[emtb2rn]

I can get a flu shot from either the county OEM or from the hospital my school is affiliated with, but am not sure if I should. I have never gotten one in the past and have never "caught" the flu in 8 years of pre-hospital EMS. Just wondering if I should start getting one. The county will also provide my wife with a shot, she's more susceptible to illness than I am (I'm one of those just don't get sick types) so again, I'm not sure....

Thoughts, opinions, pithy comments?

[HappyNurse2005]

ya never know-why not get it? the flu would really suck.

i got mine yesterday, and now my arm hurts like heck!!! but hey, better than getting the flu. i was pretty ***** from having a cold recently, i'd hate to get the flu

[CHATSDALE]

also presented myself to be a pincushion yesterday..i seldom get sick but when i do it is a doozy
personal choice

[mom23RN]

I had influenze about 3 years ago. My oldest was 2 1/2 and I was nursing a 6 week old baby. I have to say that if you ever get influenza you will never want it again. Give me the 12 hour pukes ANY DAY OF THE WEEK. Oh... did I mention that my 2 1/2 year old had it as well? It was horrific. I have a completely sympathetic hubby who took NO time off work either to help me.

All that being said, I still don't get the flu shot. I swore I would get it the next year but that has come and gone now.

It's really up to you but personally I just don't like them. I know... I know... you'd think I would have learned my lesson... but nope.

Good luck. I hope you stay healthy this year!!!

[onehusbandsevenkids]

Hmmm... have you ever done real research on vax?
If you're comfortable with vax, then get it.
If you question vax, I would question it, and take measures to fully support your immune system, ect. But thats just me.

For what its worth, I'm mostly anti-vax. (and no I dont care to start a debate...way too much work to do to get sucked into spending lots of time on a debate here)
My stepdad gets the flu shot every year and every year he gets the flu. Same with my MIL. I did get the flu shot two seasons ago at school under peer pressure and I didnt get sick.

[Sandi0302]

I gave myself one last year because I was pregnant, and this year I will be getting (or giving myself) another one because I was recently diagnosed with asthma

[Drifternurse]

I highly recommend it! I suffered terribly many years ago when I came down with the flu(I'd neglected to get the shot). I've not made that mistake again. Two days' worth of arm discomfort is SO MUCH better than aweek in bed witht he flu.

[Otessa]

I have received a flu shot 12 of my past 14 years of being an RN-the only time I had the flu was the 2 years I didn't get the shot and of course before I was a Nurse.

[VivaLasViejas]

I never miss getting a flu shot---I've got asthma, and the flu has been known to put me in the hospital. No thanks, I haven't got time for all that!

As an ALF nurse, I'm rather militant about protecting my residents from flu.........what would be a week or two of misery for a young or middle-aged person, is a potential killer for the frail elderly. So I very strongly encourage my staff to get flu shots, and of course we make sure all the residents have the opportunity to be vaccinated.

Now, I would never "force" anyone to get the flu vaccine, but I do see it as something of a social responsibility whenever one is caring for elderly and immunocompromised patients. From what I understand, in years past only about half the residents and maybe 10% of the staff where I work got flu shots; this year, 90% of the residents and 80% of staff have been vaccinated. There's a few hardcore folks who proudly boast that they've never gotten a flu shot and never get the flu, and I think they're full of it, but I really can't MAKE them do it. I just give 'em all my little speech about how terrible they would feel if they brought flu into the facility and somebody died from it.........what's that about "guilting" people into doing something they don't want to do? Who, me?

[emtb2rn]

Wellll, I think we'll get the shot. I went out to the CDC website (http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm) and that pretty much swayed me in favor of the shot. So, I guess we'll file this one under "my body, my choice" which seems to be everybody's opinion.

Thanks!