Your boss insists on employees taking flu vaccine

Nurses General Nursing

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i just heard this last week and want to know what anyone else has heard.

the infection control person at my employer let us know that we will be expected to accept the flu vaccine for the upcoming 08-09 flu season.

i don't plan to accept the vaccine but i was incredulous that this edict would be passed around.

i believe we were warned that we would have to "sign a form of declination?":eek:--never heard of such a thing.

the justification for attempting to mandate such action was : "medicare will be lowering reimbursement for institutions that don't have a high-enough percentage of compliance."

has anyone else heard any of this yet?

then I thought "what if during the infectious period I gave it to a patient" and so now I take it.

But then again, what if you gave them strep or a cold or any number of other things during the infectious period before you knew you had it? The flu shot isn't a replacement for good handwashing and good hygiene habits, like not spitting in their food.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
Well, in their defense, whether it gave them "the flu" or it gave them "flu-like symptoms," either way, they felt like poo.:)

For sure. I know if I took the flu shot and immediate got sick I wouldn't be taken it again, whether I had the flu or not. :)

But then again, what if you gave them strep or a cold or any number of other things during the infectious period before you knew you had it? The flu shot isn't a replacement for good handwashing and good hygiene habits, like not spitting in their food.

Surely there's any number of illnesses that I may pass on to my patients unknowingly. But flu is one of those I might possibly scratch off that list. For me the flu shot is free, convenient and I suffer no side effects other than a sore arm. Why wouldn't I take the flu shot?

I 100% support people's choice in the matter, because as I said for 40 years I never took it (but for one trip overseas as a kid), but on the other hand, I shouldn't have to defend my choice either. It makes sense for me (and the CDC for that matter). :)

I 100% agree about handwashing and I don't see any of us advocating the flu shot as a preventative measure that can allow us to relax our handwashing.

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I'll be more than happy to take the flu shot, if they will pay for someone to watch my children, clean my house, cook for me, and pay me my full salary (when I graduate of course), without using a single day of my sick/vacation time, when I start running a 103 degree fever and stay sick for 3 to 4 days, like clockwork, 5 days after getting the shot.

Happened every single year with 100% predictability. I didn't take it one year, didn't get sick.

I did get the flu once and ended up in the hospital. I can easily see how it could kill you too.

However, not going to take it.

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Infection Control.
I'll be more than happy to take the flu shot, if they will pay for someone to watch my children, clean my house, cook for me, and pay me my full salary (when I graduate of course), without using a single day of my sick/vacation time, when I start running a 103 degree fever and stay sick for 3 to 4 days, like clockwork, 5 days after getting the shot.

Happened every single year with 100% predictability. I didn't take it one year, didn't get sick.

I did get the flu once and ended up in the hospital. I can easily see how it could kill you too.

However, not going to take it.

I'll take the being "sick" for 3-5 days after the shot to being put in the hospital for pneumonia secondary the the flu which happened the first time I didn't take the shot. I was dehydrated and out of my mind until they gave me two liters of fluid then I "woke" up OR X 3 and totally rationale. I mean I laid down on the floor and refused to get up and all kinds of crazy stuff I have no memory off. Then I didn't take it again the next year because I didn't have a doctor's appt during flu shot time and got the flu and then pneumonia. I've learned my lesson - I take my flu shot every year now! I call and make a flu shot appointment (I'm medically retired so I don't get the flu shot free where I work anymore.) :typing

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Specializes in Retired OR nurse/Tissue bank technician.

I go into psychotic delirium when given the flu shot. No way would I take it, manager's orders or not.

My boss would have the option-take the risk I get the flu or be guaranteed I have to be off work at least a month, if not two, dealing with the aftermath of the flu shot, because I sure wouldn't be safe to practice.

Edited to add: When I discussed this with my internist (I usually get the shot because of asthma and another respiratory condition), he said that while he would prefer I get the shot, he also understood why I wouldn't want to and that diligent hand washing throughout the winter would have pretty much the same effect.

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Infection Control.

I don't blame you for not taking the flu shot - there are some exceptions to every rule and you're definitely one! But your internist needs to realise the flu is airborne as well as contact so if the patient you are caring for has a cough and the flu is suspected - YOU should wear a mask. And tell the patient it's because you cannot take the flu shot. And again with it (flu shot) being only 70% effective EVERYONE should wear a mask when taking care of a flu patient!

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Specializes in Rehab, LTC, Peds, Hospice.

I'm allergic to thirmisol. Is it still in the vaccine? I know it is not used in some other vaccinations that previously had used it.

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Infection Control.
I'm allergic to thirmisol. Is it still in the vaccine? I know it is not used in some other vaccinations that previously had used it.

I think thirmisol is still in the flu vaccine. Ask your Employee Health Nurse to check with the companies that produce it.

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

There is at least one flu vax that doesn't contain thimerosol; think it's called FluZone. It's what we use for peds. The regular flu vax still contains small amts of thimerosol. You might want to check with your PCP to see if they carry it as well.

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Specializes in Retired OR nurse/Tissue bank technician.
I'm allergic to thirmisol. Is it still in the vaccine? I know it is not used in some other vaccinations that previously had used it.

I can't speak globally, but I know in this part of Canada, there are two forms of the flu vaccine put out every year. The main shot, given to most people, does have Thimerosol in it. The other formulation is for pregnant women and children under two years of age and does not contain the additive.

We're guessing it's the Thimerosol that's causing the psychosis for me. I'm going to skip the shot this year and if all stays well, then next year I'll request the Thimerosol free version to see if I react or not.

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I took the flu shot about 5 times over the years. My work pulled the same crap last year and tried to manipulate us into taking the shot. Every time I take the shot I am sick for at least 2 weeks, with a cold or flu, and I am really sick. It has happened every time. Within 2 days.

Every few years I reason that the flu shot is not responsible for the illness, so I take it again and get sick. I wish someone would do a study on this, for there does seem to be a few people this consistently happens in. Needless to say, my work stated they would be "educating" those of us who declined the shot. Next they will be holding us responsible for the transmission of flu. Good grief, I think I will just wear a mask........

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Specializes in med-surg,pedi,ortho,one-day,rehab,ER.
next they will be holding us responsible for the transmission of flu. good grief, i think i will just wear a mask........[/quote]

about twenty years ago, a very competent physician suggested we should all start wearing a "spray-on uniform (latex or some chemical of some kind) --opaqued 'in all the proper places' " at that time, the idea was to protect staff from diseases we might catch from pts. and, of course, it was kind of tongue-in-cheek.

if scientists have just announced an invisibility cloak, someone stands to make a lot of money on the invention of an infection-proof cloak--mandatory for all health care personnel so that we don't pass anything along to our pts. :chuckle

where will it end ?

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