Vaccination Waiver Please Help Quick!!

HHagedorn · Sep 20, 2011

Thanks for the info pecanpies! Hmmm, that changes things. I'm currently on Mother/Baby rotation which includes NICU and PICU, and then I have a Med/Surg rotation with no break in between.

Clovery · Sep 20, 2011

If it's a institutional policy, you may not be able to get around it. My clinical instructor told us that flu vaccines are now MANDATED at her facility, unless it's medically contraindicated. Meaning you will be asked to find another job if you refuse. However, 48 states allow refusal for religious reasons, at least for school and other public institutions. Some states require you to cite the tenets of your religion that do not comply with vaccination, but it's an ethical minefield to try and ascertain if a religion is "true" or just "made up", so as long as you say "religious reasons", generally you're in the clear. But it sounds like you just have a philosophical conflict with vaccination, which isn't a valid reason for exemption. So you will have to lie about a religion.

I would contact the facility, your school and check your state's department of health website for the appropriate information and forms.

IMHO you should just bend over and get the vaccine. I know all the reasons people object to them, but really the worst possible outcome of this is that you contract the flu, spread it before you have symptoms and then you could infect a helpless newborn who is too young to get the vaccine and can have the most serious consequences from the illness.

MN-Nurse, ASN, RN · Sep 20, 2011

The main reason is I feel the best prevention is a diet of whole, organic foods and plenty of saturated fats like coconut oil (a natural antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal).

Your reason is not backed by any reasonable evidence whatsoever and borders on absolute quackery.

metroishka · Sep 20, 2011

It is my understanding that the healthcare institutions that are mandating the vaccine (and the trend is that they all are moving toward it) are somewhat different in how they handle those who refuse vaccination. Some are going to let employees go, others are going to make you pay by requiring that you wear a mask whenever you are around patients during the flu months.

FWIW, I have gotten flu vaccines yearly, beginning when it wasn't even "in style" to get one. I have never gotten the flu, nor had any adverse reaction to them. And I know that I am doing my part to not infect my compromised patients. It also makes me feel a tad better when I'm standing next to a sniffling, honking, feverish kid at the grocery store.

Music in My Heart · Sep 20, 2011

in my program, it was not an option. the requirement was set by the hosting institutions; the school had no say in the matter. for us, it was either get the vax or forego the clinical rotation.

if it turns out that i do have to get the flu vaccine, would it be better to get the injection with the preservatives (if they don't offer preservative free) or the nasal spray with the msg? imo, the injection is preferable because you simply cannot acquire a respiratory infection from it. the nasal spray can result in some mild respiratory symptoms.
and, is it possible to get the flu vaccination that doesn't have h1n1 in it? nope. this year's compound includes the h1n1. in fact, the formulation is identical to last year's.

pecanpies · Sep 20, 2011

OK. Well, the page I quoted from also said it was fine to get the nasal spray even if you were working in NICU. If it were me, I don't know - I'd probably get the IM injection just to be cautious! I think at that point it would probably just be your preference, though.

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Sep 20, 2011

Some facilities do allow their employees to use PPE instead of getting the vaccine. Unfortunately, they're more concerned about your mouth and nose spreading influenza than they are about your fingers, so those places require people to wear a mask at all times through the end of flu season. I'm not sure if that's an option as a student, but it's another avenue to explore if this waiver thing doesn't come through.

The issue with the LAIV (nasal spray) and immunocompromised patients has been greatly exaggerated. NICU nurses, for example, should not be restricted from receiving the LAIV. Severely immunocompromised patients are in protected environments with reverse air flow. I do know that sometimes this guideline is widely misunderstood and that a nurse might, in actual practice, be asked to plan several days off receiving after the LAIV.

http://www.immunize.org/askexperts/experts_inf.asp

(ETA: Sorry, I didn't see the previous post that addressed this.)

SweetseRN · Sep 20, 2011

I feel that this post is almost intentionally borderline inflammatory. You are saying you are going to go into PICU/NICU and won't take a flu vaccine? Really? I got my first ever flu shot, voluntarily, before my OB clinical rotation because I felt it was my responsibility to protect the new babies and moms. I think you need to examine your priorities if you really want to be a nurse.

mama_d, BSN, RN · Sep 20, 2011

My system requires flu shot, if you plead medical exemption you must have a note from PCP on file; if for religious reasons you must have a note from your religious leader preferably citing exactly why it is outside the bounds of your belief to get one.

Please think about your patients. And I have to correct the above poster about severely immunocompromised pts having reverse airflow...I work with neutropenic pts all the time and we do take special precautions, but this is not one of them. Also keep in mind that some of these pts can have their WBC/ANC be okay, then suddenly tank in response to therapy given days ago. In an ideal world, we'd always have up to date info on our pts and be able to anticipate that, but it doesn't always happen.

SnMrsSmiley · Sep 20, 2011

I feel that this post is almost intentionally borderline inflammatory. You are saying you are going to go into PICU/NICU and won't take a flu vaccine? Really? I got my first ever flu shot, voluntarily, before my OB clinical rotation because I felt it was my responsibility to protect the new babies and moms. I think you need to examine your priorities if you really want to be a nurse.

exactly. In this situation the poster is being reckless. I just dont agree with it.

JROregon, ASN, BSN, RN · Sep 20, 2011

Or just not work in a hospital with an already vulnerable population....

I whole heartedly agree that the best way to prevent illness is to eat a proper diet, exercise, and wash those hands over and over again. Heck, my first year of clinicals was my healthiest. Not one sick day. Caught a cold the week of finals: (

I would never say no to a request for a vaccination. Why? Because they are safe and pretty effective. What are you going to tell your patients when they need to be educated on getting there flu shot?

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Sep 20, 2011

To my knowledge, in previous years, the H1N1 is not included in the standard flu vaccine.

Many hospitals prefer the injectible vaccine for current employees, that are currently employed, d/t issues with the vaccine type.

As far as avoiding vaccination. In most schools, you will have a variety of facilities that you go to. The problem arises that more than one will probably have this requirement. Finding a school that can negotiate a student out of this requirement repeatedly, or that will even make the attempt is quite unlikely.

The other issue is when you graduate. You will find that how you feel on the matter of vaccines does not matter - what the facility "feels" or what the facility has evidence based data on does matter. Many hire/employ nurses and put lifestyle restrictions on them, fair or not. With an issue, that does affect pt safety, you may find a harder time getting a job after graduation, without vaccination.