symptoms. The same docs were forced to encourage vaccination when they were speaking to patients. So the hospital is strong arming physicians to recommend treatments they don't take themselves.

For my own health I want to get the flu so my body is exposed and develops antibodies to the real thing. It will give me a stronger immune system, and I'll be ready to fight next years' bug. Flu vaccines sometimes miss the mark altogether.

Someday flu will roll through and kill thousands, I want an immune system that can crush cars, not a passive immunity for a few months a year.

During H1N1 scare we had to wait in line 2-3 hours. As healthcare workers.

It's mandatory. You're just asking for people to resist when you make it mandatory. Make the education sessions mandatory, morons. Then make the vaccine AVAILABLE (on the units, for all shifts).

It's only mandatory for nursing staff.

Seriously?

Yes I would wear the mask instead of getting the shot. Yes, I would switch jobs if I had to. If they were going to take my licensure I would have to think about it.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Oct 25, 2011

every doc i've talked to about the pros and cons has said you can either get the flu, or get the flu symptoms after the vaccination. i'd rather go with maybe getting flu instead of definitely getting symptoms.

it is not a given that you get flu symptoms after vaccination. while some do indeed get symptoms which can mimic the flu, it is not "definite" as you assert above and they are absolutely nowhere near as bad as a bad case of the flu. the only symptom i have ever gotten from a flu vaccine is a sore arm for a day or so. when i got the flu, i really felt like i was going to die and almost didn't care if i did.

caregiver1977 · Oct 25, 2011

Required. Even if allergic.

So how is that handled?

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Oct 25, 2011

Someday flu will roll through and kill thousands, I want an immune system that can crush cars, not a passive immunity for a few months a year.

The 1918 influenza killed many millions (estimates at over 50 million or more world wide), an unprecedented event. Unlike most flu outbreaks, it was not the elderly, young, and feeble who died. Those with healthy immune systems-young adults-perished in record numbers as a result of an immune system cascade which overwhelmed their lungs. The H1N1, while not nearly as deadly, showed similar patterns, hence the hysteria which ensued. People who have studied the 1918 flu live with a quiet terror about a similar event (deadly mutation of an initially typical virus to one which became terrifyingly virulent); perhaps that one event, while unprecedented, continues to drive policy. I don't know.

This is not an endorsement of mandatory flu vaccines, just a comment addressing your statement above.

DizzyLizzyNurse · Oct 25, 2011

I got the flu shot last year for the first and only time. I was so sick after. Someone will force me to do that again when the patients are forced to without regard to their religion, beliefs, and allergies.

Turtle in scrubs · Oct 25, 2011

Both Flu and Pertussis were made mandatory for us last year and from now on. There was no mask option for us. Several people at our institution were fired, which was hard on morale, but probably reduced employee sick days and potentially saved patient lives.

sharpeimom · Oct 25, 2011

the 1918 influenza killed many millions (estimates at over 50 million or more world wide), an unprecedented event. unlike most flu outbreaks, it was not the elderly, young, and feeble who died. those with healthy immune systems-young adults-perished in record numbers as a result of an immune system cascade which overwhelmed their lungs. the h1n1, while not nearly as deadly, showed similar patterns, hence the hysteria which ensued. people who have studied the 1918 flu live with a quiet terror about a similar event (deadly mutation of an initially typical virus to one which became terrifyingly virulent); perhaps that one event, while unprecedented, continues to drive policy. i don't know.
this is not an endorsement of mandatory flu vaccines, just a comment addressing your statement above.

since we're talking about influenza, i'll toss out a question i've never been given a definitive answer about. in my extended family, several members had the 1918 influenza. three died, including a 12 year old great uncle, while others survived it. same branch of the family, fast forward to the 1936 influenza. my mom, her three siblings, several friends, and cousins got it, as did a young aunt and uncle.

every single person who had the flu in 1918 or 1936, except two, developed parkinson's disease after age 55. my mom and and her aunt, who was a generation above but just five years older, escaped it.

does anyone have any idea what the$%^& the connection might be? is there a connection at all? did something predispose all of them? despite the fact that they were dx with pd, i've wondered whether at least some of the tremors and rigidity might have been simple familial or idiopathic in nature??

i'm not asking for medical advice. i'm asking a genetics question. thanks!

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Oct 25, 2011

It is not a given that you get flu symptoms after vaccination. While some do indeed get symptoms which can mimic the flu, it is not "definite" as you assert above and they are absolutely nowhere near as bad as a bad case of the flu. The only symptom I have ever gotten from a flu vaccine is a sore arm for a day or so. When I got the flu, I really felt like I was going to die and almost didn't care if I did.

I understand. I've had confirmed flu with a nasal swab, so I know the sickness. Working the ER I'm always exposed, every year, and people have been coming in with a flulike illness for the last 3 weeks. I've got it now, and feel protected because my body is prepared to deal. ("Feeling" isn't scientific, but worth mentioning). When a huge contagious illness comes along, I want the ability to fight back.