Flu Vaccine, enough already!

Nurses COVID

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Yes, we are in flu season. And it seems you can't go anywhere without being bombarded/enticed to get the flu vaccine. A lot of times scare tactics are used also. They tried making it mandatory for nurses last season but that failed, thank goodness. Then a friend went to a job interview, and a condition of employment was that she had to get the flu vaccine even though she did not want it.

Yet recently, a healthcare employer (I have declined to identify) went as far as to offer employees who get the flu vaccine (at work), entry into a raffle for a hot electronic gadget. I just think its too much. People already know about the flu vaccine and have made an educated decision about whether they want it or not. Flu vaccines have become extremely commercialized, which leads me to conclude that a financial windfall is being made somewhere. Just sayin...

Can you provide a study(s) that shows the effectiveness of the flu vaccine?

I made no statements regarding the effectiveness of the flu vaccine, so why would I need to quote a study about it?

I made no statements regarding the effectiveness of the flu vaccine, so why would I need to quote a study about it?

You said not everyone who refuses the vaccine has made an educated decision. What then did you mean by that statement?

Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.
Tell me about it. I got accepted into the nursing program and for orientation last week one of the school's doctors came to speak to the students. She told us that we have to get the flu vaccine, which I am completely against. She said that we won't be allowed to start our clinicals if we don't get it. I have never gotten a flu vaccine in my life and now I have to get one according to this doctor. However, it says nothing about needing the flu vaccine in the paperwork that I received from the university that list the immunizations.....:confused:

We had something similar happen to us. We had to turn in the 'proof' of vaccinations from out doctor to the school. That was before starting the program. Then over a year later, one of the local hospital was cracking down on staff and students having their vaccines, and they required all staff and students to have titers drawn for their vaccines. I happened have a low MMR titer, so I had to have the vaccine again ASAP before I started clinicals there. So despite the fact that the school said I was okay, I HAD to have this vaccine again if I was goign to start clinicals at this facility. Now I had no opposition to getting this vaccine, but I was not offered a choice and that is just the way it was.

We had something similar happen to us. We had to turn in the 'proof' of vaccinations from out doctor to the school. That was before starting the program. Then over a year later, one of the local hospital was cracking down on staff and students having their vaccines, and they required all staff and students to have titers drawn for their vaccines. I happened have a low MMR titer, so I had to have the vaccine again ASAP before I started clinicals there. So despite the fact that the school said I was okay, I HAD to have this vaccine again if I was goign to start clinicals at this facility. Now I had no opposition to getting this vaccine, but I was not offered a choice and that is just the way it was.

You did have a choice. To not participate in clinicals at their facility.

You said not everyone who refuses the vaccine has made an educated decision. What then did you mean by that statement?

I said that SOME of the statements made by people about the vaccine show that they are not educated about it. I did not clarify WHICH of those I was referring to, and I never said that anyone who rejects the vaccine is not making an educated decision.

Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.
You did have a choice. To not participate in clinicals at their facility.

That it certainly true...I was not trying to voice my opposition to what they did (I totally support it....I, for one, did not want to return from clinicals with a nice case of measles). I was just trying to illustrate a case in which the 'original' immunization check by the schools is changed later by the facility. Bravo to that facility for taking the lead in that. Although, the MMR vaccine real burns.

Can you provide a study(s) that shows the effectiveness of the flu vaccine?

Here are some studies I found with a quick Google search for reputable scientific sources:

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/vaccination/effectivenessqa.htm, extensive information on flu vaccine, history, historical and current morbidity and mortality

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X11014435 showing effectiveness of about 56% in children (still better then 0%)

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X10000034 showing reduction in hospitalizations in Canadians who were vaccinated against the flu

To be fair, here is a website that explains the view that the flu shot is a scam: http://www.infiniteunknown.net/2009/10/15/junk-science-and-the-flu-vaccine-scam-revealed/. It also reveals the secret plans to bar code all citizens of the UK by 2013 and recommends buying "a remote farm and learn to become self-sufficient" to prepare for the coming economic and financial collapse and tells of a plan to add lithium to drinking water in Ireland.

Specializes in OB/GYN.

How do you feel about being required to have the Hep B series? If you are exposed through blood and body fluids then you are definitely exposed through air and contact for the flu virus. Institutions lose money when you are out sick with the flu. It's part of the scheme of things. If private owned hospitals and offices can mandate that you don't smoke (through serum drug testing for nicotine) then they sure can mandate you have a flu vaccine or penalize/firs you for not. It is what it is and in this economy can you afford to lose a job, not get a job, or be penalized for not following their mandates?

Specializes in hopeful ER/Surg.

When flu vaccines are produced, the CDC makes a prediction about which strain will be most active that year, and produces that strain for the vaccine. A single flu vaccine does not denote that it protects from all flu strains that year. This also means that yes- you can get a vaccine and still get the flu.

For students, there are certain facilities that require the vaccine, others that do not. I don't get vaccinated because EVERYONE does it, and I have seen times when there are shortages which leave at risk populations out of the loop. However, I must get one for certain clinical facilities...and I disagree with mindlor that a student can choose not to do this. Can you guess what an instructors reaction to that would be?

When flu vaccines are produced, the CDC makes a prediction about which strain will be most active that year, and produces that strain for the vaccine. A single flu vaccine does not denote that it protects from all flu strains that year. This also means that yes- you can get a vaccine and still get the flu.

For students, there are certain facilities that require the vaccine, others that do not. I don't get vaccinated because EVERYONE does it, and I have seen times when there are shortages which leave at risk populations out of the loop. However, I must get one for certain clinical facilities...and I disagree with mindlor that a student can choose not to do this. Can you guess what an instructors reaction to that would be?

Let me expain my logic mate, by the student disagreeing they are in effect withdrawing from the program, but it is still their choice......

Specializes in hopeful ER/Surg.

yeah...

Specializes in LTC, Nursing Management, WCC.

I say shoot me with free vacs all you want. I had to redo the hep b because I lost my immunity. I also had to have another MMR x 2 because I lost my immunity. I have come to the conclusion that my immune system must suck! LOL..

I don't judge people who don't want it but many organizations are requiring that it gets done.

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