Nurses fired for refusing flu vaccine

Flare, ASN, BSN · Jan 4, 2013

my facility to fire everyone that didn't get one - but in the end it looked like it was same as last year - mandated flu shots and those that refused were forced to wear masks in patient areas. Never noticed anyone wearing a mask though and did notice that everyone had the same sticker on their badge

Szasz_is_Right · Jan 4, 2013

Instead parroting hearsay about preservative, adjuvants, etc. in influenza vaccines, I urge everyone to educate themselves to make informed decisions. Here are links to the package inserts for all of the approved vaccines for the 2012-2013 season.
Package Insert - AFLURIA (PDF - 230KB)

From pg. 13 of your first link:

Thimerosal, a mercury derivative, is not used in the manufacturing process for the single dose presentations; therefore these products contain no preservative. The multi-dose presentation contains thimerosal, added as a preservative; each 0.5 mL dose contains 24.5 mcg of mercury.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Jan 4, 2013

Yes I get that my employer doesn't care about me and my health. I care about what goes into my body. Has anyone on here ever looked at the ingredients in the flu shot? Most contain mercury, which is not something I am thrilled about putting in my body. Some contain other forms of preservatives as well.

Sorry, mercury is old, old, OLD news. Hasn't been used in vaccines for more than a decade, although you'd never know it to read the antivaccine blogs.

As for the rest, vaccines come in single-dose vials and do not contain preservatives. If you are concerned, ask to watch yours being drawn up.

imintrouble, BSN, RN · Jan 4, 2013

Had I not been a nurse, I would have happily spent my entire life refusing flu shots. This year I was forced by my facility, as a condition of my employment. Actually I could have worn a mask for 4 months and refused. Not really a choice as far as I'm concerned.

First we could refuse.

Then refuse and wear a mask.

I think the future is vaccine, or be fired.

imintrouble, BSN, RN · Jan 4, 2013

Olddragger,
I think they are actually testing a medication that makes people more compliant to the US Govt forces. Am I right? Is this what you think too? :***:

I'm not bashing Olddragger, I just think this is funny.

Mulan · Jan 4, 2013

As far as hospitals making the flu shot mandatory--why do you think this is all of a sudden mandatory? The flu shot has been available for a more than a decade. What changed? Why, all of a sudden hospitals decided to do this? If you think it is for patient protection--does that mean that during all those previous years the hospitals were not interested in patient protection?
Really think about this Nurses--dont just react to it.

Okay, I'll bite.

Why?

mariahlily · Jan 4, 2013

as a new graduate nurse, who has spent the last seven months trying to find work, i find it hard to feel sorry for these people. All I have ever heard from more experienced nurses is that, because I'm young and inexperienced, I need to just put up and shut up. and give in to any and all demands made by potential employers. that i should be willing to take low-paying jobs, even if they didn't pay enough to cover my student loans. that if necessary, i should be forced to move to tiny rural towns. even places where the culture is racist, homophobic and socially dead. that i should go into further debt by breaking my apartment lease, buying a car, and starting my life over. that i should delay getting married and having children, if the job didn't allow it. that I should work nights/weekends/holidays/overtime without blinking an eye. and these nurses can't be bothered to spare 5 minutes for a shot? experienced nurses, maybe you should start taking your own advice. "put up and shut up." because when your hospital cans you, I'll be there to take your job. and I will comply with all of its completely REASONABLE standards without whining about my arbitrary personal freedoms. maybe I've offended some of you, but I'm too busy collecting unemployment to care.

citylights89, BSN, RN · Jan 4, 2013

I was just about to post this story, but I see someone beat me to it!

Anyway, I'm getting tired of this "take this medicine or get ready to get out of here" mentality. Since when has this become such a big issue? Might as well make sure everyone has a flu shot everywhere if it's that big of a deal.

VICEDRN, BSN, RN · Jan 4, 2013

I have no problem taking the flu vaccine. Of course, I want what is best for patients I come into contact with. I am concerned about the bigger picture: how much can the hospitals force on us in the name of patient safety?

olddragger · Jan 5, 2013

Mulan--I will be glad to share why I think hospitals all of a sudden went to the mandatory influenza vaccinations.

MONEY!

Read this: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=acute%20care%20hospitals%20medicare%20reimbursement%20affected%20by%20influenza%20vaccination%20percentages%3F&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&ved=0CDgQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fnhsn%2FPDFs%2FHPS-manual%2FOperational-Guidance-HPS-Flu-Vaccination-Sum-Acute-Care.pdf&ei=enTnUPTnD8ii2wWY34GQBw&usg=AFQjCNEocdS4r_ztGUsyHQHdZg-m7aU2Gg

What it is basically is saying that hospitals have to report to CMS their percentage of hcw influenza vaccinations. That started in 2012. this year.

If they do not meet the percentage of vaccinations that CMS wants then they can be penalized by a reduction in amount that Medicare reimburses the hospital. Up to 2%. Two percent at the local community hospital equals to approx 30-40 million dollars per year.

If people want to believe that hospitals suddenly developed an interest in protecting their patients from influenza. Think again.

This kind of reminds me how some Nurses thought that hospitals made themselves a no smoking facility in the interest of the patient's health. REALLY???

Stcroix, ASN, PhD, RN · Jan 5, 2013

It's not...but we can now count on a thousand-post thread on vaccinations. Let the thrashing begin ... I'll go first. Read it and weep.

10/20/12 Shannon Brownlee and Jeanne Lenzer ‑ Does the Vaccine Matter? ‑ www.theatlantic.com/magazine/print/2009/11/does‑the‑vaccine‑matter/307723/

GrnTea I read over the article. Some good points were made. It seems the author relies on the statements by one researcher who believes that vaccine studies were for the most part, flawed. Doing proper controlled studies involve using humans as 'guinea pigs' bring up some interesting ethical considerations. I, for one have no problem doing that type of research as the risks to the control group are relatively minor. Until the day comes when that kind of research is conducted, we will continue with the over worn arguments.

Argument about protecting the patients we care for aside for the moment, my take on the issue is that no one truly knows if the vaccine protects most people from flu. If the day comes that the promised pandemic arrives, I would rather be the one who had the vaccine than the one in the 'control group' who did not and took his chances. A small shot is better than none at all.

klone, MSN, RN · Jan 5, 2013

Mulan--I will be glad to share why I think hospitals all of a sudden went to the mandatory influenza vaccinations.
MONEY!
Read this: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=acute%20care%20hospitals%20medicare%20reimbursement%20affected%20by%20influenza%20vaccination%20percentages%3F&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&ved=0CDgQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fnhsn%2FPDFs%2FHPS-manual%2FOperational-Guidance-HPS-Flu-Vaccination-Sum-Acute-Care.pdf&ei=enTnUPTnD8ii2wWY34GQBw&usg=AFQjCNEocdS4r_ztGUsyHQHdZg-m7aU2Gg
What it is basically is saying that hospitals have to report to CMS their percentage of hcw influenza vaccinations. That started in 2012. this year.
If they do not meet the percentage of vaccinations that CMS wants then they can be penalized by a reduction in amount that Medicare reimburses the hospital. Up to 2%. Two percent at the local community hospital equals to approx 30-40 million dollars per year.
If people want to believe that hospitals suddenly developed an interest in protecting their patients from influenza. Think again.
This kind of reminds me how some Nurses thought that hospitals made themselves a no smoking facility in the interest of the patient's health. REALLY???

If I could like this more than once, I would.