Are there any nurses that are not vaccinated? How to prepare to be safe at work?

PrettyNerd, CNA, LPN, LVN · Jul 16, 2021

After reading all the replies, I feel discouraged and sad, I have a knot in my throat because I feel like crying. I haven't been able to sleep because I keep thinking about if I'm making the right move in working there without the vaccine and torn between if I should get it or not. It is my body and I am not 100% comfortable about putting something in my body thats new. I was excited to finally start working, and was thanking God for it. I was mistaken thinking that things were getting better, I am not following the news only our health department website to see how covid has been doing and it seemed it was getting better. My fiance that works in a hospital told me they had ZERO covid patients and all departments were back to normal. It wasn't until I was around other people outside of my circle that basically made me feel crappy about it. Thanks for your replies.

LibraNurse27, BSN, RN · Jul 16, 2021

I think overall covid IS getting better, so that is encouraging. Also, it is totally your choice whether or not to get the vaccine. These are just our opinions. If you don't get it and you keep doing what you're doing in terms of protecting yourself and wear PPE at work, I don't think you're a huge risk to your patients. If you were going to the bar without a mask that would be a different story. If you're just at home, not as big of a risk. There is always the chance of getting it at work and then spreading it, but if the residents are all vaccinated it's not as high of a chance of them getting severely ill (although elderly are still higher risk).

If you want to work and the facility doesn't require you to get the vaccine, just stay responsible. Wear your N95 except at lunch, and to be super safe you could eat in your car or outside away from others. We definitely need nurses who want to work LTC!

klone, MSN, RN · Jul 16, 2021

I can guarantee that not one of us was super keen on getting something injected into OUR bodies that is relatively new. But you know what? We did it anyway. Because it's about more than just us. It's about protecting every person we comes into contact with. If you're going to work in a nursing home, of all places, you would be incredibly irresponsible and selfish to not get the vaccine.

**CalicoKitty, BSN, MSN, RN** · Jul 16, 2021

I realize you are afraid of getting the vaccine because you do not understand it. You should educate yourself on the facts. Yes there are risks. You know what is riskier? Getting Covid.

The vaccine for this specific variant may be new, but the technology and vaccine theories used for these variants is not new.

Currently about half of the country has been vaccinated. That means the vaccine has been tested on half of the US population (40% fully vaccinated with 2 doses).

Millions of people in the United States have received COVID-19 vaccines since they were authorized for emergency use by FDA.

In my hospital system, it seems like about 10% of our hospitalized covid patients died. Sure, not everyone gets hospitalized.

Blood clots area HUGE risk factor for Covid. The D-Dimer (a coagulation test that predicts risks of pulmonary embolism - PE, strokes, deep vein thrombosis -DVT) are very high. I've watched patients survive covid only to be left with a stroke, tracheostomy, etc.

Researchers have been studying and working with mRNA vaccines for decades. Interest has grown in these vaccines because they can be developed in a laboratory using readily available materials. This means the process can be standardized and scaled up, making vaccine development faster than traditional methods of making vaccines.

mRNA vaccines have been studied before for flu, Zika, rabies, and cytomegalovirus (CMV). As soon as the necessary information about the virus that causes COVID-19 was available, scientists began designing the mRNA instructions for cells to build the unique spike protein into an mRNA vaccine.

**CalicoKitty, BSN, MSN, RN** · Jul 17, 2021

8 minutes ago, klone said:

I can guarantee that not one of us was super keen on getting something injected into OUR bodies that is relatively new. ...

Actually, I was pretty excited. I kinda wish I had been in a clinical trial. I used to work in virology and immunology before becoming a nurse. So, I may be biased. I ended up with Covid, so I was slightly worried about getting a stronger reaction to the vaccines, but I had pretty much no symptoms.

Ioreth, ADN, RN · Jul 17, 2021

CalicoKitty has provided some excellent information regarding the Covid vaccine. I discussed vaccine hesitancy with a hospitalist recently in small talk and he noted that because it is so standardized, most of the medical concerns in the vaccine is in effectiveness, not side effects. The biggest concern is: is the dose large enough to do what is needed while still being low enough to provide enough vaccines as possible. The other concern is choosing a part of the spike protein that will not change very much so the vaccine remains effective with variants.

Honestly, this is probably one of the safest vaccines you can get.

But really, just get all your vaccines. You are more likely to have health problems as a result of the disease than the vaccine. Trust me on this one. I had covid twice, likely different variants. I am still feeling the effects of the second infection from early Nov 2020 right now. You DON'T want this.

I also want you to think about your patient population. They're not going anywhere, but you are only there while you work. If there is a low-key outbreak in your community and you get it and it spreads through the LTC because of lower immune response to the vaccine and hidden susceptibility... How will you feel if some of your patients die? You won't know that you gave it to them, but you won't know that you didn't.

One last thought. Every person that gets the vaccine stops the spread of the virus in that person. They may still get covid, but it can't spread from them, and the illness is generally mild. But in those that don't get vaccinated... They are variation machines. In every single unvaccinated host, there is the possibility of producing a variant that can evade vaccines, and we will have 2020 all over again. Do your part and stop the spread.

