Mandatory flu shots????

BlueLightRN · Jan 25, 2014

Even though I am an "employee" I should still have rights about MY medical treatment just like any other person. End of story.

They do not force teachers to be vaccinated, or medical transportation drivers, or any number of other people who could be involved with patients. It's just plain picking on nurses.

allnurses Guide · Jan 25, 2014

Even though I am an "employee" I should still have rights about MY medical treatment just like any other person. End of story.
They do not force teachers to be vaccinated, or medical transportation drivers, or any number of other people who could be involved with patients. It's just plain picking on nurses.

Save a patient by getting a shot....sorry no sympathy from me. There is no rationale for the average person not to be immunized, especially nurses.

NBmomto2 · Jan 25, 2014

My apologies...I had a response typed and sent it before reading it. When I reread it it sounded very rude of me. I apologize to whoever read it. Sorry....I'm going to remain quiet about this topic right now.

GARY_FL_NURSE · Jan 25, 2014

I've never had the flu (so far) so I NEVER get a flu shot and I would dare anyone on this planet to tell me I have to get a flu shot. I'd be running for the attorney section in the yellow pages.

allnurses Guide · Jan 25, 2014

I've never had the flu (so far) so I NEVER get a flu shot and I would dare anyone on this planet to tell me I have to get a flu shot. I'd be running for the attorney section in the yellow pages.

This highlights your focus on patient outcomes.

allnurses Guide · Jan 25, 2014

I've never had the flu (so far) so I NEVER get a flu shot and I would dare anyone on this planet to tell me I have to get a flu shot. I'd be running for the attorney section in the yellow pages.

It has already been tried by many of vaccine opponents and they have lost. It also shows a lack of understanding of why it is important to be vaccinated especially for HCWs.

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · Jan 26, 2014

They do not force teachers to be vaccinated, or medical transportation drivers, or any number of other people who could be involved with patients. It's just plain picking on nurses.

So, in your institution, only the nurses are being required to take the shot? Hmmm... Yeah, that seems unfair

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · Jan 26, 2014

I know there is a lot more that people are arguing about here, but I'd like to address the issue of employees rights. I see so many posts here about how unfair employers are by making us do things we shouldn't have to do- like wearing a specific color uniform, hiding our piercings/tattoos, voiding in a cup, background checks, working weekends, holidays, snow days, Arbor Day (lol). It is a job!! No one is holding a gun to your head. You are under no obligation to stay there.

Does anyone shop at Target? Starbucks? Been to a baseball stadium? What do they wear? Who was "happily" checking out customers at midnight on Thanksgiving? Someone I know worked in an arena where there was a sporting event on Christmas day. All employees were mandated to work. Not a nurse, cop, firefighter or paramedic. A server at a sporting event (which had an incredibly low turnout).

Look at all of the bus drivers and train conductors that are under fire as soon as there is an incident/ accident. I don't know what any of their regulations or requirements are, but If the local transit authorities mandated daily sobriety checks or even random testing (and actually implemented it to all employees randomly), would people be up in arms about it? If my loved one traveled on a bus/train on a regular basis, I would expect that their "powers that be" are doing whatever they can to ensure that their employees are safe to do their job.

Can we compare what we do to a barista or cashier? Maybe not. But maybe a bus driver or train conductor. Consequences of our actions are dire to our "customers", and employers can enforce action if we do not comply.

elkpark · Jan 27, 2014

Even though I am an "employee" I should still have rights about MY medical treatment just like any other person. End of story.
They do not force teachers to be vaccinated, or medical transportation drivers, or any number of other people who could be involved with patients. It's just plain picking on nurses.

I've never worked at any hospital where flu shots were only offered/encouraged for the nursing staff; it's always been everyone who worked at the hospital, physicians, allied health, housekeeping, volunteers, dietary, etc. How is that "just plain picking on nurses"??

SleeepyRN · Jan 27, 2014

While I am pro-vaccine and get flu shots I recognize that flu shots are not protective against all strains of flu. Also, nothing prevents all sickness, even good hand hygiene, eating well, sleeping enough (lol) etc. However, I cannot force a patient to take a vaccination of they don't want to and I don't feel anyone or any business should be able to force a person or employee to take a vaccination if they don't want to, it's a violation of their personal right to choose their own health maintenance decisions themselves.[/quote']
I agree 100% with every aspect of this post.

SleeepyRN · Jan 27, 2014

^This. As a healthcare worker you should be concerned about your patients. I think it should be required and if you refuse you can easily be replaced by somebody who understands the flu virus and the risk it poses to immune compromised patients

I believe this to be ridiculous. Speaking as an RN who does understand the flu virus AND the vaccinations, I personally choose to vaccinate. However, I also understand the risks of the vaccination and personally know some someone who developed Guillan Barre post vaccination. I personally take the risk of a rare reaction, but will not disrespect someone's *informed* decision not to. Key word - informed. Full disclosure, I get very annoyed at people who choose not to vaccinate over misinformation. My husband is one of those, and it drives me nuts. Anyway, to pretty much say, you have no business in health care if you choose not to get vaccinated is obnoxious, absurd, closed minded, ridiculous...need I bust out a thesaurus? End rant

allnurses Guide · Jan 28, 2014

I believe this to be ridiculous. Speaking as an RN who does understand the flu virus AND the vaccinations, I personally choose to vaccinate. However, I also understand the risks of the vaccination and personally know some someone who developed Guillan Barre post vaccination. I personally take the risk of a rare reaction, but will not disrespect someone's *informed* decision not to. Key word - informed. Full disclosure, I get very annoyed at people who choose not to vaccinate over misinformation. My husband is one of those, and it drives me nuts. Anyway, to pretty much say, you have no business in health care if you choose not to get vaccinated is obnoxious, absurd, closed minded, ridiculous...need I bust out a thesaurus? End rant

[h=3]"How common is GBS, and how common is it among people who have been vaccinated against seasonal influenza?[/h]GBS is rare. Medical events occur regardless of vaccination, and background rates are used to assess vaccine safety by comparing the expected rate of disease or death to the actual or observed rate in any given timeframe. The background rate for GBS in the U.S. is about 80 to 160 cases of GBS each week, regardless of vaccination."

CDC - Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) | Seasonal Influenza (Flu)

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/813959

Vaccines and Guillain-Barré syndrome. [Drug Saf. 2009] - PubMed - NCBI

Yes, informed consent is important, but flatly stating GBS was caused from the flu vaccine is not using informed anything or current research. That is equivalent of getting the flu shot walking outside and then getting hit by a bus and blaming the flu shot for increased incidence of bus accidents.

It is not closed minded to think that your healthcare provider is doing what is reasonable necessary and following EBP to protect their patients up to and including being vaccinated. HCWs that chose not to be vaccinated put their patients health and lives at risk for no logical reason. These type of HCWs use illogical reasoning not informed consent to suggest some reason why they should not be vaccinated. Then when you take away every excuse these people have for not getting being vaccinated then they use well it is "my body" and right not to be vaccinated. Where is the patient's rights to be expected to be protected from vaccine preventable diseases while they are the most vulnerable. To me if you are not willing to take the extraordinarily small risk to protect yourself, your co-workers, your family, and especially your patients then health care is probably not the right career field for you.

So, I must be one of those obnoxious, absurd, closed minded, ridiculous people to expect health care providers to expect others in my profession to adhere to nonmaleficence, beneficence, and EBP when making health care decisions concerning their patients.