Mandatory flu shots????

Nurses COVID

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It didn't dawn on me until just right now, don't ask me why, that my choice of NOT getting a flu shot will NOT get me into a nursing program. The director at my school of choice basically stated "it is a requirement that you receive one, however you can sign a declaration that you do not wish to receive one." Then I asked, "would that inhibit my chances of getting into the program?" She replied, "well, the facilities in which we work with it is required due to you working with elderly clients; If you do not wish to get the flu shot perhaps you should look into another career."

*****?? (excuse the language) I have worked in nursing homes, health centers, private duty, home health agencies, visiting nurses association, hospice AND THEY NEVER REQUIRED me to ever receive or even ASKED if I have obtained a flu shot!!! (mid 90's)

So, anyone please tell me my dream of becoming a nurse is already dead because I REFUSE to get a flu shot???!!! seriously??? I am so upset right now!!!

Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
And what about deodorant?!?? It causes the Alzheimer's!! Why are we forced to wear it at work?? How dare they tell us we have to alter our natural scent with artificial chemicals!!!

No no no that causes breast cancer remember???

Note to self: time to invest in clothespins! Also, take money invested in companies that make deodorant and invest in clothespin companies instead.

I have to just give my opinion.

no one should be judged for refusing the flu vaccination. Many people are healthy and fine without the flu shot and when they do decide to receive it it causes them to be very sick . More research needs to be done and see how many deaths and paralysis is caused from the flu shot. Why would anyone want to take a chance of fatality or being paralyzed? I'm sure that the nurse all over the world wouldn't just be against getting the vaccination and wear surgical mask in place of the vaccination just for no reason. Also there are different strains of the flu every year and that one flu shot isn't telling you that you'll be safe from the other 49 strains of the virus. I've seen people go all the way until they were 90 years old without the shot and never had the flu at all. This is just my opinion. The people who died or ended up paralyzed didn't think that would happen to them but it did. They received 11.6 million in lawsuits but they can't move for the rest of their lives what good is the money if you can't move.

Specializes in Anesthesia.
I have to just give my opinion.

no one should be judged for refusing the flu vaccination. Many people are healthy and fine without the flu shot and when they do decide to receive it it causes them to be very sick . More research needs to be done and see how many deaths and paralysis is caused from the flu shot. Why would anyone want to take a chance of fatality or being paralyzed? I'm sure that the nurse all over the world wouldn't just be against getting the vaccination and wear surgical mask in place of the vaccination just for no reason. Also there are different strains of the flu every year and that one flu shot isn't telling you that you'll be safe from the other 49 strains of the virus. I've seen people go all the way until they were 90 years old without the shot and never had the flu at all. This is just my opinion. The people who died or ended up paralyzed didn't think that would happen to them but it did. They received 11.6 million in lawsuits but they can't move for the rest of their lives what good is the money if you can't move.

That is a lot of misinformation and half-truths in one post.

1. The incidence of paralysis, which I am assuming you are referring to the incidence of Guillain-Barré syndrome, is the same for people that get vaccinated and that don't get vaccinated. In 1976 with that years' swine flu vaccine there was an increase of people getting Guillain-Barré syndrome to the effect of an increased risk of 1:1,000,000 people who received that swine flu vaccine in 1976. There has not been an increase risk of Guillain-barre before or since that time.

The flu vaccine actually helps prevent Guillain-Barre since it almost always occurs after certain infections including influenza.

2. There are very few people that get "very sick" after any immunization. Serious adverse reactions to vaccines are approximately 1:1,000,000 doses of vaccines. It is estimated that over 50,000 people may die each from influenza and influenza related illnesses, and over 200,000 people will be hospitalized from the flu every year in the United States. You have on average a 5-20% chance of getting the flu every year. It costs an average of over 10 billion dollars to treat influenza every year in the United States. Almost everyone of those people that died because of the flu or became seriously ill will have not been immunized against the flu for that flu season.

3. It is unethical knowing that you can harm your patients, fellow co-workers, and everyone else to not be immunized when the risk of serious reactions are extremely rare, paralysis from the flu vaccine is basically non-existent, and mortality rates are from all vaccines are less than 1 person a year. There isn't even an accurate per year average on vaccine related deaths because they are so infrequent.

4. So your opinion is uniformed and unethical.

Flu Statistics: What Are Your Odds of Getting the Flu?

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/guillainbarre.htm

Estimating Seasonal Influenza-Associated Deaths in the United States | Seasonal Influenza (Flu) | CDC

If someone has a religious reason then it's there choice to do a declination or a waiver for the influenza vaccination. Everyone that I have spoken to that has received the influenza vaccination has had major issues post vaccination and they now regret it. It made them very sick . Why is it that many people who are very healthy and don't get the vaccination end up just fine. I'm not just referring to

So many nurses are against the influenza I wonder why?

Will post the links to a few articles

Specializes in Anesthesia.
If someone has a religious reason then it's there choice to do a declination or a waiver for the influenza vaccination. Everyone that I have spoken to that has received the influenza vaccination has had major issues post vaccination and they now regret it. It made them very sick . Why is it that many people who are very healthy and don't get the vaccination end up just fine. I'm not just referring to

Religious exemptions are dependent on the state the person lives and it is, IMHO, not reason not to be vaccinated. The flu shot did not make them sick. Coincidence and causation are two different things. Nursing and medicine should be based on actual peer reviewed scientific literature not anecdotal second hand histories.

Specializes in Anesthesia.
Will post the links to a few articles

If they aren't peer reviewed scientific literature from scientific journals don't bother.

Specializes in Anesthesia.
So many nurses are against the influenza I wonder why?

There is a small minority of nurses that are against getting the influenza vaccine and everyone of them that has given their reasons to be against quoted misinformation about the vaccine just as you are doing.

22,

Thanks for your expertise I am going to consider everything. Do the surgical centers make nurses have. The shot too? People who are getting prepped for minor surgery?

Specializes in Anesthesia.
Thanks for your expertise I am going to consider everything. Do the surgical centers make nurses have. The shot too? People who are getting prepped for minor surgery?

Most do.

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