Immunizations

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I am a nursing student at the University of Nevada, Reno and I am doing research on immunizations for a paper I have to write for class. My question to all of you professional nurses who deal with immunizations and infectious diseases every day is: How safe really are immunizations? In the research I have done so far, vaccinations have preceeded crib death in infants, and there is a link to autism and SIDS resulting from vaccinations. (Koren, 2002) I want to know how often some of the more severe adverse effects occur, and what they include. If any of you have seen adverse effects or if you have an opinion about immunizations and their safety, I would love to hear about it. Thanks!:balloons:

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.
I am a nursing student at the University of Nevada, Reno and I am doing research on immunizations for a paper I have to write for class. My question to all of you professional nurses who deal with immunizations and infectious diseases every day is: How safe really are immunizations? In the research I have done so far, vaccinations have preceeded crib death in infants, and there is a link to autism and SIDS resulting from vaccinations. (Koren, 2002) I want to know how often some of the more severe adverse effects occur, and what they include. If any of you have seen adverse effects or if you have an opinion about immunizations and their safety, I would love to hear about it. Thanks!:balloons:

Vaccines, like all medications, have potential side effects, some of which are serious. Contact your local health department or physician's office and request copies of vaccine information sheets, which contain educational information intended to help parents make informed choices regarding consenting or not consenting to vaccines for their children. Parents must weigh the risks and benefits of vaccines, just as they do for every other aspect of their child's medical care. Do the potential risks of the vaccine outweigh the potential of serious illness if they choose not to vaccinate and their child contracts whooping cough, measles, etc. These diseases have become (thankfully) so rare in our developed society that people forget that they can be fatal.

Please read research carefully and critically. It is possible to show a "link" between virtually any 2 events. "Links" are not proof of cause and effect.

"...vaccines have preceeded crib death in infants..." So has bathing, breastfeeding, bottle feeding, voiding, stooling, crying, cooing, playing patty-cake, etc.

I make this point to help you understand that just because one event follows another does not prove causation. As Dr. Dean Edell likes to point out on his radio program, most people who die in auto accidents have eaten French fries in the previous week. Does that mean that French fries cause auto deaths? Of course not, but we seem to believe equally weak links between vaccines and crib death, autism, you name it.

Please read your research carefully and critically. Interview medical, public health, and statistics experts and form your opinions based on sound science.

Good luck!

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Very well said..............

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Specializes in floor to ICU.
Very well said..............

I agree. there is all kinds of crazy info on the web. parents should make an informed decision

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Hi there...I am currently a student nurse anesthetist entering my second year of school. Clinicals are pretty intensive right now and I have a dilemma. Yesterday I was stuck with a needle and had to go to the ER and have all the lab work done. Everything came back negative, including my Hep B titer. I updated my program director regarding the situation and due to policies, I must be removed from clinical until revaccinated. I hope you guys can assist with your knowledge on the situation...will I just need a booster, of will I need the series again? Do you think I can return to clinical the day after getting booster, or will I have to wait? I am very upset at the prospect of this impacting my progression (timeline to graduation) since time is very tight. Any input appreciated...

Thanks

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Specializes in floor to ICU.
Hi there...I am currently a student nurse anesthetist entering my second year of school. Clinicals are pretty intensive right now and I have a dilemma. Yesterday I was stuck with a needle and had to go to the ER and have all the lab work done. Everything came back negative, including my Hep B titer. I updated my program director regarding the situation and due to policies, I must be removed from clinical until revaccinated. I hope you guys can assist with your knowledge on the situation...will I just need a booster, of will I need the series again? Do you think I can return to clinical the day after getting booster, or will I have to wait? I am very upset at the prospect of this impacting my progression (timeline to graduation) since time is very tight. Any input appreciated...

Thanks

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/rr/rr5011.pdf

You may find your answer here in the MMWR from the CDC: good luck and let us know your outcome. You can also call your local State Immunization Program to talk to a "real" person. When I worked for The State of Texas we frequently received phones call from the public regarding immunizations and communicable diseases.

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Funny thing is, I was all worried about being taken out of clinical so I went to the ER that evening to get lab report and hep b surface antigen was positive...doc read the computer wrong when on phone...crisis averted. Did not miss one clinical day...but thanks for the help anyway.

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