CDC - Why Most Nurses Don't Get the Flu Vaccine

I dont mind the flu vaccine, and yes, I am scared of ANY gov't provisions that makes it mandatory for workers to get ANY kinds of shots. It is almost a brainwashing game, glorifying a flu vaccine, anyone think that? Exactly why do so many people get sick after it? what are some of the associated problems? what effect does the medium have that maintains the vaccine? what is the long term effect of it? what is the effect in long term on our immune system? These questions go on and on, but meanwhile "dont you dare not get the vaccine", cause its our way to Kingdom Come. I agree that we will have a pandemic eventually, (unavoidably), but could it be due to our manipulation of our own body systems? How useful is the vaccine anyway?, statistically, oh, wait, the only real statistic is that most nurses dont get the vaccine, bad nurses!! I dont mind the shot, I get it ALL the time and I never got sick from it, but I still like to face reality and ask fundamental questions before playing the health care game.

I don't get it because I welcome my rest when I do get the flu.

Just kidding. I don't get it because I don't get the flu that often and it's never really that bad. Good immune system I guess.

chalk up another one for no shot.... i too have had issues where obtaining it was nigh impossible due to my schedule. but normally i don't get the flu anyways (despite having previous years' bugs race through the building like wildfire and hit almost every patient--including those who got the shots!). last year i managed to get one thinking "why not?"...the why not turned out to be getting an un-covered flu strain that had me sicker than a dog. it wasn't pretty. after that lovely experience i've decided there really is no point in trying find a way/time to get the shot....

I've gotten the vaccine for the past 10 yr.s or so, but I won't this year because I have recent onset of anaphylaxsis reaction, possibly to egg whites but they really don't know what it is. After the last one I ended up in-patient for 2 days I'm just not going to risk it. I'm terrified to eat anything let alone get it injected into me!

I'm skeptical as to whether it really helps, but figure it's a good idea working where I do having pt.s blowing breathylyzers & coughing into my face all day, if it weren't for a possible reaction I'd get it again.
-Sara

This nurse gets her flu shot faithfully every year. I do however get mild flu symptoms about 2 weeks after getting the shot.

I got the flu shot for the first time in years and end up in bed for about two weeks with really bad flu symptoms. Also the injection site was really hot for about a week. I will not be getting the flu shot next year.

I, too, have never gotten a flu shot just never had it and didn't want to take anything I don't need. Agree with some others that nurses must have some type of "super" immune systems to get sick as little as most of us do. But, think everyone should do what they feel best. I've been told once I have it I will start taking the shots. Doubt it though.

why don't I (and my family) get the flu shot every year?

Take a look at the increase in vaccinations, of every kind, that we and now our kids, are exposed to. Our newborns recieve several a few days after birth for hepatitis, chicken pox, and now the flu. We are encouraged to get the flu shot every year, but, yet the literature regarding the dramatic increases in autism and the potential link to getting Alzheimer's later in life are ignored. Yet, most of the medical society cannot explain the increase for these two conditions. Hum, as for me, I would rather lose a few days every few years with the flu than a few years at the end of my life or contribute to the epidemic of a life altering condition.
thanks for allowing a forum to gently express our opinions.
Pam

3 years ago I came down with the worst flu bug I ever had. I was sick in bed for 8 days. There were at least 5 others from my floor that had it too. 1 of them had received the famous flu shot prior. There were no patients that became ill with the same thing. I guess that we washed our hands, didn't cough, sneeze or kiss with pt. care!

I decided that I would get the shot the next year. (just to be safe) I had a very sore arm at the injection site. The ache moved into every lymph node on my left side. I couldn't lift my arm for a week or lay in bed on my left side for a month.

So I ended up missing more work because of the shot than I did with the flu.

I don't work sick. Period.

ER nurses especially should get the flu shot because they are the front line and have more chances of exposure before the patient is diagnosed. If you don't want to take the flu shot to protect yourself, you should want to take it to protect your patients and your family...did you know that with the flu you are actually contagious 2 days before you develop symptoms??