Flu shots as a student anyone?

Nursing Students General Students

Published

It has been maybe six yrs since my family of four got a flu shot. Sick maybe three times with the flu combined. Two boys are 12, 13 now.

Well we are now a family of five this year with a 10 month old girl. So the fact that myself, hubby and two boys will be in a school setting I want us including baby to get a flu vac. bc I worry of her immune system. She is too young to fight it if she got it.

Funny thing is me (medical field chick) don't like the concept of the vaccine. I don't believe it is effective. Just putting junk in the body. I don't even like Tylenol!

Soooooo, my question...is anyone getting it this winter? I will do it just don't want to.

Specializes in kids.

and we are off.....the long runing debate in whether or not to vaccinate...my personal choice is to do so.....I'm not going to trash those who dont.

Please dont trash MY well thought out reasoning and decision.

And further more I DO NOT have to explain my rationale to ANYONE!!!!

A link, please.

Yes, I have read not only the magazine article, but more importantly the study on which it was based from 2006. The evidence that the prior estimations of the outcomes data on flu vaccines were largely inflated is convincing and has spurred several subsequent studies better controlling for other cause mortality.

There was an excellent meta-analysis in 2012 that found a moderate seasonal benefit from influenza vaccination, though there is still lacking data for the elderly population, some degree of generalization to this population is reasonable. I think that is the most objective review to date and a moderate reduction remains significant.

If you don't want to share, why are you here?

and we are off.....the long runing debate in whether or not to vaccinate...my personal choice is to do so.....I'm not going to trash those who dont.

Please dont trash MY well thought out reasoning and decision.

And further more I DO NOT have to explain my rationale to ANYONE!!!!

Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

I never get a flu shot nor do my kids. It's too much of a crap shoot to hope they've picked the right strain for me to inject mercury into my system. It was never required while I was in school, but we'll see now that I'm working Rehab/LTC. I'd do the flu-mist over the injection though

I have no problem with silver alloy dental fillings, I have a few and wouldn't hesitate to have them placed in my family if the need arose. Mercury in an amalgam is inert, in a vax it is not, BIG difference

Normally no, but since I am now a nursing student I haver more people to think about besides myself. i will get it from now on.

Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.

Osterholm, M. T., Kelley, N. S., Sommer, A., & Belongia, E. A. (2012). Efficacy and effectiveness of influenza vaccines: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet infectious diseases, 12(1), 36-44.

I always get the flu shot. I refuse to put others who cannot get the vaccine (allergies, immunocompromised, etc) at risk.

Specializes in OB, Women’s health, Educator, Leadership.

I think whether or not anyone gets the flu shot should be their choice because anything that is being injected into your body should be done by your choice and I have to admit it does bother me that they have taken that choice away. I can rationalize why they feel the need to do this but I can't help admitting that I don't like the feeling of having my free will taken away and can't help but think what will they 'make' us do next? I do wish their was another way to protect immune compromised patients - although this doesn't really apply to me. I know you can wear a mask and I wish their were more that could be done because I don't want to have the flu shot and no I have never gotten the flu and I have been a nurse 20 years plus.

Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.
I think whether or not anyone gets the flu shot should be their choice because anything that is being injected into your body should be done by your choice and I have to admit it does bother me that they have taken that choice away. I can rationalize why they feel the need to do this but I can't help admitting that I don't like the feeling of having my free will taken away and can't help but think what will they 'make' us do next? I do wish their was another way to protect immune compromised patients - although this doesn't really apply to me. I know you can wear a mask and I wish their were more that could be done because I don't want to have the flu shot and no I have never gotten the flu and I have been a nurse 20 years plus.

It remains the choice of the individual.

It also remains the choice of the employer/school.

Specializes in Adult Psych.

I went to Salem State in Salem MA, New England is great for Flu season, we get tons of cases. My school and all of my clinicals mandated that we get our flu shot ever year.

Is there a reason that some areas mandate and others don't? Is it because some areas are at greater risk?

Anyway, if we refused some places had the vaccine or mask rule. I think nursing with a mask would hinder your practice, it could scare your patients for one, and two try maneuvering all day with a mask on, not easy or comfortable, so I think its better the get the vaccine.

In Public health we learn that herd immunity is the idea that vaccinating as many people as possible will cut down on the spread to vulnerable populations. We do this with Polio, chicken pox, the MMR. The flu shot counts as well but because multiple strains exist yearly, and these strains mutate, the effectiveness of the vaccine is basically guess work at best. It's not certified 100% flu proof. Whether or not you think that its work it, it really comes down to herd immunity and your responsibility to your patients.

I always get the flu shot. I refuse to put others who cannot get the vaccine (allergies, immunocompromised, etc) at risk. MissChloe
EXACTLY!

They are vulnerable populations, the idea of mandating the shot for health care workers is to prevent you from carrying the disease to your patients, not to prevent you from being ill, that is the secondhand idea.

She is not "too young to fight it." She'll be a year old anyway when flu season rolls around, and with two big brothers I am sure she's been exposed to plenty of viruses already and has an appropriately robust immune system for her age. My babies never got flu vaccines either. (Insert obligatory recommendation to have this discussion with your pediatrician or other primary care provider HERE, since we don't give medical advice).

Now, stand back and let the inevitable vaccine firestorm begin.... I'll start with the heretical posting of the excellent epidemiological research that indicates that vaccines do not, in fact, decrease excess mortality in what are traditionally called vulnerable populations. But they make a boatload of money for their manufacturers anyway.

www.theatlantic.com/magazine/print/2009/11/does‑the‑vaccine‑matter/307723/

I am so glad that someone else understands this concept! I've been reading about it for years.

Specializes in Public Health.

So I'm gonna go ahead and point out like a PP said, the point is to prevent spreading the flu and reduce healthcare costs.

+ Add a Comment