Another question - what immunizations should I get?

[centralflorida]

I am getting ready to take a CNA class in my area. I'll probably start working as a CNA in about a month and a half once I finish the course, take the test, and they finish my background check and all that. Anyhoo, I've never worked in the health field before, and I am wondering what immunizations I should get. This week I'm planning to get Hepatitis B - I understand that's a series of shots and I have to finish the series before they become effective. What other shots/immunizations would y'all recommend for a CNA?

(I lived in Texas for a while. Can y'all tell?)

[Larry77, RN]

Yearly flu shot for sure, maybe a tetorifice booster..only other immunizations I received were for third world travel/work (Typhoid, Hep A and malaria pills--oh the nightmares!). You could also have your MMR titer checked but that may be overkill.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

depends on your employer. The CDC does not mandate TB skin tests for every region of the country, but your facility may be an exception. Most want base information on new employees. Some facilities require health care workers in the Pediatric dept to have mumps and measles vaccines or titers (a test to see if you have immunity from previous disease or vaccine).

Once you are working the most important thing you can do to stay well is to wash your hands FREQUENTLY.

Good luck!

[casi, ASN, RN]

As someone else said, it really depends on the employer. I work for two different facilities one only does a TB test every two years and the other does a TB test yearly, did a physical assessment on me, drew titers, and gave me the immunizations I didn't have.

For now I wouldn't really worrry about it. Just get the Hep B like you were planning and maybe check with your doctor to make sure everything else is up to date.