15 minutes ago, CalicoKitty said:

Actually, I was pretty excited. I kinda wish I had been in a clinical trial. I used to work in virology and immunology before becoming a nurse. So, I may be biased. I ended up with Covid, so I was slightly worried about getting a stronger reaction to the vaccines, but I had pretty much no symptoms.

I have an 11-year-old who is too young to get the vaccine yet. I have never seen a kid so eager to get a shot. She is soooo tired of covid and distance learning. We live in a large city with low vaccine uptake, so we are seeing ongoing outbreaks. She's continuing to be careful, and usually of her own choosing because she hears about what it is like where I work.

For the record, I got the vaccine even after having Covid. I'm not going to play roulette on getting it a 3rd time. I had a mild reaction to the first shot and the second made me sleep for a day. Then I was fine. Just don't plan on working the day after your 2nd shot.

SmilingBluEyes · Jul 17, 2021

I echo those saying to get it. My pregnant daughter jumped at the chance when they offered it, not because she was worried about herself, but she was interested in protecting her baby.

She has had ZERO ill effects. I got the vaccine way back in December when so many told me I was crazy to.

No ill effects.

See, I want to protect others; it really is not just all about me.

I studied what was available and made what I thought was a safe and responsible choice.

I implore you to read up; talk to nurses and doctors who know about immunology and virology and maybe you will feel more willing.

Please protect the vulnerable population you are going to work with. Or please, don't take the job.

This is not a "pile on" but an attempt to get you thinking about changing your mind, or your place of work.

I wish you the best.

Editorial Team / Admin · Jul 17, 2021

Hello, @PrettyNerd, we have moved your thread to the COVID forum for best responses.

nursej22, MSN, RN · Jul 17, 2021

I too couldn't wait to get my vaccine and did volunteer to be in a study but wasn't picked. I just volunteered for a study on a booster dose. I work for a local health department and I was doing testing before the vaccine and even with PPE I was nervous. I cried the day I got dose #1, because I knew I was protecting my family from any virus I might bring home.

PrettyNerd, I suggest you speak to your health provider who can answer your questions. I can tell you, without a doubt, that the vaccine will not affect your ability to have a child. However, if your spouse contracts COVID there are reports of decreased fertility in men.

Oh, and I never got sick. Not even a cold, bronchitis or an ear infection, which are common for me.

NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN · Jul 17, 2021

18 hours ago, CalicoKitty said:

My hospital will have mandatory Covid vaccines this year. There are also mandatory flu vaccines every year, and titers/vaccines for many other contagious illnesses required on hire. I got Covid, luckily pretty mild case. I got my vaccines first chance I had.

You let this virus scare you from working for a year. And now you don't want to get a vaccine to give you (and your patients) a lower risk of contracting it? Especially if you want to work with the vulnerable frail elderly? As a hospital nurse, I've watched younger people die (healthy in their 40s), as well as plenty of elderly. It can get spread before you have symptoms.

Your workplace should have PPE (wipes, gloves, etc). But, all the PPE won't do anything if basic precautions like handwashing are done. Also, vaccination is a great way to not infect people.

I got the vaccine-I am considered high risk due to my asthma and long list of autoimmune issues. My husband got vaccines. So did my father and mother. There’s still no vaccine for my 11 year old…she’s taller than most 12 yr olds and she’s muscular so she’s 85lbs- more than some elderly-but skinny- she wants to go back to a normal life-I thought peds was based on ht and wt…and some other factors- yet she’s still not allowed because she’s 11 , not 12. She wants the vaccine and I want it fit her….but still placed on hold….it’s like the CDC forgot about our children…yeah, there’s risks-but basing the availability solely on age? If both child and parent wants it? Why not? I know she hasn’t been exposed-I’ve been home with her working from home since the start of all this craziness

klone, MSN, RN · Jul 17, 2021

11 hours ago, Ioreth said:

One last thought. Every person that gets the vaccine stops the spread of the virus in that person. They may still get covid, but it can't spread from them, and the illness is generally mild.

This is incorrect. Vaccinated individuals can still get Covid, and if they get it, they can still spread it to others.

Soloist, LPN · Jul 17, 2021

I personally for religious reasons have chosen not to get the vaccine. Last year I had covid as well as another nurse (both unvaccinated). I was out sick for a few days and then the remaining isolation time. She was out for 4+ months basically. Our facility roughly has 50% compliance with the vaccine.

While hunting for a new job, this is one of the questions I ask upfront making it clear my stance before getting offered a job. As it is, I still get offers, but I'm personally thinking I'll have to change careers due to risk assessment and the general feel of medicine about vaccines and demanding compliance. While I could fight for my right and likely get it, I don't desire to cause conflict for those who sincerely believe mandates are the best route forward.

If you don't plan on getting it and will not comply, switch to phone nursing or another career. It seems unlikely that long term it would work out. As soon as these places offering me work are not so tight, they would never offer me a job because of the vaccine and likely would pressure me out or find an excuse to fire me.